March on the Allotment -with seasonal recipes

March  An old proverb claims that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. My experience over the years has shown that this is true more often than not though, March 2012 was the only month when we saw some summer weather.

March, for much of Northern Europe is the first month of spring and the date of the spring equinox is the twenty four hours when day and night are of equal length. The length of daylight has easily as much effect on plant growth as temperature.

o   Maintenance

-      Keep the allotment tidy – check the rules of your allotment association before having a bonfire, and do look out for small animals which may have crept into the debris to hibernate or just to shelter from harsh weather.

-      If you still have brassicas growing on your plot – Brussels sprouts, cabbages, broccoli, kale, etc. remove any yellowed leaves from the plants or on the ground and compost them. Remove also, any plants which have finished producing crops, to reduce the opportunities for pests and diseases – clear these beds and dig over for new crops. Dig in compost or well rotted manure though not on proposed carrot or parsnip beds which will encourage the carrots to fork [fang];

-      Mulch fruit trees, bushes and canes with compost or well rotted manure. If you are growing blueberries, which are ericaceous, make sure they are fed with a suitable ericaceous plant food;

-      Weed carefully around perennial plants [rhubarb, globe artichokes, asparagus, etc] to avoid disturbing the roots, before mulching with compost or manure;

-      Tidy strawberry beds – remove dead leaves and any remaining ‘runners’. Clear old strawberry beds [3 years or more] and dig over the area, dig in compost or manure. It is a good idea to have more than one strawberry bed, planted on alternate years so that you will always have a mature productive bed.

-      It is advisable, if you are at the allotment on a dry sunny day, to leave the doors of greenhouses or polythene tunnels open to allow for ventilation but, be sure to close up again before you leave. There are still hard frosts which will damage young plants.

o   Preparation

-      It is not too late to cover your rhubarb plants to ‘force’ an early crop – some early varieties are already showing vigorous new growth;

-      Remove troublesome and deep-rooted perennial weeds [dandelion, dock, cinque-foil, couchgrass, horse-tail, bind-weed, etc] before digging over beds;

-      As soon as areas are cleared and the ground is workable, start digging. On heavy clay ground, especially after a wet winter the ground roughly before you will be able to create a workable tilth for planting;

-      Prepare seed beds as soon as the weather and ground have warmed up [by preparing seed beds I mean that the ground should be well dug, clods broken up and raked to a fine tilth so that the seeds can be sown into fine smooth soil. It can be helpful to rake in some seed or potting compost in the top layer to help this process. With carrots and parsnips, to help with a fine, stone-free, clod-free ridge it can be useful to dig out a narrow ridge about 6inches [15cm] deep and fill it with potting compost - water it well and sow your seeds into that];

-      If planning to sow seeds in greenhouse or poly-tunnel [in seed beds or pots] bring compost and containers of water inside to allow them to warm up before sowing. Each day, as you leave the plot, put containers of water inside to allow them to defrost for the next watering;

-      Check the pH of your ground. The rain will probably have leached a lot of lime from the soil. Remember the optimum pH for most plants is a little over 6 [slightly acid], although some prefer an alkaline soil [over 7] and a few, like most ericaceous plants like it a bit lower. You can buy a fairly cheap pH monitor from many hardware or gardening stores – push the prongs into the ground and it registers the pH measurement on a screen. It isn't very accurate but will give an indication of whether or not you need to add lime. If you are adding lime - don't put it out at the same time as manure - they react together and the Nitrogen will be lost in gas. If lime is necessary, don't try to correct all at once - add a sprinkle on the chosen patch each year. One of my neighbours adds a spoonful around each brassica plant as she plants them out – in this way a different area is sorted each year.

o   Sowing and Planting

If you have not already done so, and you have an electric propagator, set it up this month. You can sow chillies, peppers, aubergines, cucumber and tomatoes for growing indoors. They can be sown in February but it is important to have somewhere warm enough and more importantly, light enough to grow them on once they have germinated. An unheated greenhouse or poly-tunnel will not ensure enough heat for these tender plants;

