Early autumn is a great time to try new ways of cooking the last of the summer harvest. There are still lots of tasty ripe tomatoes and eggplant and basil to be cooked. This is traditional Italian light parmigiana using eggplant and rigatoni with a good oven roasted tomato sauce. You will find the recipe for the tomato sauce at this link and it is … Continue reading Eggplant and Pasta Parmigiana
Summer is over and we are finishing the last eggplants and cherry tomatoes of the season. This tart combines these two main ingredients along with caramelised onions and a touch of roasted capsicum and parmesan cheese to make a tasty savoury tart for lunch. Eggplant, Tomato and Onion Tart Ingredients: Tart Filling: 5-6 Long eggplants 500g cherry tomatoes 1 large onion, sliced thinly 1 … Continue reading Eggplant, Tomato and Onion Tart
Kefir is a fermented milk drink originating in the north Caucasus Mountains and is a rich source of probiotics. Probiotic bacteria found in kefir products include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lactococcus lactis, and Leuconostoc species. It has even been mentioned in the writings of Marco Polo of his travels among the Tartars: “They drink … Continue reading Culturing Milk Kefir
The Collectors’ Plant Fair Sydney returns in 2017 with over 80 growers from all over Australia, bringing their array of unusual and rare plants to you. Its just a month away. Bring your friends, buy a plant that is not easily available, chat with growers and experts, find that book or have a coffee and enjoy a day out amongst other plant lovers. There is … Continue reading 2017 Collectors’ Plant Fair Sydney
Well made gnocchi are a delight to eat and are delicious little pillow dumplings served with a good homemade tomato sauce. Gnocchi are easy to make but success depends on choosing the right potatoes. They should be old potatoes that are dry and so, when cooked, will need less flour which in turn makes the gnocchi light and fluffy and a pleasure to eat. I … Continue reading Potato Gnocchi
Today we begin a new series on growing herbs. We begin with parsley, the most popular culinary herb, used around the world in so many dishes. It should be part of every kitchen garden. Growth habits and planting needs Parsley is a biennial herb and will produce flowers and seeds in the second year. Sowing after the first year will ensure a continuous crop of … Continue reading Growing Parsley
Making an egg, bacon and vegetable pie is a perfect way to use any leftover vegetables that you may have in your fridge. Here we have used broccolini, and leeks and potato from the garden. Egg, Bacon and Vegetable Pie Ingredients: 4 large eggs 1 large or 2 small leeks cut lengthwise, washed well and chopped thinly 3-4 stems of broccolini, lightly steamed and chopped … Continue reading Egg, Bacon and Vegetable Pie
Today is the first day of autumn and this is the first planting guide of the season. The following is a list of things you can plant in March in Sydney, a temperate zone: Amaranth Beans – broad beans, fava beans Beetroot Broccoli transplant seedlings Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrot Daikon Endive Kale Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Mizuna Mustard greens Parsley Radish Rocket Shallots Silverbeet Spinach Turnip … Continue reading What to Plant in March
The Grantham Gardener 