Well Christmas Day sure was a surprise in Melbourne this year. Instead of the expected scorcher, we ended up with what one could almost call a White Christmas! Hail stones the size of ping pongs rained down at us over in Coburg, and as you can see, my veggie patch copped a fair [...]]]>

Well Christmas Day sure was a surprise in Melbourne this year. Instead of the expected scorcher, we ended up with what one could almost call a White Christmas! Hail stones the size of ping pongs rained down at us over in Coburg, and as you can see, my veggie patch copped a fair beating.

Thankfully, I didn’t lose too much. The tomatoes lost a few branches, with a bit of fruit being knocked off/bruised. Everything else, apart from a few torn leaves, is pretty good!

Anyway – a bit of a update about what the patch is doing this Summer.

At the moment I’ve got six tomato plants in; mortgage lifter, principe borgehese (mini roma), lemon drop, red fig dwarf, black russian and tigerella. They are doing amazingly well – lots of flowers and green fruit at the moment, just waiting for those warm summery days to ripen.  I also have a couple of heirloom eggplants, mini sweet mix capsicums, heirloom beetroots, heirloom carrots, all season carrots, french breakfast radishes, miniature snow peas, heirloom pumpkin, cucumbers and black beauty zucchini – all grown from seed.

The radishes just grow so darn quick, and they can go from beautiful, crips tender little things to……

….monsterous inedible behemoths.

On the potato front, I’ve just harvested my first lot of nicola potatoes. They were just so wonderful boiled and dressed simply with olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley. I also roasted them with a topping of fresh breadcrumbs, parmesan and pine nuts on Christmas day which turned out spectacularly.  I’ve also got some purple congos and kipflers still growing, and some NZ Oca, which are like little tuberous yams.

Out the front of the house I’m actually growing Golden Bantam sweet corn along the fence line, which seems to be doing quite well. The ears have just started to form, and I very much look forward to throwing those on the BBQ.  I’m still undecided about what I’m going to do with the front yard.  I want it to be edible, but at the moment it is just lawn and some odd shrubs (…and my corn).

Also, I am awash with lettuces and leaves; crisp mint, amish deer tongue, cos, flame, gold rush and some Italian bitters from the Diggers Italian Lollo Seed Mix. Sorrel and Bloomsdale spinach round out the mix as well.

Photo taken by @essjayeff

Oh. And two strawberry plants, which are sporadically producing the most sweet fruit. I tend to get a singular strawberry every few days; which is nice as I eat it still warm from the plant. However, I’m not going to get a bowl of strawberries and cream in a hurry. I think I need more plants.

Photo taken by @essjayeff

So, while I seem to have a lot in the garden at the moment, the only thing I’m really harvesting are the lettuces, nicola potatoes and snow peas.  I’ve also already harvested some borlotti (thanks to @essjayeff and @injerarufus for helping me pod them!) and flageolet beans, but for everything else, well, it’s all still growing.  But I just so love watching it do exactly that.

Dan and I have been foraying into recipes from the America’s of late, and this recipe in Jamie’s America cookbook caught my eye. While the original recipe calls for white fish fillets, I decided to go with what was at hand, which was salmon. As a side note, Jamie also advises this preparation goes [...]]]>

Dan and I have been foraying into recipes from the America’s of late, and this recipe in Jamie’s America cookbook caught my eye. While the original recipe calls for white fish fillets, I decided to go with what was at hand, which was salmon. As a side note, Jamie also advises this preparation goes well chicken, pork, steak and lamb.

Where my version differs is in the accompaniment; a roasted/BBQ’d corn salsa that is fresh, tart, sweet and fragrant, and the perfect foil for the smoky, succulent fish.

Ingredients:
2 salmon steaks, skin on and pin boned

For the rub:
5 sprigs of fresh thyme – leaves only
2 sprigs of fresh oregano – leaves only
1 clove of garlic
1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
0.5 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely ground cracked black pepper
0.5 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Quarter of a lemon, juiced

For the salsa:
2 corn cobs, oiled & seasoned
1 avocado, seeded and diced
1 tomato, diced
3 spring onions, sliced
Half a bunch coriander
Glug of olive oil
1 lime, juiced
A few shakes of tabasco (or sliced chilli if you like)
Freshly cracked black pepper
Salt

Method:
To make the rub, put the garlic and fresh herbs into a mortar and pestle and moosh (yes, technical term) to a nice paste. Mix in the spices, salt, pepper and olive oil, and then squeeze in the lemon juice.

