Grow Harvest Cook by Meredith Kirton and Mandy Sinclair (ISBN 9781742706085)

and veg.

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CONTENTS CONteNTS

INTRODUCTION .............................................. 7

M .............................................................................211 MACADAMIA NUTS | MANDARINS | MANGO | MINT

A ...................................................................................9 ALMONDS | APPLES | APRICOTS | ARTICHOKES, GLOBE ASIAN GREENS | ASPARAGUS | AVOCADO

MUSHROOMS

O ...........................................................................235 OLIVES | ONIONS, SHALLOTS & CHIVES | ORANGES

B

...............................................................................

41

BANANAS | BASIL | BAY | BEANS & BROAD (FAVA) BEANS | BEETROOT (BEETS) | BERRIES | BROCCOLI

OREGANO & MARJORAM

P ...........................................................................255 PAPAYAS | PARSLEY | PARSNIPS | PASSIONFRUIT

C ...............................................................................77 CABBAGES | CAPSICUMS (BELL PEPPERS) & CHILLIES CARROTS | CAULIFLOWERS | CELERY & CELERIAC CHERRIES | COFFEE | CORIANDER (CILANTRO) CORN | CUCUMBERS

PEACHES & NECTARINES | PEARS | PEAS PERSIMMONS | PLUMS | POMEGRANATES | POTATOES PUMPKINS (WINTER SQUASH)

Q & R .............................................................313 QUINCES | RADISHES | RHUBARB

D, E & F ...................................................125 DILL | EGGPLANTS (AUBERGINES) | EGGS & CHICKENS ENDIVE | FENNEL | FIGS | FLOWERS, EDIBLE

ROCKET (ARUGULA) | ROSEMARY

S & T .............................................................335 SAGE | SILVERBEET (SWISS CHARD) & SPINACH

G, H & J ..............................................157 GARLIC | GINGER & GALANGAL | GRAPEFRUIT GRAPES & VINE LEAVES | HAZELNUTS | HONEY JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

SWEET POTATOES | TAMARILLOS | TARRAGON | TEA THYME | TOMATOES | TURNIPS & KOHLRABI

W, Y & Z ...................................................375 WATERCRESS | WATERMELONS | YAMS

K & L ..............................................................187 KALE | KIWI FRUIT | LEEKS | LEMONS & LIMES LETTUCE

ZUCCHINI (COURGETTES) & SUMMER SQUASH

INDEX

394

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

399

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INTRODUCTION

Food is one of life’s necessities, and the craft of growing and preparing it for the table or larder involves some of the most valuable and rewarding skills you can learn.

Once upon a time, having pumpkins growing rampant at the back fence and hens sitting protectively on their eggs was a common experience for many people. However, today the reliance on packaged food and takeaway meals has seen the loss of this vital link between patch and plate.

Grow Harvest Cook is about rekindling the thrill of a home harvest, the fulfilment of a pantry stocked with homemade goodness and the joy of sharing a lovingly prepared meal made with your own produce.

Our easy-to-follow instructions for gardening will arm you with the know-how for growing more than ninety different types of produce.

There are many sound environmental and financial reasons for gardening more productively and reducing the number of ‘food miles’ it takes to get dinner on your table. If you are trying to reduce your carbon footprint, you should grow lots of leafy greens, as these tend to be eaten daily and are so easy to grow in a pot or plot that it seems such a waste of fuel to ship them in. If it’s money you’re trying to save, plant expensive fruits like berries, stone fruit and hard-tofind heirloom or specialty crops – heirlooms are o en old-fashioned, tough-as-boots varieties that will never fail to give you a bountiful return. And whether you’re interested in saving money or the environment, the

smile of a child who’s pulled their own vegetable out of the ground, or the incomparable flavour and aroma of fresh herbs straight from your garden, also speak volumes in a so er voice.

The community garden and co-op movement is gaining momentum for those who don’t have the space for a vegetable patch. Whether you are a member of one of these groups or have your own productive veggie garden at home, one of the most common dilemmas for a gardener is what to do with a glut. Throughout this book you’ll find plenty of helpful tips on freezing, recipes for preserving and instructions for drying, as well as information on storing correctly for maximum shelf-life to help you make the most of your produce.

The recipes in this book are so simple to replicate, with a focus on making homegrown produce the hero. They are fast, fresh and fabulously modern. Some recipes may take you out of the supermarket and down to the farmers’ market to experiment with produce you may not have tried before, but all of the recipes are designed to appeal to the whole family – and what better way to diversify your everyday cooking, but to use beautiful homegrown produce. Other recipes will breathe new life into old favourites like potatoes and carrots. All are flavoursome and perfect for enriching your every day.

