Category Archives: Vegetables – Growing

Cardoon and Artichoke

I have a cardoon and an artichoke growing in my veg patch plus two more artichokes in other parts of the garden, all from seeds.  I have never grown cardoon before and the mature one that I saw in the Dunedin Botanic Garden was almost as tall as me . It is a huge plant so one needs space to plant it.Next season I shall plant it in the ‘ornamental’ section of the garden since it becomes such a spectacular plant.  One eats the ‘flower buds’ on the artichoke and the stems of the cardoon. Artichokes are a firm fixture on our menu when they are in season, but I have never cooked cardoon before. I have been collecting ideas and recipes and shall post my favourites once I have either of them harvested and cooked.

Presently the plant look similar, both have small flowers buds, so I have to wait and see what the mature plants look like.  On the left is the cardoon and on the right the artichoke as they are at present.

2014-02-03 11.33.562014-02-03 11.33.16

Cardoon                                                                                           Artichoke

 

Today’s Harvest

2014-01-23 19.01.10

What I harvested today were Carrots, Beetroot, Celery, Spring Onions and Radish. Of all the delicious foods I am going to cook from this I am most exited about the Carrot Leave Pesto. I have all my life made Basil Pesto with the abundance of Basil that was growing where ever I was, but Dunedin has taught me that you cannot grow Basil unless you have  Greenhouse. So I have to make Pesto from Carrot Leaves, which I have NEVER done before. Should it be edible at all I shall post the recipe within the next few days.

Tomato – Potato – Parsley – all in flower

Who needs Daffodils and Daisies if you can have Tomato, Potato and Parsley

2014-01-20 - Tomato Flower 2014-01-20 - Potato Flower 2014-01-20 - Parsley Flower

Not only do they look good, but are healthy and taste fantastic

Garlic from the Garden

As Garlic is one of the favorite ingredients of Italian cooking I try to plant enough to see me through the year. This year, being new in New Zealand and my soil not 100% yet, I have harvested 180 bulbs only, which should hopefully last me about seven to eight months. After harvesting the garlic, leave it in a cool dry place (never in the sun) for a couple of days until the outside skin and loose soil is well dry. Now remove the excess soil carefully by hand and cut the roots without damaging the bulbs. Take a piece of soft rope and plait the garlic leaves and rope, adding more garlic as you go. Try to have the bulbs such that they have enough fresh air ventilation all the time.  When your string is long enough tie the rope around the last leaves, make a loop and hang it in a dark, cool and dry place.

2007-01-01 21.51.30 2014-01-07 14.48.29

Cavolo Nero

Cavolo Nero (Black Cabbage) is definitely my favorite cabbage and I plant a lot of it.  It seems to grow well at this time of the year in Dunedin, with the result that I can eat Tagliatelle al Cavolo Nero whenever I want to.

2007-01-03 00.02.09

See the nice Artichoke plant in the back ground.

The recipe is easy and quick and I off coarse eat this with fresh home made egg Tagliatelle. Take one large bunch of Cavolo Nero and blanch it in boiling water for five minutes – put aside and let dry well. In a large pan put one tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and one tablespoon of Butter. Ad four cloves of finely chopped Garlic , one finely chopped red hot chili (or less to taste)  and six anchovy fillets.  Fry and stir well until anchovies are melted – about five minutes. Now coarsely cut and ad the Cavolo Nero and  two Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan and fry and stir for another three minutes until the Cavolo is well mixed with the rest and warm. In the mean time you should have put the pasta in the boiling water to be ready at this stage – drain and mix well with the sauce. Serve with lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padana cheese. Red wine to compliment.