February on the Allotment - what to do

February on the Allotment – what to do

An ancient tradition, around St Brigid, [also St Breed, St Bridgit, St Brigit, St Brid, St Bride of Kildare – Ireland] claims that the 1^st day of February is the 1^st day of spring. In Ireland, children in primary schools would create St Brigid’s crosses from rushes found on the local marshy grounds to take home to be hung above the doorways for the next year. Unhappily, many of those acidic, unprofitable, unproductive, rush growing lands are still much too common in Western Ireland. However, let’s look towards our own very productive allotments – we hope and strive for.

February was the first month I wrote for during a cold, wet winter following a very cold wet summer but, although we my look forward to some awkward years of unpredictable weather as a result of the climate warming, it is not a time of No crops or even Poor crops. It is a season of suiting some crops but, not others, as are all seasons. We must always expect some to be spectacular and others to fail though, most to be somewhere in the middle.

We must plan our year to be excellent for all crops then accept those successes and failures as part of our efforts and of the vagaries of our climate.

Maintenance

-      pruning although this job may well have been started in the late autumn, it is important to prune apple and pear trees while the plants are still dormant – plums and cherries are best pruned in the summer to avoid silverleaf, blackcurrants are best pruned after harvesting.

-      Keep the allotment tidy – bonfires for clearing hard organic matter may take place between November and March, inclusive for most allotment sites [please don’t bring rubbish to the allotment to burn];

-      If you still have brassicas growing on your plot – Brussels sprouts, cabbages, broccoli, etc. remove all yellowed leaves and compost. Remove also, any plants which have finished producing crops, to reduce the opportunities for pests and diseases;

-      If you have a poly-tunnel or greenhouse it is important to clean and disinfect the inside of the polythene or glass to reduce the likelihood of algae and diseases in the coming season. Check also, the outside of the cover. Over time and especially in a wet season a coating of algae will build up and significantly reduce the levels of light inside.

Preparation –

-      If you have not already done so during December and January, plan what you intend to grow and where. It is important to rotate crops, as far as possible, to avoid build-up of specific pests and diseases.

-      If you have not already done so, plan what you intend to grow this year and order your seeds – placing a larger order can save time, money and anxiety. Sometimes it is economical to plan with a plot neighbour or friend to buy your seeds. Remember that some types of seeds will be valid for several years, while others, like carrots and parsnips lose their effectiveness after the first year;

-      Mulch fruit bushes and trees and perennial vegetables – eg. asparagus and globe artickokes;

-      If growing rhubarb, now is the time to put a cover on your rhubarb plant to ‘force’ and early crop – some early varieties are already showing new growth;

-      Prepare the ground inside your poly-tunnel or greenhouse for early crops or seed beds – water well as it may have significantly dried out during the winter months – check for destructive pests like red ants and slugs;

-      Check for damage to fruit cages and other structures which may be a result of the heavy snow and plan for the coming season.

-      Potatoes – especially early potatoes, should be chitted now. If buying from a seed house where they will be delivered to you, ensure they are removed from plastic or net packaging and set to ‘chit’ [set out in a light, airy, cool, frost-free place to develop short, sturdy shoots – if planting a small amount, egg boxes are useful]

Sowing

 If you have a propagator it is now time to set it up. An electric propagator where you can control the temperature is best. However, before you sow seeds in your propagator, consider where you will put your seedlings where they will have enough light and warmth to grow on. Although tomatoes, chillies, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers can be sown now in a propagator, it is too early to set them out in an unheated greenhouse or poly-tunnel.

In your poly-tunnel or greenhouse you can think of sowing some brassicas but do check on the varieties to see if they are suitable for early sowing – summer cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage. Try also leeks for an early planting – they can then be planted out in late April to May. Carrots can also be sown in a poly-tunnel. My ground, being heavy clay, is difficult for carrots but, my friend and colleague, Pete, grows his in his poly-tunnel every year and every year, he has a successful crop. It might be worth, if you like carrots, to dedicate a small part of you green house or poly-tunnel to this crop. I have tried this with an early crop – the carrots grew well but, I found that those carrots closest to the doorway were still attacked by carrot root fly. They don’t transplant well so, expect them to take up this space until June onwards.

While it is tempting to sow lots of seeds at this time of year, remember that the ground and weather conditions may not be suitable for transplanting outdoors and the young plants will become too leggy and stretched to be worth planting out. While we can’t predict the weather, we may always be caught out with seedlings ready at an inappropriate time so, it is best to patient – a skill I am not good at!

A crop of early potatoes planted in the poly-tunnel in mid February can give you with a small harvest of Earlies at least a month before they will be available outdoors. I have found Accent to be particularly successful for this crop. They can then be out of the ground before the area is needed for later crops.

