from garden to kitchen

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Your seasonal guide to what to eat when

From garden to kitchen

Welcome

Marianne Lumb

Which? Gardening offers practical advice on making the most of your garden, from what to do in your garden every month to the best veg and flower varieties, products and techniques. As a Which? title, we’re entirely independent and offer unbiased advice.

© Which? Ltd 2012 This guide has been produced for general information and interest only. Which? makes every effort to ensure that the information in the guide is correct, but we cannot guarantee that it is 100% free of inaccuracies, errors and omissions. The guide may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or otherwise made available to third parties without the written permission of Martyn Hocking, Editor, Which?. Commercial use of the guide is not permitted.

Whether you’re new to growing your own produce or have some experience already, we hope you find this growing and cooking guide both useful and inspirational.

There are so many vegetables, fruits and herbs that we could have chosen to feature here, but we’ve tried to give you a good mix of produce that’s reasonably easy to grow. We’re thrilled that Marianne Lumb, chef, author and finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals (2009), has agreed to devise some truly lovely recipes for you to try out each month.

Growing your own has so many benefits: it saves you money, involves no food miles and is also hugely satisfying, especially when you can create delicious dishes with the results.

Ceri Thomas Editor, Which? Gardening

Guest Cook

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Inside04 January

Swiss chard lasagne with leeks and mushrooms

06 February A juicy rib-eye steak with perfect dauphinoise potatoes

08 March Hearty chicken soup with shallots, leeks, winter squash and spelt

10 April Rhubarb tarte tatin with mascarpone

12 May Poached salmon with steamed asparagus, new potatoes and lemon mayonnaise

14 June Strawberry pannacotta

16 July Rocket and spinach ravioli with tomato and basil sauce

18 August Tomato tart fine

20 September Raspberry and lemongrass jam

22 October Roast pumpkin soup with spices, lime mascarpone and roast pumpkin seeds

24 November Sauté of Jerusalem artichoke, apple and bacon with poached egg

26 December Warm salad of roast parsnip with Adlestrop, capers and herbs

Recipe note: unless otherwise specified, seasoning means salt and freshly ground black pepper. All recipes serve four.

Swiss chard lasagne with leeks and mushroomsFOR THE CHEESE SAUCE 500ml full-fat milk1 onion, peeled and sliced in half3 cloves1 bay leaf30g butter30g plain flour1 tsp English mustard powder60g mature Cheddar cheese, grated60g Parmesan cheese, finely grated2 egg yolks

FOR THE LASAGNE8 stalks and leaves of Swisschard (rainbow and white)30g unsalted butter150g small white mushrooms,wiped and thinly sliced2 medium leeks (green and white part), sliced into 1cm rounds

How to grow Sow seeds into 7cm pots in April, then transplant into the garden in May or June when they reach a decent size. Alternatively, sow directly into containers, aiming for about six plants per 10-litre pot. Sow again in August for a good second crop in winter and spring.

HarvestPick the outer leaves when they reach 10-15cm in length, allowing the central leaves to continue growing. You can keep harvesting your August-sown plants throughout autumn, winter and spring, until they begin to bolt (flower) the following summer.

YOU WILL NEED Ovenproof dish, 18cm square

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/ gas mark 6. Heat the milk on a low heat in a small saucepan with the onion, cloves and bay leaf. Once it has reached a simmer, remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for about 15 minutes. Pass through a sieve. Discard the onion and other ingredients and retain the infused milk.2 Separate the stalks and the leaves of the chard. Chop the green leafy part roughly and set aside for later. Cut the stalks into long lengths that will fit the dish (these are the ‘lasagne’). Steam the stalks for 5 minutes or until tender but firm. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and melt the unsalted butter. When bubbling, add the mushrooms, the leeks and seasoning. Fry, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Stir in the chard leaves and cook until just wilted. Set aside.3 For the cheese sauce, first melt the butter, then add the flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. Take o" the heat, stir in the mustard powder and slowly add the infused milk to make a smooth sauce. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, add the cheeses, then the egg yolks and check the seasoning. Stir well, then blitz in a food processor or pass the sauce through a sieve for a silky texture.

