Re: What are you harvesting today?

by freebird 13th September 2012, 11:03 am

Some surprise potatoes. I lost all my later sown crop to blight, but a single specimen had grown in the pathway between the potato and brassica plots - I think it was one that didn't get dug up last year, so a different variety. Anyway, it didn't succumb to blight and I have a nice crop of potatoes from that one plant. I think it is 2nd early Nicola, as that is what I planted last year.

And spurred on by Dandelion's parsnip, I dug the first of mine. Leaves were quite manky, and the parsnip isn't as magnificent as D's, but good enough, and I have high hopes for those that remain.

by Chilli-head 13th September 2012, 11:34 am

Aren't parsnips said to be best after they have been frosted a bit ? I have a few which look promising, but will leave them a bit yet.

We had cabbage, broccoli and tomatoes roasted with (Bedfordshire !) Greek oregano with dinner last night. Mmm. Might be the last of the cabbages, unless there is time for some "bonus" cabbages to grow from the stalks of the ones I've already cut. It is worth leaving the roots in the ground in the hope - I've had a pretty good second crop some years.

by Dandelion 13th September 2012, 8:30 pm

I'm sure you're right about leaving parsnips to be frosted - I just needed it for tea!!

by freebird 13th September 2012, 10:32 pm

Chilli-head wrote:Aren't parsnips said to be best after they have been frosted a bit ? I have a few which look promising, but will leave them a bit yet.

I do normally leave the pitiful few I have until after the first frost. But this year I have a good crop that look quite large. The man doesn't like parsnip, so as it is only me eating them, thought I could afford to start on them now. It will be interesting to see if the frost does actually make any difference.

by Chilli-head 14th September 2012, 8:33 am

Yes, it will - do tell us what you think. I always follow the advice of leaving them till after the first frost, but some of these ideas turn out to have little truth to them when put to the test !

by polgara 14th September 2012, 4:00 pm

Can always pprep & freeze, that has the same effect as far as I know.

by Dandelion 26th September 2012, 5:15 pm

Golden beetroot from last year's seed swap - I'm going to oven bake them with garlic and rosemary...and the oven needs to go on NOW!!!!

by freebird 2nd December 2012, 8:34 pm

freebird wrote:
Chilli-head wrote:Aren't parsnips said to be best after they have been frosted a bit ? I have a few which look promising, but will leave them a bit yet.

I do normally leave the pitiful few I have until after the first frost. But this year I have a good crop that look quite large. The man doesn't like parsnip, so as it is only me eating them, thought I could afford to start on them now. It will be interesting to see if the frost does actually make any difference.

Well, we've had a couple of sharp frosts recently, and I wanted a parsnip for dinner tonight. It was a tad sweeter than the first ones I dug in September, but not so much difference that I would religiously leave them all until after the first frost.

Also pulled a swede (and ruefully surveyed the remains of my sprouting broccoli - yes it is netted, but those fat b@st@rd pigeons just sit on the netting and weigh it down, then peck the leaves through the netting).

by Dandelion 2nd December 2012, 9:21 pm

Nothing much left to harvest now - I picked the last lettuce from the cold frame which was a bit brittle from the frost, and the guinea pig has been eating the last of the mizuna.
Never mind - next year's broad beans and cauliflowers are sitting in pots in the greenhouse, so it's all beginning again.

by Colleen Beahan 4th January 2013, 6:04 am

What can I do with Chillis. I have three bushes which are loaded.

Colleen

by Dandelion 4th January 2013, 4:46 pm

Are you looking for cooking/storage or cultivating ideas? And which part of the world are you gardening in?
We have a chilli expert on the forum - I'm sure he'll be along soon to help!

by Chilli-head 4th January 2013, 7:11 pm

Hello - did someone call ?

I presume you're looking to preserve them, in which case it depends on what you want to make them into, and how fleshy they are.

Thin walled chillies, fully ripe, can be dried - it's easiest to use a needle and thread to string them through the stems, then hang them over a radiator or stove to dry. Thicker walled chillies like many Mexican types (Ancho, Mulato and Habaneros too) will tend not to dry well, easily going moldy. These varieties are best frozen, whole or chopped.

