Dear Family & Friends
The assortment of Brasica plants (like the brocoli, Brussel sprouts, Kale, Cabbages) we grow in the garden have survived the harsh winter. It's their second year and by summer, they will start producing seeds. But for now, we are harvesting their leaves and even flowerettes...they taste so sweet, having produced sugar to go through the cold season. They have given us lots of fresh greens over the winter and through spring before our summer veggie variety arrives.
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| Sprouting Brocoli |
I'm not very good in growing a full head of brocoli or cauliflower...and I couldn't figure what I'm not doing right...but that's OK...we are just as happy and content to harvest the little blooms they give plus the fresh edible leaves...all very tasty too:)
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| My cute purple brocoli flower |
Most of the time, I just invent my own meal recipe...but it must be healthy and delicious....the key is we like our food flavoured with lots of herbs.
Today I went and harvest dandelions...Yes, we got lots of them in our garden...I don't pull them out anymore...they are meant to be edible weeds...free food you know:)
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| A happy clump of Dandelion |
The whole plant of Dandelion....leaves, flower and roots are edible and rich in vitamins. Spring is the best time to taste the leaves while they are young and fresh....less bitter. I stir fried it and there wasn't much to go around...they shrunk...a bit bitter, but we like it:)
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| Dandelion leaves can be mixed with other leafy salad |
When they start blooming, I must try the flower and cook it with batter...as fritters! I heard that the roots can be roasted and grinded for coffee...shall I try that as well? We'll see.
March on...and have an adventurous week:)
Yours
I'm not good in growing cauliflowers either, there are always green caterpillars which ruin my cauliflower and I'm alweays too late to combat them. Long ago we had dinner at my sister's and she had a lovely salad of dandelion leaves. I never used the leaves myself, but after reading your post I must give it a go.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Janneke
Reading your comment on growing cauliflower - made me think that perhaps it's because of my planting time??...I will try again Janneka:) Wishing you a beautiful sun shining day for happy gardening!
Deletedandelions look like rocket to me in that picture. they taste good on pasta
ReplyDeleteSol, I know what you mean...we love rocket too! I will try Dandelion on pasta sometime this week...I heard that the French loves them in salad...soon our dandelion will not be edible anymore as the weather is now warming up fast!
Deletethere is a vegetable called escarole, I think it is some kind of lettuce/wild greens. its called escarole/endive, its an italian veggie. I think you can also add them to pies or something like spanikopita. I bought the book of Clara, the book is good, but the recipes are exactly the same as the you tubes.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuMkW35BwK8
they would be called horta in Greek.
Dandelion is good for the blood and is a direutic and if eaten too many a laxative! lol I know from my friend that in Greece, they think it helps with rheumatism I dont know if that is correct.
I am also not good at planting broccoli and cabbages. The snails will eat up all the leaves. Just don't know what to do with them. Your broccoli looks so fresh and healthy. I don't think I have tasted dandelion before.
ReplyDeleteNancy, that photo of the broccoli flower was so small - one bite size only! I just had to take the photo because I don't think it would give me the joy to see it any bigger!! We also have snails that eat the leaves..they have the old bottom leaves, and we people get the top bits which are fresher and softer:) I still won the battle I think ;P BTW, grow KangKong instead...it's ideal over there. I also struggle growing them here, but will try again this year for the last time.
DeleteI am also not good at planting broccoli and cabbages. The snails will eat up all the leaves. Just don't know what to do with them. Your broccoli looks so fresh and healthy. I don't think I have tasted dandelion before.
ReplyDelete