Of course, broad beans can be sown in November for an early crop in springtime – try Imperial Green or Aquadulce but, do check out the varieties recommended for autumn or spring growing on your plot. You will also need to check if they are tall varieties [not suitable for windy plots] or bush varieties. Autumn sown seed will give a crop in May/June, though of course, the young green pods will provide an excellent vegetable some weeks before that when there is little else fresh available.  They can be sown directly into the ground from February onwards but early sowing, in pots in a poly-tunnel or greenhouse in February onwards in pots will allow the young plants to germinate and develop before planting out. If sowing directly into the ground, especially as the ground is already well ‘watered’, a cloche could help the germination of and development of young plants.

Sweet Peas – These seeds are normally best sown and transplanted in late autumn but, in some particularly cold wet winters they may not survive. Try also sowing in February for an early flush. Successional sowing will provide a longer season of these beautiful and fragrant blossoms.

French Beans can be sown under cover

Some brassicas – Brussels sprouts, summer cabbage and cauliflower can be sown under cover. Brussels Sprouts and parsnips can be sown outdoors in February but later sowings are likely to have a better germination rate except in particularly kind years. I might follow Pete’s advice this year and wait until late March or April to sow my parsnips, although this year I’m not so sure we will have much, if any, very cold weather. But the ground, while not cold, is much too wet.

Indoor sowings of leeks in modules or seed beds will give them an early start.

Aubergines, cucumbers, peppers and chillies and tomatoes can be sown in a propagator in February which should give them a suitably long season for ripening and cropping, but an appropriate growing on environment is required which will provide the required warmth with the demands for light.

Some salad crops can now be sown under cover – lettuce, radishes, and spring onions.

February is an excellent time for planting rhubarb fruit trees, bushes and canes.

Harvesting and Cooking in February –

Fresh from the plot – Leeks, parsnips, kale and winter cabbages are good, as well as over-wintering varieties of broccoli. Spring cabbage used as spring green and grown under cover should be harvestable. Brussels sprouts and parsnips should still be good.

This year, parsley has continued to grow and has provided an excellent harvestable crop all winter. My sorrel has also been in good harvestable condition – an excellent addition to salads and useful for soup.

From your stored produce – carrots, garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots, squash and pumpkin, apples.

From the freezer – chillies, courgettes, parsnips, peas, peppers, sweetcorn, tomato pulp, blackcurrants, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries, herbs,

Dried – beans, chillies, herbs.

In the kitchen –recipes

Bean and chilli Hotpot

200gm [7 oz] dried beans or chickpeas

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes – or even better – a ½ litre [1 pint] tub of home-frozen tomato pulp

2 – 3 medium onions finely chopped

2-3 red peppers -finely chopped

1 -2 finely chopped red chillies [I like Joe’s Long – leave the seeds out if you don’t want it to be too hot]

2 – 3 young courgettes [try Orelia or other variety of yellow courgette – much dryer and denser than Zucchini]

Garlic – 3-4 large cloves peeled and well chopped

Spices - ½ tsp allspice,  2 tsp cumin,  ¼ tsp ground black pepper,  ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground coriander

Salt – sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

! Tblsp freshly chopped parsley, 1 Tblsp freshly chopped coriander leaves, 1 Tblsp freshly chopped orinago or marjoram

2 Tblsp good olive oil

¼ Litre [½ pint] red wine

Method

·         Soak the beans or chickpeas overnight or until soft. Drain, wash and cover with water then bring to the boil and simmer gently until the beans are cooked [the older the beans, the longer it will take them to cook so, consider your supplier].

·         Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, garlic, peppers, chillies and courgettes.

·         Allow to sweat – cooking without colour for a few minutes – until the veg is soft.

·         Drain the beans or chickpeas and add to the pan.

·         Add the tomatoes, wine and seasoning.

·         Simmer gently for 30 – 35 minutes – until the beans are soft.

·         Add the herbs and stir in well.

·         Serve topped with grated cheddar or parmesan and with warm crusty bread.

Herby Bean Rissoles

The dried beans can be quite bland and colourless but, they are very nutritious and lend themselves beautifully to providing a base for your favourite flavours. These rissoles will freeze well. Put a layer of greaseproof paper between each rissole. Use within a couple of months.

275g (10oz) dried beans – kidney, butter, borlotto, yinyang (chickpeas are good too)

50g (2oz) butter

50g (2oz) plain flour

1 large onion – finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves – crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Small bunch each of lemon thyme, marjoram and tarragon – finely chopped

1 dsp. finely chopped parsley

2 Tblsp oil for frying

Method

·         Soak the beans overnight. Drain off the water.

·         Put the beans in a saucepan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil then simmer until the beans are soft.

·         Cool the beans then mash or put through the food processor.