Other possibilities described in earlier threads include Pickling, Chilli Jam and Candied chillies, then there is Adrian's Sweet Chilli Jelly, and I have done my best to show how you can smoke chillies in a kettle barbeque here:Smokin' chillies

Of course, if you want ideas to cook with them, you could consider these :

Pork in a sweet pepper sauce
Indonesian vegetable curry -- Kari Sayur
AJB's Chilli Chocolate truffles-

Should get you started !

by Dandelion 5th January 2013, 7:25 pm

From today's Times
'A consultant radiologist has become the first out of 300 people to finishwhat is claimed to be the world's hottest curry, despite suffering hallucinations during the meal. Ian Rothwell, 55, ate the £20 'Widower' which is full of Naga chillis and measures six million units on the Scoville scale. Dr Rothwell, from Sudbrooke, Lincolnshire, had to sign a health disclaimer before he was served at the Bindi restaurant in Grantham.'

by Chilli-head 5th January 2013, 7:48 pm

Strangely enough, this is the one bit of the Times Mrs C-H read out to me earlier Very Happy

Another thought I had for Colleen - you could save the seed out of some of them, and join the seed swap to get some other interesting varieties for the coming year ...

by warlock1 20th January 2013, 10:19 am

i have been harvesting leeks really good in stews and for leek and potato bake

by Chilli-head 20th January 2013, 1:28 pm

I harvested leeks and parsnips yesterday - it took a little while to find them, and then it was a bit chilly on the fingers getting them out of the frozen ground, but the curried parsnip soup was worth the trouble !

by Dandelion 20th January 2013, 1:31 pm

Thanks for reminding me chaps - I have some leeks hidden under mesh which I should go and look at (I guess that leek moth aren't going to be a problem in this weather...)

by warlock1 27th January 2013, 3:04 pm

dug up some more leeks today and picked some brussel sprouts
will have them with our sunday roast

by freebird 21st April 2013, 1:02 pm

Rhubarb, and some surprise purple sprouting broccoli - I thought the pigeons had eaten the lot.

by freebird 30th May 2013, 2:39 pm

First new potatoes from a planter in the greenhouse. These are always 'free' as the planting medium is a mix of garden/worm compost and spent compost from last year's pots. And the potatoes are kitchen potatoes that sprouted. So, a couple of meals of Charlottes to enjoy.

by Dandelion 30th May 2013, 4:37 pm

Oooh, Charlottes - lovely!!
We have basically just got rhubarb (and quite a lot of it thanks to all the rain last year), and spring greens, which have been incredibly late this year, and are only just big enough for two people. But we need to eat the greens, as I need the space for the tomatoes which are coming on apace!

by Chilli-head 11th June 2013, 1:20 pm

First onion of the year went into last night's dinner. They are just the bolters from the overwintered onions, but at least it is something.

Oh almost forgot, greenhouse cucumbers, cuicino Really great variety this, lots of snack sized cucumbers. Tzatsiki at the weekend, I think ...i

by Chilli-head 19th June 2013, 8:09 pm

First ripe strawberry from the allotment today ! Just one, but delicious.

Also had the first helping of broad beans tonight. Looking at the plants, it will be the first of not too many pickings. Nice though.

by Dandelion 19th June 2013, 10:20 pm

hahaha - I counted my broad beans tonight, and there are about half a dozen pods in total. Not quite the 'bean fest' I was hoping for!!

by Chilli-head 27th June 2013, 3:59 pm

Quite a good crop of coriander leaves at the moment, so we had gucci mutter paneer the other day. No, nothing to do with handbags, these Gucci are mushrooms ! It is mushrooms, peas and Indian cheese with a sauce of yoghurt, green chillies, coriander and mint. I had to use bought chillies- the shame of it Embarassed

Oh yes - a few strawberries ripe now too.

by freebird 27th June 2013, 5:54 pm

Ooh, CH, tell me about growing coriander. We have a serious coriander habit, but I can't seem to get anything decent when I try growing it. I get just a very few leaves before it all goes to seed. I've given up temporarily.

Picked strawberries today, and the first few raspberries. Still using last year's chillies that I dried, but down to the last few meals now. I'll have to buy some before the next harvest.

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