Score the thickest part of the salmon lengthways a few times to ensure the heat penetrates and cooks the thickest part of  the fish at the same time. Then rub the paste into the flesh and set aside for half an hour.

While the fish is doing its thing, fire up the BBQ and cook the two corn cobs until nicely caramelised. When done, cut the kernels off the cob and mix into the salsa ingredients. Lime and season to taste; don’t be shy with either.

Cook the salmon on the BBQ over medium heat, skin side down, for approx 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the fish and cook for a few more minutes until done.

Serve with the salsa on top, and either a crisp Mexican beer and lime, or, a limey gin and tonic.

Thought it was time for a bit of a garden update, considering all is not dull in my Winter garden.

We’ve already been tucking into the cavalo nero, red kale, bok choy, spinach and tatsoi – harvesting leaves as required; no more than two minutes from plant to pot. I’ve been keeping things [...]]]>

Thought it was time for a bit of a garden update, considering all is not dull in my Winter garden.

We’ve already been tucking into the cavalo nero, red kale, bok choy, spinach and tatsoi – harvesting leaves as required; no more than two minutes from plant to pot. I’ve been keeping things simple by wilting them in a pan with sliced garlic, a generous glug of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, flakes of sea salt, and occasionally some dried chilli flakes. The cavalo nero and red kale also likes a glug or two of water and a short spell with the lid on, to help steam the leaves to tenderness.

The cavalo nero (or tuscan black cabbage) is a type of kale that is perhaps my most favourite green vegetable.  I’ve got about six plants growing, which should see us through the winter.  It’s also got a little friend – a stinging nettle has popped up in front of it, and I’m sure will be destined for a pesto, as I doubt there will be enough for a nettle pie (unless more pops up!).

The red kale is also a corker of a plant. I’d actually never eaten it before I planted it, and am surprised at it’s delicateness. You can even eat the young tender leaves raw in a salad.

The Bloomsdale Spinach is a compact little plant, that’s all knobby and crinkled.  I like this variety as it doesn’t wilt too much in the pan.

My lettuces are looking bloody fantastic, but I’m yet to tuck into them. I must rectify that before the slugs get to them!

It looks like the heirloom beets are ready for picking, as they are starting to pop out of the soil!  This is my first time growing beetroot, so I’m not exactly sure when to harvest.  But they’re looking ready, huh?

The Calabrese broccoli is just starting to sprout, although the purple sprouting variety I also planted is yet to form a flower. The good thing about these sprouting varieties is that you can harvest the small florets as required. Also I’m a fan of the stalk as opposed to the flower, so its a win win for me!

I just planted a week or so ago some purple podded peas, and they’ve just poked their head out of the soil. I put these in a spare bit of garden bed where my tomato plant was, so can’t wait until they start climbing everywhere (mental note to put up some trellis for them).

And these are my broadbeans! Oooh…I’m peeing my pants in anticipation for these to grow, as I LOOOOVE broadbeans with a passion. Hurry up already!

My singular heirloom tomato plant (the first thing I planted in my new garden), was ever so productive this year. But with the early onset of winter, I had a glut of green tomatoes to harvest (apparently tomatoes need over 20 degree temps in which to ripen). I remember my Nonna used to make pickled green tomatoes with the excess, but I unfortunately never learnt her recipe, so I have turned to Nonna Lina for assistance with Pomodoro Verde Marinata.

Choose small, unblemished green tomatoes, and wash, dry and slice into pieces.

Place the tomato slices in a large colander, and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt. Leave to drain for 24 hours.

Place the tomatoes in a large bowl. Mix 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water and pour this mixture over the tomatoes. Leave for another 6 hours.

Drain, and pat dry.

Place the tomatoes back in the large bowl, and mix with olive oil, garlic slivers, fennel seeds and hot pepper.

Pack into hot sterilised jars and put into a pot of hot water to seal the jars for about ten minutes.  Leave for a couple of weeks to marinate before eating.