SPRING TIME SERENADE

 

Spring is dusting off its party clothes.  Swathed in a riotous blaze of ochre, daffodils strut along the season's catwalk, trumpeting a fanfare.   Tulips tiptoe among them, blossoms blush in gentle pinks and hues of blue and purple daub primroses and miniature grape hyacinths that dot the landscape - a cerulean sky a beautiful backdrop to all this frippery.  A chorus from our winged friends disturbs the winter silence, heralding a new awakening. 

And we are back  at the garden again.  Rosy rhubarb in its darkened chamber forcing its way skyward, hidden treasures revealing themselves as we peep under our cloches.  We look forward to the new growing season with anticipation and excitement, optimism and hope.

 

Only peppery rocket  is ready for sandwiches so in the meantime I thought a few soup recipes before it becomes too warm for them.  Chickpea, chilli and lime from the Covent Garden soup book kicks and punches, igniting a fire in your belly.  The leek and cannellini bean from the Good Food Guide is its polar opposite, smooth, foaming, unassuming and mellow, destined to add calm to a fractious day.

 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-leek-bean-soup

http://www.food.com/recipe/chickpea-chilli-and-lime-soup-521377#activity-feed

 

 

And my blog has now  been read more than one thousand times by visitors from around the world - unbelievable! :)

 

BACK TO MY ROOTS!

 

 

 
A little cheeky putting this on the blog as not using any veg from the garden but did use the spiraliser again to make a parsnip and coconut cake for lunchtime visitors - so it just about counts!   This recipe hails from the Kitchen Garden magazine  - so lucky to have been given a subscription for my birthday -  as you've probably already guessed I have an insatiable appetite for reading about cooking and growing!  (Also needed to use up the parsnips after I bought a bag to make soup!)  Topped with cream cheese and coconut frosting, which adds a little tartness,  this tea time treat can cheer up a dull day:)

For a savoury slant try some spicy sweet potato curls from the book Spiralise This by Denise Smart - a great accompaniment to some fresh tuna -  the clashing flavours of  smoked paprika and mixed herbs make them incredibly moreish!

 

http://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/-Parsnip--Coconut-Cake-4212FXB 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



BRRR (CHILLI!)

Hunkering down against the icy winter wind chill the time seems right to use one of the remaining chillis tucked away in the fridge to liven up a soup of wholesome fortifying roots.

I turned to a Covent Garden recipe but had to give it a few tweaks - it needed twice the quantity of water at least and I added a couple of vegetable stock cubes as I confess it was a little two sweet for me - and just an extra dash of chilli powder.  The recipe also uses a leek which isn't mentioned on the internet.

Hopefully this vibrant selection of vegetables makes up for all the over indulgence over Christmas!

 

http://newcoventgardensoup.com/recipes-grouping/root-vegetable-medley/

FESTIVE FROLICS

No produce from the garden being used here.   Just to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to say thank you for following me in my first six months of blogging!  (Be you in the UK, the Phillipines, Saudi Arabia, China, India, France or the States - how did that happen?!)

 

If you've time amongst the craziness here are a couple of sweet treats I can recommend if you've a little time spare in the kitchen.  Both should be on the BBC Good Food website.

 

These cute polar bear peppermint creams went down well with the children at the library where I work or if you want to amuse them before Santa arrives  have a go at some marshmallow snowmen!

 

 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/polar-bear-peppermint-creams

 

Watch out for more recipes when the garden starts to grow in the New Year!

RICH PICKINGS!

Rich pickings from the freezer today as a delicious damson cobbler delights the tastebuds after the Sunday roast thanks to the windfalls bestowed on us by the generous owners of the plot where we garden.

 

 

 

 http://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/damson-cobbler/

 

SOMETHING FISHY'S GOING ON...

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Four easy steps and you have a simple supper full of goodness.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/843634/haddock-and-spinach-cheese-melt

COBBLER COBBLER...

 

Using the last leek in this Hairy Biker's cobbler.  Strange the emotions that accost you when you glance over a garden with scant produce - no longer needing your loving care, no longer providing something for tea each time you leave - apart from the sprouts that is and the spinach continuing to push its way through the frozen soil.

 

 

 

 

  

This recipe is the perfect antidote to the winter chills

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_casserole_with_67654