Spuds...

The Maris Piper Potatoes,gowing in,shooting up ,now being eaten. All took 8/9 weeks lovely!

First crop of Maris Pipers...

Today we went up to the allotment to dig up some Maris Piper potatoes,we dug some up last week but they were small, so this week they have grown a bit more.

They are lovely,boiled in a little salt water, then cut up with a bit of pepper and butter over them,great in a salad.

Beans,Beans and more Beans...

If you have plenty of broad beans growing (like me) you will need some recipes.....

SPILLING THE BEANS ON BEANS

Broad beans gravitate towards pork, and are often found mingling with bacon and luxurious hams like pancetta. Vegetarian beans like a bit of wine and butter, and maybe a sprinkling of parsley or mint. Baby beans are boiled for 5 minutes and eaten with the skin on, but older ones like to cook more, then have skins peeled. Try this: toss cooked broad beans, boiled potatoes and pasta, and some green pesto in a pan, then drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with some hard cheese.

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BROAD BEAN AND TIGER PRAWN PILAU

225 g shelled and cooked tiger prawns280 g shelled organic broad beans225 g long grain rice1 teaspoon turmeric2 tablespoons sunflower oil2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed1 large organic onion, peeled and chopped2 tablespoons chopped fresh corianderLightly fry the onion and garlic in the oil in a large pan. Add the spices and cook gently until the onin has become tender. Stir in the rice and cook for another minute. Add 600 ml of water, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to the boil. Next add the broad beans and reduce the pan to a simmer. Cover and leave for 10 minutes. After this time add the prawns and then leave for another 5–10 minutes, or until the rice has become tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Add more hot water to the pot during cooking if necessary. Stir in the coriander and adjust the seasoning.

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BROAD BEAN RISOTTO

450 g broad beans, shelled3 tablespoon olive oil1 onion, peeled and chopped finely2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped500g risotto rice1.7 litres hot vegetable Stock (or chicken stock if you prefer)1 tablespoon fresh thyme sprigsSalt and pepperFresh parmesan shavingsGently heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Cook the onion until it has softened but do not let it brown. Add broad beans and the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and continue to cook until the grains have become translucent and glossy. Turn the heat down and add the stock, one ladle at a time. All the liquid must be absorbed before adding more. Stir all of the time. This will take no less than 20–25 minutes. Add half the thyme with the last ladle of liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take the pan off the heat, cover and leave of stand. Serve hot on warmed plates and sprinkle with the last of the thyme and shavings of Parmesan. Serve with a delicious salad and garlic bread.

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BROAD BEAN SALAD WITH MUSHROOMS

500 g broad beans, shelled200 g mushrooms, sliced thinly3 tablespoons olive oil1/2 tablespoon wine vinegar1 teaspoon french mustardSalt, pepper, sugar to tasteChopped chives and parsley to garnish Cook the broad beans. Drain well and place in a bowl with the sliced mushrooms. Prepare the dressing by mixing together the olive oil and wine vinegar. Season with the salt, pepper and sugar. Stir the vinaigrette through and toss. Transfer to a serving dish and chill briefly. Serve sprinkled with the herbs.

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BROAD BEAN SALAD

450 g broad beans, shelled100 g smoked streaky bacon100 g organic mushrooms, trimmed of stalks and cut in halfFor the dressing:2 tablespoons walnut oilJuice of 1/2 lemonSalt and pepper to taste Steam the broad beans for 5–6 minutes and then rinse immediately — this will keep their bright green colour. Cut the rind from the bacon and dice. Put a little water in a pan and fry gently for a while then turn up the heat and fry until crisp. Toss the beans, bacon and mushrooms together in a bowl. Blend the ingredients for the dressing together and then pour over the salad. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired

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BROAD BEAN AND FETA SALAD

Broad beans are delicious combined with these flavours. Other good additions would be roast peppers. Serves 2–3.225 g/ 1/2 lb fresh broad beans, shelled weight60 g/2 oz Feta cheese, cubed2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint1 tablespoon white wine vinegar3 tablespoons olive oilSalt and pepperPut the beans in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until tender. Drain well and put into a bowl. Mix together the oil, vinegar and mint and stir into the hot beans. When the beans have cooled to room temperature, mix in the cubed Feta and serve

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BROAD BEANS WITH ONIONS AND BACON

Serves 2 as a side dish.250 g broad beans, shelled1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 onion, chopped175 ml chicken stock125 g smoked bacon, thinly slicedjuice of 1 lemonsalt and pepper to taste Cook the broad beans in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel and discard the outer skins. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the broad beans and bacon and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the broad beans are tender. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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PESTO PASTA WITH BROAD BEANS & POTATOES

