That is no weed!

I was up at the allotment this afternoon with a visiting cousin of ours and after giving her some produce that I had grown we took a walk around the whole site.

It's so tranquil there and I love seeing what everyone else is growing and the ingenuity they use to make the supports and tunnels etc.

On the corner of my plot and my neighbour's I noticed this weed like clump growing and then today whilst walking around I saw loads more clumps of this.

When we got back from our stroll my plot neighbour was at his plot so I asked him if it was a weed.  No way, he said, its horseradish!  He got his spade and dug up a piece for both of us.

I had never seen horseradish growing before so it is with great excitement I shall grate some on something I cook this week. 

I also plan to put one of the smaller roots in a pot of soil and see if it takes.

Love new learning experiences!

Courgette Anyone!

The courgettes I planted are finally starting to produce an abundance.  To start with the yellow ones were so tiny and didn't seem to be going any where but with the recent heat wave and the rain this week they are really on the move.

Tonight we picked 5 yellow courgettes and 5 green ones and there are loads of small round courgettes almost ready to pick.

Quite funny that some of the plants are producing a green stripe variety in the middle of the yellow ones!

The dwarf french beans and the runner beans are also starting to pruduce enough to make a meal. My problem is that I love them raw so tend to eat them, and the peas, actually at the allotment!

Tonight after the watering session I also planted some purple sprouting broccoli and Brussel sprouts which will hopefully be ready in time for Christmas Day but will at least feed us in the New Year.

 

And judging by the excitement in Mr R's voice he is starting to enjoy the adventure!

 

Are you growing any vegetables or do you have an allotment? Let me know how you are getting on!

Dinner was inspired by my allotment!

There are loads of 'Here's what I had for dinner' blogs but please grant me this one because I grew a good deal of the meal on my allotment!

I do feel quite proud of myself lugging my trug home full of produce that I took the time to sow in the greenhouse, re-plant outside, weed, water and generally look after.

I started planning the meal by taking some wild scottish haddock fillets out of the freezer which were sent to me a while ago by Fish Is The Dish and supplied to them by Delish Fish in Aberdeen. Even though this fish has been in my freezer it still tastes as fresh as the day it left the sea!

I just wanted simplicity itself with the fish so popped in on a grill pan, light brushing of oil, sea salt crystals with lemon from Falksalt and a sprinkling of mixed spiced that my sister sent me from North Carolina. Under the grill for about 10 minutes whilst I got on with the stir fry.

Into my large frying pan I poured about 2 Tablespoons of rapeseed oil and gently started to fry the schallot that I had thinly sliced.

Next went in the thinly sliced courgettes (2) and peas from the allotment followed by the rainbow chard also thinly sliced. For some heat I added a large teaspoon of Gran Luchito Mexican chilli paste.

I stir fried this for about 5 minutes till tender and at the last 2 minutes I added two packages of chinese noodles (I got them reduced from £2.40 to 24p!) and about 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce and presto - a really fast and delicious supper topped with the fish fillets.

Mr R said he really liked the dinner even if he nearly broke his back digging earlier in the Spring - drama queen!!

Dinner tonight is grown by? Me .......!

It is absolutely heartwarming when you go to the allotment and for the first time can pick enough for a proper meal. Up till now we have had a few lettuce leaves, some radishes and some fresh herbs.

But this last weekend we were rewarded with some courgettes and a handful of pea pods.  So tonight's dinner will be a pasta with a courgette and bacon sauce (with a handful of fresh peas).

I sliced the courgettes really thinly and added them to the pan with the chopped onion and diced bacon.  After frying in olive oil I added the tomatoes, pesto and red pepper paste along with seasonings.

Really looking forward to dinner tonight! What will be ready next visit?