4 Place a third of the mushroom mix in an ovenproof dish, followed by some of the chard ‘lasagne’, then some cheese sauce. Continue until you have up to three layers, finishing with cheese sauce. Cover with tin foil and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and place under a grill for a couple of minutes until golden. Serve immediately with a green salad and some garlic bread.

This dish could also make a wonderful side dish to any roast. Cavolo nero, treated in exactly the same way as the chard, works beautifully, too.

Feed regularly with a high- nitrogen feed to promotelots of leafy growth

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7 11What to grow JanuaryJanuary What to eat4 5

Chard is easy to grow and a good alternative to spinach. If left in the ground over winter, it will give you valuable leaves when there’s not much else around to pick.

900ml double or whipping cream4 garlic cloves, crushed1kg potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced60g Parmesan cheese, finely grated4 x 250g rib-eye steaks

YOU WILL NEED Ovenproof dish, about 20cm square

1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2. Heat the cream on a medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and potatoes and season with salt and ground white pepper. Cook gently for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning (they take a lot of salt, so be brave).2 Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish, smooth the top and bake for 1¼–1½ hours until tender. Remove from the heat and top with the grated Parmesan. Set aside.3 When ready to serve, heat a griddle, if you have one, and a grill to its highest setting. Rub the steaks with a little olive oil and season. Fry on one side for 2 minutes, then turn over for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest briefly.4 Flash the potatoes under the hot grill to melt and crisp up the cheese. Serve immediately with the steak.

The rib-eye steak is a delicious cut of meat. Ask your butcher for a well-hung, marbled piece at least 2½cm thick. The recipe here is for medium-rare. For medium, simply add an extra 30 seconds per side and so on. For best results, ensure the steaks are at room temperature before cooking. The potatoes will also work beautifully with lamb or venison.

A juicy, rib-eye steak with perfectdauphinoise potatoes

Potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow – plant a few tubers and you’ll dig up lots more a few months later. They also grow well in pots. ‘Maincrop’ varieties store well, keeping you in mash and roast spuds throughout the winter.

How to grow Potatoes are grown from ‘seed potatoes’, which you can find in garden centres in January. Spread them out in a cool, light place until you’re ready to plant them. There are three types of potato. ‘First early’ varieties are planted in late March (early April in cold areas). These are

followed by ‘second earlies’, and then ‘maincrops’ by late April. Plant the tubers 40cm apart and 15cm deep, and space the rows 50–70cm apart. If frost is predicted, cover plants with fleece. Don’t water maincrops until later in the summer when the tubers are forming – you’ll only encourage leaves.

In April, half fill a pot that’s at least 25cm in diameter. Bury a seed potato just below the surface. As the shoots appear, cover with more compost until the pot becomes full. Water to keep the compost moist, but not wet. By late June or early July, your potatoes should be ready. Push your hand into the compost and feel for tubers. Remove any of eating size and leave the rest to continue growing.

HarvestDig up plants of ‘early’ varieties once they start flowering in June. Second earlies can be harvested through July and August. Earlies are best eaten fresh as they won’t store for long. Dig up maincrops in October and store in a cool, dry place for the winter.

7

‘Earth up’ your potatoes to increase yields.

At weekly intervals, draw up earth from

either side of the row into a low ridge, until

you’ve made a ridge 30cm high and wide.


11What to grow FebruaryFebruary What to eat6 7

Shallots are expensive to buy, but a doddle to grow. Simply push one bulb into the soil in spring and by midsummer it will have multiplied into a dozen or so. With more flavour and less pungency than onions, shallots are versatile in the kitchen and store well.

How to grow It’s easiest to grow shallots from ‘sets’ (small bulbs). In early April, push the individual bulbs, 15cm apart, into the soil so that the tips are just covered. The rows should be 30cm apart.

HarvestWhen the tops dry o", lift the clump of bulbs out of the soil to expose it to the sun. Leave them to dry in the sun (cover or bring them indoors in wet weather). They should store into the following winter and early spring in a cool, dry place.