·         Put the chopped onion in a saucepan with the butter and sweat (cook without allowing the onion to brown) until the onion is soft.

·         Add the garlic, thyme, marjoram and tarragon and mix in.

·         Add the beans, season to taste then stir in the parsley.

·         When the mixture is cold divide into even sized rissoles (this mixture should make 6 – 8) Roll in flour and shape.

·         Fry in a little hot oil, turning over when the first side has browned. Drain well. (I like these cooked on a griddle without oil.

·         Serve with vegetables in cheese sauce or fresh vegetables with a salsa sauce.

Variations

Spicy Bean Rissoles

Replace the herbs with curry spices – 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala,  ½ tsp turmeric (add a little Harissa paste if you like it hot)

Fry the spices with the onion then continue as before.

Serve with slices of lemon and a fresh mixed salad.

Vegetable and Bean Rissoles

Replace the herbs with - 50g [2oz] frozen peas, 50g [2oz] frozen sweetcorn, a small finely chopped or diced carrot.

In the summertime when fresh vegetables are available from my plot I will use those, otherwise I will use ones I have frozen in the summer.

Cook the vegetables in a microwave or a little water until soft. Cool and add with the mashed beans. Continue as before. Serve with chips, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes.

Don’t freeze if using frozen vegetables.

Pakoras

Although you can use a tempura batter, I do prefer the sublime spicy batter of Indian cooking – higher calorie perhaps but, so delicious.

You can use potatoes, cauliflower florets, mushrooms, onions, carrots, mooli [white Asian radishes], etc

For the batter:-  100gm( 4oz) gram flour / besan flour

                           2 tsp ground cumin (jeera)

                           3 tsp ground coriander (dhania)

                           ½ tsp chilli powder

                           ½  tsp turmeric

                           ½  tsp salt

                           ¼  tsp baking soda( bicarbonate of soda)

                           Water to mix

                           Oil for frying

                          200ml water approx.

·         Mix the flour, salt, spices and baking soda in a bowl

Vegetables:     wash - potatoes – peel and cut into slices; cauliflower – cut into smallish florets; mushrooms - cut in half; peel and cut into rings; carrots – peel and cut into batons or rings, mooli – wash and cut into rings.

·         Add the prepared vegetables and the water and mix until the vegetables are coated generously with the batter( ensuring there are no pockets of dry ingredients and that all parts of the vegetables are covered)

·         Add the coated vegetables to preheated oil in a deep-fat fryer or wok. If using a deep-fat fryer, don’t use the basket as the batter will attach to the wire.

·         Turn the pakoras over as necessary

·         Fry until the pakoras are evenly brown, then remove from the pan and drain.

Serve with a suitable dipping sauce.

Broccoli and Cheese Flan

For the pastry                                                                      For the filling

175 gm (6 oz) plain flour                                            225g (8oz) broccoli [purple or green are best]

75 gm (3 oz) butter                                                     1 medium – large red onion – peeled and chopped

6 tsp. cold water (approx)                                           3 medium eggs

Pinch salt                                                                     sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

                                                                                    2 Tablespoons milk

                                                                                    110 gm (4oz) mature cheddar cheese

                                                                                    40gms (1½oz) butter

Method

·         Prepare the pastry – sieve the flour and salt the work the butter into the flour until the texture is like fine breadcrumbs.

·         Add enough cold water to ensure the mixture binds ( approx.1 tsp for every oz of flour but, a little more may be needed – don’t add too much water or your pastry will be hard and tough)

·         Roll out the pastry fairly thinly, to line a flan dish or suitable plate (grease or oil well before putting the pastry into it). Trim. ( If you have added too much water the pastry will shrink when cooked).

·         Bake the pastry case ‘blind’ – without filling – in a fairly hot oven – Gas 6 or 200°C for 15 - 20 minutes until the pastry is golden.

·         In the meantime, ‘sweat’ the onions in the butter until soft – don’t allow it to brown.

·         If using solid heads of green broccoli, break into florets and simmer in a littler salted water for a couple of minutes until starting to soften [don’t overcook]. Drain well. For broccoli sprouts – trim and wash... it should not be necessary to precook it.

·         Beat the eggs, seasoning and milk together in a bowl and grate the cheese.

·         When the pastry is cooked, remove it from the oven and fill the flan with the cooked onions and the prepared broccoli. Add the egg mixture and top with the grated cheese.

·         Return to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Lower the heat and continue to cook until the filling has set and the topping cheese is golden.

·         Serve with a mixed salad and onion marmalade.

Note

This dish can be served hot or cold, is good for a main meal or in small slices as a starter, or for a picnic.

Cheddar can be replaced by any blue cheese, gruyere or any other suitable ‘melting’ cheese.