-      In a poly-tunnel or greenhouse – in pots, trays [or seedbeds – but remember that some plants don’t respond well to transplanting and those that do can still be occupying space later in the season that you will need for indoor crops, you can now sow –beetroot, broccoli/calabrese, brussels sprouts, summer and winter cabbage, early carrots, celery, celeriac, kale, lettuce, radishes, rocket and spring onions,

-      Outdoors, you can now sow [taking the conditions and the weather into consideration] – broad beans, broccoli /calabrese, Brussels sprouts, summer cabbage, carrots, summer cauliflower leeks, lettuce, onions, spring onions, parsnips, early peas, potatoes, radish, rocket, spinach,

-      Plants which have been sown germinated indoors can now be planted outside [make sure the weather and conditions are suitable and that the plants have been ‘hardened-off’ first] – broad beans, sweetpeas, lettuce, early peas, summer cauliflower, winter cauliflower.

-      Bought-in plants

Plant new asparagus crowns in well prepared and manured beds.

 1st early potatoes can be planted by mid-March [weather and conditions allowing] but it is advisable to cover with fleece or environmesh to protect from late frosts. Onion, shallot, garlic sets can be planted out now. First early potatoes can be planted by mid-March [weather and conditions allowing] but it is advisable to cover with fleece or environmesh to protect from late frosts.

o   Harvesting

Leeks are still good, some winter cabbages are still harvestable, some varieties of broccoli also. Spring cabbage may also be ready – I over-wintered a few in my poly-tunnel which should be ready and can be harvested when there is little else.

Harvesting and Cooking in March

Fresh from the plot – Leeks are still good, winter cabbages are still harvestable, and some varieties of broccoli also. Parsnips and Brussels sprouts are still good in a cool year. Spring cabbage used as spring green can also be ready – try a few over-wintered in a poly-tunnel which can be harvested when there is little else.

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, gooseberries, raspberries, herbs,

Dried – beans, chillies, herbs

In the kitchen –recipes some useful recipes

Parsnip Soup with spices – not chilli hot.

1 medium onion – peeled and finely chopped

3 medium parsnips – washed, peeled and cut into smallish chunks

2 cloves of garlic – peeled and chopped

 1 stick celery – finely sliced

2 small or 1 medium carrot – peeled and cut into small cubes

2 oz [50gm] butter

1½ pts [ 850 ml] approx chicken or vegetable stock

¼ pt double cream if wished or a little milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. freshly ground cumin seeds

1 tsp freshly ground coriander seeds

Method

·         Melt the butter in a large pan then, sweat the onions and garlic [cook without colouring].

·         Add the vegetables – parsnip, carrot and celery and cook gently.

·         When soft, add seasoning, and spices and for 4 – 5 minutes.

·         Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cook until all the vegetables are soft, 20 -30 mins.

·         Using a hand held blender, [or put through a processor] process the soup until well blended and mixed. Correct the seasoning and serve with a little milk or cream served through.

Winter Vegetable Soup

1 kg [2 lb] mixed available vegetables – carrots, leeks, celeriac, onion, potatoes, cauliflower

30gm [1oz] pearl barley [risotto rice will also work for this]

50gm [2oz] butter

2½ litre 3pints] vegetable or chicken stock

250ml [½ pint] milk

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Good Tblsp. chopped parsley

Method

·         Prepare the vegetables

–   wash, peel and dice the potatoes, celeriac and carrots and cut into small dice,

-      peel the onion and chop finely,

-      trim the leeks and wash thoroughly then slice lengthways and cut into small pieces,

-      wash the cauliflower florets and chop into smallish pieces.

·         Melt the butter in a large heavy pan, add the vegetables and sweat together for about 20 minutes [cook without colouring].

·         Add the pearl barley, salt and pepper and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1½ - 2 hours. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t ‘catch’.

·         Add the milk and stir in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

·         Bring to the boil again for a few minutes.

·         Add the chopped parsley and mix in well just before serving.

·         Serve hot with warm crusty bread.

Spicy Vegetable Pasties

For the pastry cases

175gm [6oz] plain flour

125gm [4½ oz] butter

Pinch salt

Water to mix

Method

·         Sieve the salt and flour into a bowl and rub in the butter using finger tips until it is like fine breadcrumbs.

·         Add cold water to mix – approx 1 tsp for each 1 oz of flour. The mixture should start to bind together when it forms small lumps when pressed.