1.3kg free-range organic chicken, jointed into 8 pieces1 small bunch of parsley, leaves chopped, stalks reserved1 bay leaf8 shallots, peeled and cut in half, keeping the roots intact 4 small leeks, sliced into 1½–2cm rounds120g spelt or pearl barley1 small winter squash, peeled, chopped into 1½cm pieces, seeds removed

Hearty chicken soup with shallots, leeks, winter squash and spelt Buy the best chicken you can a"ord as it makes all the di"erence to the flavour, and get your butcher to joint the chicken if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself. Play around with the vegetables if you wish (adjusting the cooking times accordingly), as this is a great soup to make all year round with whatever you have growing in your garden.

1 Place the chicken pieces in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and add the parsley stalks, the bay leaf, sea salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, skimming occasionally, and simmer gently for 1 hour, topping up with water if necessary.2 Remove the chicken joints and place on a plate to cool slightly. Remove and discard the parsley stalks and bay leaf. Shred the chicken flesh into bite-sized pieces (discarding the bones and the skin).3 Add the shallots, leeks and spelt to the stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Then stir in the squash and simmer until cooked. This will take about 10–15 minutes.4 Stir in the shredded chicken and the chopped parsley. Check the seasoning and serve.

Weed regularly.

Shallots don’t need much

watering, except in a

very dry summer


11What to eat MarchMarch What to grow8 9

Whether you get round to forcing it or not, rhubarb is the first fruit harvest of the year. It’s a low-maintenance perennial plant that should crop for years.

How to grow Plant new crowns (plants) into well-manured ground in November or December, or in spring. The top bud should be just below the surface. Don’t harvest the stalks until the second summer.

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For MasterChef: The Professionals, I made the pu" pastry for this dish from scratch, but you can also use shop-bought pu" pastry. As the rhubarb cooks very quickly, the initial cooking needs to be harsh so that it caramelises before it falls apart. For this reason I also make a double layer of rhubarb and choose thicker pieces that will be robust.

Rhubarb tarte tatinwith mascarpone

200g pu" pastry6 rhubarb sticks160g unsalted butter, softened120g granulated sugarZest of 1 orange1 vanilla pod, split and cut into 4 pieces

YOU WILL NEED 4 small blini (frying) pans,about 10cm in diameter (or 1 large frying pan that can go in the oven)

1 Roll the pu" pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then cut into 4 discs, each slightly larger than a blini pan. Prick them with a fork, then chill. 2 Choose the thicker pieces of rhubarb and cut to fit the pans in two layers. Smear the softened butter into the blini pans thickly and evenly, then sprinkle over the sugar, orange zest and a piece of vanilla pod. Arrange the rhubarb on top of the sugar and zest.3 Heat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Preheat a heavy baking sheet in the oven. Place the blini pans over a very high heat on the hob to caramelise the rhubarb; it’s important to reach a good, bitter caramelisation here. You can check by carefully lifting up the rhubarb with a palette knife; the colour should change and you should be able to smell the caramelisation. Then cover the rhubarb carefully with a disc of pu" pastry, tucking it neatly inside the pan.4 Place the pans on the heated baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Carefully invert onto plates and serve with mascarpone.

HarvestHarvest in April and May. Young stalks are the tastiest; always pull them rather than cut them. Don’t eat the leaves as they’re poisonous! Stop harvesting in July to allow the plants to build up some strength for next year.

'I will never forget the amount of pressure I was under cooking this for MasterChef. It has become one of my signature dishes… in season, of course'

11

In late March, feed established clumps with

a general fertiliser to increase the size of next

year’s crop. Mulch with well-rotted manure.

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Marianne LumbGuest Cook

What to grow AprilApril What to eat10 11

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Poached salmon with steamed asparagus, new potatoes and lemon mayonnaise

A quintessential British summer dish – elegant, light and delicious. I really like to cook salmon this way as it’s a non-greasy method. The mint really lifts the potatoes and complements the creamy lemon mayonnaise.