Fast and perfect for busy days and nights - you can add or substitute with fennel or lightly sautéed courgettes. Serves 4 as a main dish.500 g dried pasta; spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine450 g potatoes, cut into large bite-sized chunks200 g shelled broad beans4 tablespoons basil pestoParmesan cheese for sprinklingOptional: a handful of pine nuts for sprinkling Fill a large pot with water and bring it to the boil. Drop in the broad beans and cook for 3 minutes then remove them with a slotted spoon and rinse them under cold water. Remove the skins, drop the beans back into the boiling water, and cook them for about 3 minutes, until tender. Turn the oven on to a low heat, for warming food. Remove the broad beans to a large bowl, and keep the bowl warm in the oven. Drop the potatoes into the pot and boil until just done. Remove them with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl of beans. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender. Add pasta to the bowl and toss in the pesto, adding some cooking liquid if the mixture looks dry. Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of cheese and pine nuts.

I will definatly be trying some of these if not all.

The recipe with Bacon sounds brill...

This link Click here will take you to the River Cottage website, Telling you all about What Veg,fruit,Meat,Fish,and wild food are in season in the Month of June...

B-J

Spring into Summer

I thought I would post these pictures ...

Just coming back from getting the Manure and I spotted these lovely lambs in the field so I got a photo of them,they were really friendly and no Mum sheep around so maybe they have been bottle fed...all say awwwwww

Has Summer arrived? It make's ya think of all those lovely warm sunny days to come....

Bless....

B-J x

O.A.V update's

Well in May we decided this is where the pond is going to be,this area is in the nature garden at the bottom of the allotment,so let the digging comence!

Next the pond liner went in then along came the....

RAIN....So a bit of bailing out was required. Paul and Scott did a great job didn't even let Rain stop dig!




Finally the pond was filled and the sun came out,we even have a little female mallard duck on the pond, Ok so it's plastic and doesnt need feeding and locking up at night but it makes a lovely finishing touch. Slight hitches with the pond since, as it keeps draining, Paul has dug it out again a few more times and can't seem to solve the problem but he will, so less said about that Bleep Bleep pond the better.

A few more people have joined the allotment lately so here are some pictures of there plots:



This is Adam's (I love to hoe) plot, he hasn't been up there long,but in the time he has been there he has done loads of work. Built a few raised beds,planted quite a few brassica's,and is growing sweet peas over a lovely arch and has now got a green house with tomatoes in it. And to prove Adam does do some work here is the evidence.....

This is Tracey and Amie's plot,this is doing really well,and I can't possibly name everything they are growing or I would be here all day,put it this way there is loads,infact I actually think they maybe in talks with Asda as thier next supplier's of fresh fruit and Veg. Dare I mention Tracey's Tit's and Butt? go on then I will in the next section.... How dead am I going to be?

Tracey's Butt!

And here they are Tracey's Tit's...


Tracey and Amie have nesting Great Tit's right on thier plot,they have only just hatched I think there were 6 eggs altogether doing really well!

This is Micheal's area at the back of the cabin,nice gnome micheal! Didn't know you liked them?

This is Sam's plot/Garden ,he has only just come onto the allotment so hasn' got much growing at the moment.



All my stuff is too growing really well,I have now got another four beds,One for sweetcorn,One for Broadbeans One for Tanya to grow Cucumber,Beetroot and Lettuce in, and the Ultimate raised bed of all for the Pumpkin Competition...Let battle comence!

Broad Beans




Lettuce Patch


Adam and Mark taste testing my lettuce's...


Potatoes..Seconed Earlies Maris Piper's Yum!



Molly my silkie Hen and a few of her chicks,they are 9 weeks old now and Molly started laying 3 weeks ago,so we have a fresh egg everyday,Thanks Molly....

And the piece de resistance is....My Pumpkin Patch...dug deep,with a layer of compost a layer of straw a layer of horse manure a layer of compost a layer of straw and another layer of manure you get the picture,....All kept snug and warm under polythene, ready for the new plant to go in...When it's germinated that is.




Tanya with the first bumber crop of Breakfast Radish



Tanya's Cucumber plant in her bed... she is also growing lettuce,beetroot and strawberries....




All in all I think everyone is doing really well at the allotments,bring on the summer so we can have loads of brilliant BBQ's on Paul dry stone wall fire....

More updates soon....

Please feel free to leave any comments

Or contact me

billiejean.heaton@talktalk.net

B-J x

Micheal is talking about an open day on the 23rd June 07, anyone wishing to come along and help can contact me on the above email address,and I will pass any info on..thankyou