·         Draw the mixture together to form a stiff dough – it should not be sticky.

Filling

 1 – 2 shallots or 1 small onion – peeled and finely chopped

1 carrot – peeled and cut into small dice

100gm [40oz] cauliflower cut into small florettes

1 – 2 cloves of garlic – peeled and finely chopped

1 small potato – peeled and cut into small dice

1 small red chilli – finely chopped [remove seeds if you don’t like it too hot]

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp ground coriander.

Salt and pepper

1 Tblsp rapeseed oil

Beaten egg for brushing

Method

·         Heat the oil in a small saucepan and sweat the onions and garlic. Then add the spices and fry gently without burning. If the mixture becomes too dry you can add a Tblsp or two of water to keep the mixture moist

·         In the meantime, put the potatoes, carrots and cauliflower florettes in a small lidded saucepan. Cover with water and simmer until just cooked [avoid overcooking].

·         Add the vegetables to the onions mixture, season thoroughly and mix well. Allow to cool.

·         Roll the pastry out on a floured board, until fairly thin [3 – 4mm]. Cut out into rounds with a large cutter or around a saucer. You can roll the leftover pieces out again to cut more pieces but avoid doing this more than once.

·         Brush around the edges of the pastry rounds with egg and place a good spoonful of the mixture into each.

·         Fold over the pastry and seal the edge using a fork or by ‘fluting’ with your fingers.

·         Place the pasties on greased ovenproof tray and brush them over with beaten egg. Prick the tops with a fork to allow the steam to escape.

·         Bake in a pre-heated oven [200°C or No 6 Gas] for approx 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

·         Serve hot or cold.

Vegetable Lasagne

6 – 8 sheets of wholemeal lasagne depending on the size of the dish used – allow enough for 2 layers [ordinary egg lasagne is fine also]

For the filling

2 medium carrots – trimmed, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 slices of swede – [1 -2 cm thick] – washed peeled and cut into small cubes

2 good sized leeks – trimmed, washed thoroughly and sliced

1 small pumpkin [baby Bear or similar] or half of a medium – peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks

100gm [4oz] cauliflower florets

100gm [4oz] frozen peas [fresh are fine too]

100gm [4oz] frozen sweetcorn

1 x 500ml [1pint] tub of frozen tomato pulp [tinned tomatoes are also good]

1 medium onion – peeled and finely sliced

3 – 4 cloves of garlic – peeled and crushed

1 good dsp, frozen herbs – tarragon, oregano, lemon thyme [use 1 tsp. if using dried herbs]

2 Tblsp. olive oil

150ml [¼pint] vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method

·         Put the prepared carrot, cauliflower florets and swede into a small saucepan with a little water and cook until soft – drain.

·         Sweat the onions, garlic and leeks in the olive oil until soft – don’t allow the vegatables to brown.

·         Add the pumpkin chunks, the sweetcorn and the peas with the tub of tomato pulp and stock and cook gently until all of the vegetables are soft.

·         Add the carrot mixture, herbs and seasoning and mix well.

For the topping

450 ml. [¾ pint] milk

50gm [2oz] butter

50gm [2oz] plain flour

150gm [5oz] cheddar cheese – grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

·         Melt the butter in a small heavy pan then add the flour. Mix in well and cook gently with colour [a roux].

·         Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously to keep the sauce smooth.

·         Bring to the boil and boil for a couple of minutes to ensure the flour has cooked.

·         Add the seasoning and about 100gm of the grated cheese.

Putting it together

·         Place about half of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of an ovenproof dish – a square or rectangular dish is best.

·         Put half of the lasagne sheets on top ensuring all of the mixture is covered.

·         Layer the remainder of the vegetables and the lasagne in the same way.

·         Coat immediately with the sauce.

·         Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top and bake in a moderately hot oven - 180°C no 5 gas until the cheese is golden brown on top and the lasagne is cooked – 30 to 40 minutes.

·         Serve immediately with a side salad.

 

Beans au Gratin

4        oz [100gm] dried beans – kidney, borlotto, Yinyang, chickpeas, etc.