FOR THE COURT BOUILLON500ml white wineBlack peppercornsParsley stalksLemon slicesBay leavesLarge pinch of salt

FOR THE LEMON MAYONNAISE6 tbsp good-quality mayonnaiseZest of 1 lemonA little lemon juice

800g Jersey Royal potatoes,gently scrubbedBunch of chopped mint,retaining 8 leaves4 x 220g salmon fillets500g asparagus

1 Make the court bouillon (stock) by bringing all the ingredients to the boil in 500ml water and simmering for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.2 Mix all the lemon mayonnaise ingredients together. Season well and refrigerate.3 Bring the potatoes to the boil in some salted water with the mint. Allow to simmer until a knife meets little resistance, then keep warm.4 Heat the court bouillon until boiling, add the salmon fillets, simmer for two minutes then turn o" the heat. Cover with a lid and allow the salmon to sit in the hot bouillon.5 Steam the asparagus (if possible in a steamer) until just cooked.6 Lift the salmon fillets out of the bouillon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle the potatoes with the retained mint leaves and serve immediately.

Mint has myriad uses: it’s perfect with new potatoes, makes a refreshing tea and is essential in Middle Eastern cuisine. Unlike many herbs, it will grow well in a shady spot.

How to grow In spring, buy small pots of mint at the garden centre. Don’t plant your mint straight into the ground, as its roots can be very invasive. Instead, plant it in a pot, or sink the pot into the ground if you want to grow it in a border.

HarvestAs and when you need the leaves. The plant will die back In winter, but should regrow from February onwards.

Remove flowers in June and July to encourage leafy growth. Keep well watered.


What to grow MayMay What to eat12 13

How to growMail-order suppliers sell dormant, bare-rooted plants in October and November; plant them out in the garden as soon as you receive them so they can establish before the winter. Alternatively, garden centres stock plants that are already flowering or fruiting in spring and early summer.

Strawberries do well in the ground and in pots. In the ground, plant 30cm apart, with 60cm between rows. Mulch the beds with straw, strawberry mats or black plastic: this will keep the fruit clean and keep slugs at bay. Alternatively, keep plants in a large pot. Strawberry plants generally crop better from their second year. Replace plants after about three years.

Harvest When they’re red and juicy!

Strawberries are ideal for the first-time fruit grower; they’re easy to grow in pots or in the ground. If you grow a mix of varieties you could be picking them from May to July.

Strawberry pannacottaThe perfect summer dessert, which you can make ahead of time and then relax and enjoy with some dessert wine. Take care when passing the strawberry purée through a sieve; every last drop is important for the flavour!

FOR THE PANNACOTTA200g strawberries, hulled and chopped30g caster sugar5g gelatine leaves500ml whipping cream

FOR THE STRAWBERRY ‘SALAD’150g strawberries1 lemon, zest and juice

YOU WILL NEEDFour small individual moulds or one large one

1 Blitz the strawberries and sugar for the pannacotta in a processor until puréed. Pour the purée into a small pan, bring to the boil and reduce by about a third (or until it weighs 125g). Pass through a sieve. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water. 2 Bring half the cream to the boil in a pan, stir in the purée and remove from the heat. 3 Squeeze out the water from the gelatine leaves and whisk into the strawberry and cream mix, making sure the gelatine

has dissolved (do not reheat). Add the remaining cream and mix thoroughly. Pour into the moulds and refrigerate until set (about 4 hours). 4 Before serving, hull and dice the strawberries into 1cm pieces in a bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice, and a twist of black pepper. Taste (add a little sugar if desired). 5 Place the moulds in boiling water to loosen slightly, then turn the pannacotta out onto a serving dish. Garnish with the strawberry salad.

Feed plants in pots regularly with a liquid feed (tomato food is good).


What to eat JuneJune What to grow14 15

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE1 tbsp olive oil1 garlic clove, crushed750g ripe tomatoes, peeled and deseeded10 basil leaves

1 Place the pasta flour and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add the egg, white wine and olive oil. Pulse briefly until pea-sized lumps form. Knead briefly (once or twice) until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and set aside at room temperature.2 For the filling, heat the olive oil in a wide pan and sauté the garlic gently for a minute or two. Add the spinach and rocket and cook until well wilted and the moisture has evaporated (about 15 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and stir in the basil. Season and allow to cool.