Squash and  Chicken Breast Parcels

This is a low fat main dish par excellence, but very, very tasty and satisfying.

Per person you will need:

1 chicken breast – without skin – left whole

3 slices of butternut squash (1cm thick - ½inch) skinned and sliced – OR - use the flesh from a range of squashes or pumpkins instead with excellent results

1 piece of fruit – a pear, apple or peach / nectarine – washed and sliced – leave the skin on.

3 – 4 medium mushrooms – wiped and sliced

3 – 4 mini tomatoes or one regular sliced

Herbs – be generous (my choice is for a mixture of lemon thyme, tarragon and marjoram with parsley, but do use you own favourites)

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

A knob of butter – if you must!

Method

·         You will need a sheet of tinfoil or greaseproof paper for each portion. Spread it out and add the prepared ingredients – it really doesn’t matter what order you add them to the pile.

·         Season well and add your chosen herbs.

·         Close the parcel and put in an oven proof dish.

·         Bake in a preheated oven 180ºC,  No 5 gas for about an hour.

·         Remove from the ‘parcel’ onto the plate and serve with mashed or baked potatoes and green vegetables.

Note  This makes an excellent supper party dish wrapped in greaseproof paper where each guest has their own parcel.

·         The flavouring ingredients can be changed – spices and chillies, peppers, curry spices, a different range of fruit, grated lemon or orange rind, etc. You can put sliced or tiny potatoes into the parcel. They will take longer to cook and will absorb the juices from the ingredients making a drier dish but, the upside is that the whole dish is cooked together.

Gooseberry Sponge Pudding

1 bag/tub of frozen gooseberries [ 350g or 12oz approx] – fresh are good too.

2 Tblsp sugar. You may need a little more as freezing can make the fruit sourer

1 spoonful of water

Method

·         Defrost the gooseberries.

·         Put them with the sugar and a spoonful of water into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer until the fruit has cooked and is pulped. Don’t allow it to ‘catch’.

·         Place in a greased pie dish and leave to cool

The topping

80 gm [3oz] butter – softened

80gm [3oz] castor sugar

2 eggs

110gm [4oz] self raising flour

Method

·         Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.

·         Gradually work in the lightly whisked eggs.

·         Fold in the sieved self-raising flour.

·         Spread the mixture over the gooseberries in the pie dish., ensuring they are completely covered.

·         Bake in a moderate oven [180°C, No 4 Gas] for 40 – 45 minutes.

·         Serve hot with crème fraiche, cream or custard.

·          

Blueberry Pie – from Frozen Blueberries

Of course, this dish is much better made with fresh blueberries when they are in season

Ingredients – for a 22cm [9inch] pie dish – a round dish is easier if you have one

Approx 750g frozen blueberries [1½lb or I would use 3 x 1 pint tubs of frozen fruit]

3 Tblsp. sugar                                                  3 Tblsp. cornflour

½ tsp ground cinnamon                                              Juice of 1 lemon

Method

Allow the blueberries to defrost. Then add the sugar, lemon juice, cornflour and cinnamon and mix in. Leave to sit until the pie case is ready

Short crust pastry

300g plain flour (12oz)                                                           150g butter (6oz)

Good pinch salt

12 tsp cold water approx.(this amount may vary slightly depending on the weather and the flour you are using – you need the ingredients to bind together without being sticky).

1 egg – well beaten                                                     a little caster sugar      for dusting                

Method

·         Sieve the flour and salt into a baking bowl. Add the margarine and rub in with your finger tips to create a texture like fine breadcrumbs – don’t allow the mixture to become sticky.

·         Add the water slowly to ensure the ingredients combine without becoming too soft.

·         Knead gently to combine the ingredients for a short time – 1 minute.

Making Pie

·         Preheat the oven to 180°C, Mark 6 gas.

·         Using about two-thirds of the pastry – roll it out to about ½ cm thick and large enough to fit into the pie dish and cover the edge. Ease the pastry into the greased/oiled, pie-dish, allowing it to cover the sides and overlap the top edges. Take care not to break or pierce the pastry. Trim the top edge.

·         Brush the top with beaten egg to ensure the two layers of pastry will seal.

·         Roll out the remaining third of the pastry to the size and shape of the pie dish.

·         Spoon the blueberry mixture into the pie dish then put the pastry on top of the pie. Trim and seal the edges. Put a small slit on the top of the pie to allow the steam to escape.

·         Brush over the top of the pie with beaten egg and dust with caster sugar to give an attractive glazed top.

·         Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes then reduce the temperature [to 140ºC, No 5 Gas] and bake for a further 15 – 20 minutes to ensure the fruit and the bottom layer of pastry are cooked. Don’t allow the top pastry to burn.

·         Serve with cream, ice-cream or crème fraîche.