Reconstituting Dried Beans

Pick over the beans, wash and put in a container large enough to allow the beans to triple in size. Cover with water and leave overnight or for at least 4 hours.

If you live in a hard water area, add 1 tsp baking soda [Bicarbonate of soda] to the water.

When the beans have soaked, wash them well, then cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 – 45mins and taste one of the beans to see if it is cooked. If not continue for another 15 minutes or so and test again.

2 - 3 leeks – trimmed, washed and sliced

2 onions – finely chopped

3 – 4 cloves of garlic

2 smallish courgettes – I use Orelia which is dryer and denser than Zucchini

3 oz [75gm]sweetcorn kernels – fresh, frozen or a small tin

3 oz [75gm]shelled peas – you can use frozen

1 large red bell pepper – washed and seeded then, chopped

A small head of cauliflower – washed and broken into small florettes

3oz [ 75gm]  butter

3 oz [ 75gm ] plain flour100gm

1 pt [ 570ml] hot chicken or vegetable stock [if you are vegetarian]

Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

1 good Tblsp. chopped parsley

Seasalt and freshly ground black pepper

2 oz [50gm] fresh breadcrumbs – brown or white

2 oz [50gm] grated cheddar cheese

Sauce

·         Melt the butter with the seasoning and lemon rind. Sweat the onions, and garlic then add the leeks, red pepper, cauliflower and courgettes. Cook gently until the vegetables are soft, taking care not to brown them.

·         Add the flour and cook gently until the flour is cooked out without allowing it to brown.

·         Gradually add the stock, stirring all the time until you have a smooth sauce around the vegetables. Add the sweetcorn and peas and simmer gently for a further 3 minutes.

·         Drain the beans and add them to the mixture along with the lemon juice and chopped parsley. Check the seasoning.

·         Pour the mixture into an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese and bake in a medium to hot oven - 180°C, No 6 Gas for 15 – 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

·         Serve immediately with hot crusty bread. – this dish will keep in the fridge to be reheated if necessary.

Bean Pie [or Gardeners Pie] – like Shepherd’s Pie, which uses minces lamb, or Cottage Pie, which uses minced beef, this pie is for vegetables or for Bean Pie – Beans with Vegetables.

6 oz [ 175gm] – dried beans of your choice – or chick peas or blackeyed beans or black eyed peas [which are not really beans, but a sub-species of ‘cowpea’] – delicious, nutritious and very useful nonetheless.

3oz [75gm] butter

3oz [75gm] flour                                                                                         

1 large onion – finely chopped           

3 medium sized leeks – trimmed, washed and sliced thinly

1 medium sized parsnip – washed, peeled and chopped finely

2 – 3 good-sized carrots – washed, peeled and sliced finely

1 medium sized green cabbage – trimmed, washed and sliced

A good slice from a medium sized squash or pumpkin – peeled and cut into chunks

3 oz [ 75gm] sweetcorn kernels – fresh, frozen or a small tin

4 large garlic cloves – peeled and well crushed or chopped

1 pt [ 570ml] hot chicken or vegetable stock

6 large tomatoes – skinned and chopped [you can also use frozen or tinned chopped tomatoes]

Chopped fresh herbs – tsp. each of tarragon, lemon thyme, oregano

¼ tsp chopped rosemary,                              1 good handful chopped parsley

Sea salt and freshly crushed black pepper

For the Topping

2 lb [1 kg] potatoes – preferably floury or ‘general purpose’ potatoes

5fluid oz, ¼ pt [ 150ml] hot milk

1 oz [25gm] butter

Seasoning

Method

·         Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrot, leeks and parsnips and sweat [cook without colour], add the garlic, herbs and flour. Cook gently until the flour is cooked out but without colouring.

·         Gradually add the hot stock until a non-lumpy vegetable sauce is attained – allowing for the vegetables. Add the sweetcorn, tomatoes and chopped cabbage. Stir well, check the seasoning.

·         Drain and add the cooked beans. Put into an oven-proof dish. Allow to cool

·         Wash and peel the potatoes and cook until soft – taking care that they don’t disintegrate.

·         Drain well, mash thoroughly and add seasoning, hot milk and butter. Mix well.

·         Pipe or spread the potato mixture on top of the bean filling.