We hope that Grow Harvest Cook will inspire you to green your thumb, don your apron and share your own good food with your friends and family.

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O

OLIVES ONIONS, SHALLOTS & CHIVES ORANGES OREGANO & MARJORAM

ONIONS, SHALLOTS & CHIVES

GROW ONIONS Onions (Allium cepa) have a long history in so many countries that it’s hard to tell where they are native, though it’s thought to be somewhere in Asia. Ancient Egyptians used onions as a symbol of eternity – with each scale leaf or onion ring repeating itself inside the bulb, it’s easy to see why. Onions have many cultivars and are a staple in cooking. Red-skinned varieties (sometimes called Spanish onions, though they don’t originate there) don’t store as well as brown and white onions, but have a sweeter, less sulphuric, flavour that makes them popular in salads.

Onions are grown from seed and take about 20 weeks to ripen. Seeds need to be sown in a sunny position in friable soil with a neutral pH any time from autumn to winter. Early varieties don’t store as well and are usually eaten soon a er harvest or pickled. Generally speaking, later varieties are thicker skinned and store better. These are harvested in summer and their dried leaves can be plaited together and hung in a well-ventilated place to keep.

Spring onions (scallions) have a green hollow stem and a white base and are straight stemmed. They have a mild onion flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. To add to the confusion, as seeds they are o en sold as straight-leafed spring onions! They are quick to reap from sowing, with only 8–10 weeks from seed to harvest. Plant in a sunny, welldrained position. The seeds are easily grown, especially from seed tapes, where the fine seeds are already spaced 10 cm (4 in) apart. Protect the seedlings from snails when young, as they seem to have a taste for them too.

SHALLOTS Shallots, or eschalots, are very much like onions, and botanically are A. cepa var. aggregatum, which makes reference to the fact that they grow in a cluster, with about six small bulbs at the base of each plant. Subtler in flavour than regular onions, there are red- and yellow-skinned varieties, both of which grow easily and store well.

Shallots are planted in a similar position to onions, but are normally planted as bulbs, which can be kept from the previous season’s crop and planted out in winter or bought in packets at bulb time from mail order companies. A few

WHITE ONIONS

weeks before harvest, carefully scrape away the soil around the shallots so that the skins harden prior to harvest, which is done once the leaves start to wither.

CHIVES Chives are dainty herbs that taste subtly of onions and all parts of the plant are edible, including the pretty mauve flowers. The fine, grass-like tu s of leaves grow to about 30 cm (12 in) tall and are great as border and edging plants, especially in the kitchen garden. Garlic chives, which have a thicker leaf and are sometimes called Chinese chives, have garlic overtones. In the garden, you can plant both types from either seed (spring or autumn) or division of the bulbous clumps (in autumn) into a sunny, well-drained position. Once established, divide the clump every few years so that it doesn’t become tired and low on nutrients. To pick chives, simply use your fingers to snap off each leaf at its base. Resist the temptation to snip with your scissors as this leaves yellowing stumps.

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HARVEST STORE Store brown and white onions and shallots loose in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month. Chives and spring onions, however, should be picked as needed. In case of a glut, they can be stored in a zip-lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

FREEZE Onions can be frozen once peeled and sliced. However, due to the high water content, they will be very so once thawed. Thaw in a strainer, discarding the juice. Frozen onions are ideal for cooking on the barbecue, but the time they take to caramelise and cook through will double.

PRESERVE

Pickled onions Place 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) unpeeled small onions or shallots in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside for 5 minutes to so en skins. Drain and peel onions. Place the onions in a bowl with â…“ cup salt and toss to coat. Add enough cold water to cover and set aside for 24 hours.

Drain, rinse well and pat dry. Place 1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) brown vinegar, 230 g (8 oz/1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar, 2 tablespoons mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon peppercorns and 4 sprigs rosemary in a saucepan. Heat on high, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Place onions in sterilised jars and pour over enough vinegar mixture to cover them. Seal and store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks before using. Use within 1 month and refrigerate a er opening.

SHALLOTS

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COOK

Baked stuffed onions 8 small onions, peeled 40 g (1½ oz/½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs 50 g (1¾ oz/½ cup) grated parmesan 1 tablespoon thyme leaves 30 g (1 oz) butter, melted salt and pepper to taste olive oil for drizzling

1 Using a small, sharp knife, cut a shallow cross in the top of each onion. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil for 3–5 minutes, until the onion layers are beginning to open. Drain and place in a baking dish.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) or 180°C (350°F) for a fan-forced oven.

Mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan, thyme and butter. Season.