Once you have mastered this ravioli, you can play with all sorts of fillings, such as broad beans and chard, as well as the rocket and spinach. The filling must be quite dry though to work, so ensure you cook the spinach and rocket enough.

125g ricotta cheese80g Parmesan cheese, grated 1 egg yolk, beaten40g breadcrumbs 1 egg white A small amount of semolina flour

Rocket and spinach ravioli with tomato and basil sauce

If you’re new to growing from seed, rocket is easy and gratifyingly fast – you can start picking your leaves within three or four weeks in summer.

3 For the tomato sauce, heat the oil and gently sauté the garlic. Stir in the tomatoes and cook gently until they have almost dissolved into a sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Season. Meanwhile, chop the cooled spinach and rocket, add the ricotta, Parmesan, egg and the breadcrumbs, and season (the filling must be dry; add more breadcrumbs if needed).4 In batches, roll the pasta out until very thin. Place a teaspoon of the filling regularly (about every 5cm) along the pasta sheets. Using a pastry brush, paint around the filling with a little egg white, then cover with another sheet of pasta. Make sure there are no air bubbles and seal the ravioli. Cut out with a cutter, or cut into squares using a knife. Place on a tray on top of some semolina flour (this stops it sticking and allows it to dry slightly).5 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the ravioli until just tender (about 5 minutes). Drain, and serve with the tomato sauce, Parmesan and some olive oil.

How to grow Unless you have soil that’s free of slugs and weeds, grow rocket in pots containing multipurpose compost. Aim to sow one seed every 2cm or so and cover with a dusting of compost. Keep well watered.

FOR THE PASTA500g pasta flour½ tsp salt1 egg, beaten150ml white wine1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE FILLING1 tbsp olive oil1 garlic clove, finely chopped100g spinach leaves60g rocket leaves8 basil leaves, chopped

Sow a fresh batch every month from March until September and you’ll have a continuous supply of gourmet leaves from late spring to autumn. The leaves will grow faster in the warmer months.

HarvestPick the leaves regularly to prevent them from bolting (flowering). Watch out for flea beetle from late June as the weather warms up. You may need to cover plants with mesh, such as Enviromesh Ultra Fine.


What to grow JulyJuly What to eat16 17

As any veg grower will tell you, there’s nothing like the taste of a home-grown tomato. There are lots of varieties, from tiny, sweet cherries to plums and beefsteaks.

How to grow The lazy option is to buy young plants at the garden centre in June. Alternatively, you can grow plants from seed – good if you want several di"erent varieties and lots of tomatoes. Start seeds o" in a heated propagator or a well-lit spot indoors during March or April. Sow several seeds in a 7cm pot. When the seedlings are large enough, pot them into individual 7cm pots. Position somewhere reasonably warm (about 15°C) and, as the roots start to fill the pots, move them into bigger ones. If you opt for a ‘bush’ variety it won’t need training. Water regularly and apply a liquid tomato feed every week or so.

HarvestIf some are still unripe at the end of the season, speed up ripening by putting them in a paper bag with a banana.

250g pu" pastry120g sun-dried tomatoes in oil1 tsp tomato purée100g fresh basil leaves (with extra for garnish)4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and slicedOlive oil

Tomato tart fineThis is inspired by The Ivy restaurant classic, and I’ve found it always goes down perfectly as a starter for all ages, including children. You can easily make it the day before and warm through at the last minute. I also like to serve it with deep-fried basil leaves or with a pesto sauce.

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Roll out the pu" pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut into four discs, roughly 12cm in diameter. Chill. Make the sun-dried tomato paste by blitzing the sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor with a little of the oil, the tomato purée and the fresh basil. Season and set aside. 2 Prick the pu" pastry discs with a fork and bake for 10 minutes until pu"ed up. Remove from the oven. Carefully divide the tomato paste between the pu" pastry discs and bake again for a further 5 minutes. 3 Arrange the tomato slices around the pu" pastry discs neatly, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for a further 10 minutes. 4 Serve warm with some Parmesan shavings, capers and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.Plant outside in early June,

straight into the soil or into

growing bags or 10-litre pots.