·         Bake in a medium hot oven - 180°C, No 6 gas, for 30 – 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

·         Serve hot with a selection of vegetables.

Chilli Con Carne – with home-made spice mix

 

125g [ 4oz] dried beans – eg. borlotto, lima, kidney, orca or use a tin of red kidney beans

450g [ 1 lb] minced lean beef

1 small onion – peeled and finely chopped

1 red and 1 green pepper – remove stem and core, with the seeds and cut into small pieces

1 medium heat fresh red chilli – [if available] – remove the stalk and finely slice – remove the seeds if you prefer your chilli mild

1 x ½ litre [1 pint] frozen tomato pulp [ you can use a tin of chopped tomatoes]

1 Tblsp. tomato purée

3 – 4 plump garlic cloves – peeled and crushed

2 – 3 slices butternut squash – peeled, and seeds removed – cut into small chunks

125g [4 oz] very fresh closed cup mushrooms – wiped and cut in half

Salt and pepper

2 Tblsp. good quality rapeseed oil

275ml [½ pint] beef or vegetable stock

Crème fraîche and chopped coriander to garnish - if liked

Method

·         In a large pan, heat the oil and fry the meat until browned and well separated.

·         Add the onions and garlic and fry them gently.

·         Add the spices and continue to cook for a few minutes – avoid burning the onion, garlic and spices.

·         Add the tomato pulp, tomato purée, squash, stock, salt and pepper and stir in well. Cover, bring to the boil then, reduce the heat and to allow the chilli to cook gently for 1 hour.

·         Add the cooked beans and the chopped peppers and continue to simmer for a further hour.

·         Add the mushrooms, correct the seasoning and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes.

·         Stir in a little crème fraîche and chopped coriander if liked and serve with freshly cooked basmati rice.

 This dish is suitable for making in large batches and freezing

Rhubarb and Ginger Pie

Ingredients – for a 1 litre ( 1½ - 2 pint) pie dish

4 good-sized stalks of rhubarb

3 Tblsp. sugar

A few pieces of crystallised or stem ginger in syrup – finely sliced

Short crust pastry

150g plain flour (6oz)

75g margarine or butter (3oz)

6 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).

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 the Pie

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

·         Wash and trim the rhubarb. Cut into 1cm or half inch long pieces.

·         Put a layer of rhubarb on the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with half of the sugar and ginger

·         Repeat this process.

·         Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to ½ cm thick approx.(¼in)to the shape of the pie dish. Cut off a strip of pastry wide enough to go around the rim of the dish

·         Wet the edges of the pie dish with water and apply the strip to the edges. Wet the top of the pastry strip with water.

·         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.

·         Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes then reduce the temperature and bake for a further 15 – 20 minutes to ensure the fruit is cooked. Don’t allow the pastry to burn

·         When baked, sprinkle the top with a little caster sugar immediately and serve with cream, ice-cream or crème fraîche.   

Rhubarb and Ginger Jam

4 – 5 good sized stalks of rhubarb

Granulated sugar [you can use preserving sugar as it contains pectin and this help the jam to thicken but, it is more expensive]

1 piece root ginger – 2-3 cm [1½inches] square

100gm [4oz] glace ginger or crystallised ginger

Method

·         Trim and wash the rhubarb then, cut in 2cm [1inch] lengths – if the rhubarb is older and the stem are very thick, split them.

·         Weigh the rhubarb [ approx. 1 kg or a little over or 2½lb]. Weigh the same weight of sugar.

·         Put the rhubarb into a bowl  [not metal], layered with the sugar, cover and leave for several hours or overnight.

·         Peel the root ginger and bruise it well. It can be tied into a piece of muslin for easy removal later but if left in 1 piece this should not be necessary.

·         Put the rhubarb, sugar and root ginger into a preserving pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time to ensure the sugar has dissolved.

·         Bring to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes until the jam starts to thicken and the rhubarb is well cooked [rhubarb jam doesn’t set as rhubarb is not really a fruit and contains no pectin ].

·         Add the glace or crystallised ginger and stir in well [ if using crystallised ginger this will need to be chopped beforehand].

·         Remove the piece of root ginger.

·         Pot the jam into sterilised jars, cover and label.