Stuff the mixture between the onion layers. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 20 minutes until tender and golden.

SERVES 8

TIP

Once onions are chopped or sliced, sulphur compounds are released causing many a cook’s eyes to water. The older the onion the stronger the effect. Some people suggest wearing sunglasses or even swimming goggles to help eliminate this unpleasant experience. However, refrigerating the onion before chopping is the closest you will get to a perfect cure.

TRY THIS

Onion jam Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan on medium. Cook 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) halved and sliced onions, covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until soft and beginning to caramelise.

Add 230 g (8 oz/1 cup) firmly packed brown sugar and ½ cup balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes ,until thick and jam-like. Store in a sterilised jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes 2 cups.

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Brown Onions

Japanese Bunching Onions

Chives

Garlic

Spring Onion (Scallion)

Golden Shallots Leek

Garlic Chives

Purple Garlic

Red Shallots

Red (Spanish) Onion Flowering Garlic Chives

White Onion

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PLUMS

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GROW Plums are succulent and juicy fruit, ideal for picking and eating, bottling, drying and making into jams and sauces. Their spring blossom makes them a particularly delightful tree for the home garden, especially as they are also the perfect size, normally only growing to 4 x 4 m (13 x 13 ft).

Plums come in two main types, Japanese and European. The Japanese plum (Prunus salicina) is one of the better stone fruits for warmer and coastal areas, and comes in many delicious cultivars such as blood plums and yellowfleshed plums. The European plum (Prunus domestica) needs a winter chill. Most types need cross-pollination, so you’ll either need to buy a multi-gra ed plant, grow more than one type of plum tree, or be very careful choosing the right cultivar. The cultivar ‘Santa Rosa’ is partially selffertile. Also self-fertile, but needing a winter chill, is the European plum variety ‘Damson’.

To grow plums, make sure you have an open, sunny, well-drained spot. Prune them to an open vase shape to increase the sunlight exposure and fruit production, or train them onto a frame as a beautiful espalier. Watch for birds and cover them with cloth bags as needed. You’ll also need to keep fruit fly at bay with traps and vigilance.

HARVEST STORE Freshly picked ripe plums have a silver, powdery bloom and should feel firm but not hard. Store ripe plums in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. If not completely ripe, store at room temperature to so en.

PRESERVE

Asian-style plum sauce Place 900 g (2 lb) plums that have been halved and stoned, ¾ cup cider vinegar, ½ cup Chinese rice wine, 1 small chopped onion, 2 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ teaspoon ground coriander and ½ teaspoon five-spice in a large saucepan. Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes. Add 115 g (4 oz/½ cup) firmly packed brown sugar and simmer for another 45 minutes, until thickened. Set aside to cool slightly. Discard cinnamon sticks and star anise. Using a hand-held blender, process until smooth. Strain sauce. Fill sterilised jars and seal. Refrigerate once opened. Use as a marinade for pork fillet (tenderloin) or in stir-fries. Store for up to 1 month. Makes 3 cups.

Pl rec blow port plum im

EUROPEAN PLUMS GROW I HARVEST I COOK

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COOK

Plum and almond tart 75 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) plain (allpurpose) flour 75 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) polenta 55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar 75 g (2¾ oz) butter, chopped 2 tablespoons iced water thick (double/heavy) cream to serve Almond filling 75 g (2¾ oz) butter, at room temperature 80 g (2¾ oz/⅓ cup) caster (superfine) sugar 1 egg 80 g (2¾ oz/¾ cup) ground almonds 1 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour 6 plums, halved and stoned

1 Place the flour, polenta, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse, until the dough forms a ball around the blade. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) or 170°C (340°F) for a fan-forced oven. Lightly grease a 12 x 35 cm (4¾ x 14 in) loose-based, fluted flan (tart) tin. Press the dough evenly over the base and sides of the tin. Chill for 5 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, to make the almond filling, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat well. Stir through the ground almonds and flour until combined. Spread over the tart shell. Top with the plum halves, cut side up.

4 Bake for 35–40 minutes, until crisp and golden. Serve warm with thick cream.

SERVES 10

TIP

To reduce preparation time, you can use 2 sheets frozen shortcrust (pie) pastry (thawed) to line the flan tin. Blind bake for 15 minutes then continue from step 3.

TRY THIS

Plum and chocolate pizza Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) or 180°C (350°F) for a fan-forced oven. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons raw (demerara) sugar over a pizza base. Top with 4 halved and stoned plums, cut side up. Scatter over 2 tablespoons chopped dark chocolate and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the base is crisp and golden. Dust with icing (confectioners’) sugar and serve in wedges with ice cream. Serves 4.

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