What to eat AugustAugust What to grow18 19

When we tried to grow lemongrass we weren’t sure what we could expect with our climate. But by the end of the summer we were delighted to pick some healthy sized stalks, ideal for curries, flavouring sweet dishes or refreshing tea.How to grow Lemongrass is easy to grow from seed: you’ll need a heated propagator to start it o" from late January to March. Alternatively, buy plants from a specialist herb nursery. Plant in moisture retentive soil or in a large pot, in a sunny spot.

HarvestTwist o" stems close to the root in late summer.

Raspberry and lemongrass jamI adore autumn raspberries. This jam is wonderful to eat in the depths of winter as a reminder of the summer. To make perfect jam, the raspberries should be dry, so try to avoid washing them or picking them after rain. Make sure everything that comes into contact with the jam is spotlessly clean. For storage, pour the jam into three small sterilised jars while the temperature is still above 80°C and seal. This will prevent mould from forming. This recipe is for a soft-set jam, which I prefer. If you like a very thick-set jam, cook for 4–5 minutes more.

300g raspberries, stalks removed270g granulated sugar3 lemongrass stalks

YOU WILL NEED 3 small jars

1 Place the raspberries in a clean pan with the sugar, mix and set aside.2 Slice o" the base of the lemongrass from the thicker end, remove the outer layer. ‘Bruise’ the lemongrass with a knife to release the aromas, and place the stalks in with the raspberries and sugar. 3 Heat the mix slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Boil, skimming

occasionally, until setting point is reached (usually after about 10 minutes, but it depends how large your pan is).4 Seal in sterilised jars while it’s still above 80°C (to prevent mould forming) and label. If sterilised and sealed correctly, the jam will keep for 18 months.

Lemongrass needs regular watering for it to thrive. If you’re growing

lemongrass in a pot, bring it indoors over winter and water sparingly. It

won’t survive winter in the ground.


What to grow SeptemberSeptember What to eat20 21

Roast pumpkin soup with spices, lime mascarpone and roast pumpkin seedsA beautiful, warming and creamy soup. Depending on the variety of pumpkin used, the water content will be di"erent, so add a little more stock or water when blending if necessary.

Pumpkins and squash are easy to grow from seed, but they need plenty of room. They’re delicious roasted, puréed and in soups and curries.

How to grow In April, sow the seeds indoors in 8cm pots. Plant the young plants outside at the end of May/early June when the risk of frost has passed. Space plants out at least 1.5m each way. You shouldn’t need to water them too much, except in very dry summers.

HarvestLeave the fruits to ripen in the sun. Before the frosts, lift them, but don’t damage the stalks. Stand them in a sheltered sunny spot or a greenhouse to ripen the skins. Pumpkins are best in October, but, stored in a cool dry place, squash last into the New Year.

220g mascarpone1 lime, zest and juiceA bunch of thyme, chopped(retain leaves from 4 sprigs)1.2kg pumpkinOlive oil20g butter1 red onion, roughly chopped1 tsp each of ground mixedspice, ground cinnamon andground cumin1 litre chicken stock1 tbsp brown sugar

YOU WILL NEED 2 roasting trays

1 Place the mascarpone in a small bowl, stir in the lime zest and thyme and season to taste. Set aside in the fridge. 2 Preheat the oven to 210°C/ gas mark 6/7. Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch wedges and remove the seeds, placing them in a roasting tray. Put the pumpkin wedges in a separate roasting tin and drizzle with some olive oil and season. Place both the pumpkin and seeds into the oven to roast. Remove the seeds after 20 minutes and leave the pumpkin in for a further 40 minutes, turning once, until soft and golden.3 Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan, add the butter and, when bubbling, add the onion and a little salt. Cook

gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spices. Set aside. 4 Remove the pumpkin from the roasting tin and place on a board to cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh away from the skins with a spoon or cut away with a knife. 5 Place the flesh in the pan with the red onion and spices, and add the retained thyme, chicken stock and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.6 Remove the thyme and blitz the soup in a food processor until smooth. Season, and serve with a dollop of mascarpone, a scattering of pumpkin seeds, and a final few thyme leaves if you wish.

Protect the young plants from cold nights and wind by covering them with fleece.


What to grow October 23October What to eat22

This gourmet treat is an alternative to potatoes – and is even easier to grow. The plants can grow to 3m or more and look similar to their close cousin, the sunflower.

How to grow Plant the tubers 10–15cm deep and 30cm apart in late winter and spring. Cover the stems with soil when they are 30cm tall. The plants reach quite a height, so think carefully about where you plant them.

HarvestWhen the leaves turn yellow in autumn, cut the stems down to 8cm above ground level. Leave the dormant plants in the ground and lift the tubers as required during the winter. If you leave a few tubers in the ground, they’ll resprout in the spring for a new crop the following year. Don’t leave too many though, or you’ll end up with a thicket!

This works well as a dish at any time of day, for either brunch, lunch or supper.

350g Jerusalem artichokes180g smoked streaky bacon, chopped into pieces8 sage leaves2 green and 2 red apples,unpeeled, cored andquartered2 tbsp vinegar4 very fresh eggsFlat leaf parsley, to garnish

Sauté of Jerusalem artichoke, apple and bacon with poached egg

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 2/3. Place the unpeeled artichokes into a large pan with some salt, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.2 Heat a frying pan and fry the bacon pieces on a medium heat until crisp, turning once when starting to turn golden brown; there’s plenty of fat in the bacon so you don’t need any oil. Throw in the sage leaves and let them crisp up slightly with the bacon. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.3 Add the apples to the pan and fry until golden brown. Place with the bacon and sage on a baking tray and put in the oven.4 Slice the artichoke into 1½cm discs and season. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper and add a little olive oil. Heat and fry the artichoke pieces until golden, then add to the bacon and apples.5 Bring a small pan of water to the boil with the vinegar and poach four eggs until just set with a runny centre.6 Arrange the bacon, sage, apples and artichokes on plates and top with the poached eggs. Scatter with parsley. Serve immediately.

Cut back plants to between 1.5m and

1.8m tall in midsummer to concentrate

the plant’s energy into the tubers.


What to eat November 25November What to grow24

This is a great side dish to eat with a roast chicken or beef. Adlestrop is one of my favourite British cheeses, but Taleggio, Stinking Bishop or even Cheddar would work well. The four herbs blend wonderfully together, but you can use any combination of soft herbs you desire.

400g parsnipsFlavourless oil, such as mildolive or grapeseedExtra virgin olive oilBalsamic vinegar1 tbsp each fresh tarragon,chives, chervil, dill, chopped2 tbsp baby capers, rinsed150g Adlestrop, rind removed,roughly chopped

YOU WILL NEED 1 roasting pan

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Trim and peel the parsnips and cut into even-sized pieces. You may want to remove the woody centre core if they are very large.2 Place the parsnips in a roasting pan with a little room to move, drizzle over the oil, season and roast until golden and crispy, and soft in the centre. 3 Using a fish slice, remove from the oven and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle over with the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the herbs.4 Arrange the parsnips on a serving dish, then scatter over the capers. Sprinkle over the cheese and serve immediately.

with Adlestrop, capers and herbs

Warm salad of roast parsnip

The ideal winter standby, you can leave parsnips in the ground until you want to harvest them. They taste sweeter when they’ve been frosted.

How to grow Sow from seed into drills 1cm deep and 30cm apart. Plant two

seeds at 15cm intervals along the row. If more than one plant shoots up in each position, thin out all but the strongest.

HarvestOnce the tops have died down, the roots can be lifted and stored. They can also be left where they are and pulled up as and when needed.

Weed regularly. Water well until the young plants are established.


What to grow December 27December What to eat26

from garden to kitchen

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