glut busting | Baldock Allotment Association

July 23, 2017

What to do with a Courgette Glut….

We’ve all been there; you reach the point where you just can’t give your excess courgettes away. You’ve given some to everyone you know at work and to members of your family, so what to do now?

A recent blog post by Matt Peskett at Grow Like Grandad is a really useful one to bookmark as not only does it include a big long list of recipes using courgettes (separated by type), but Matt has also indicated how many courgettes are needed for each recipe which saves a lot of toing and froing trying to find a recipe which uses the amount or number of courgettes that you are trying to use up!
You can read the post here.

In the meantime, here’s a simple rustic recipe from BALGA member, Jon Jones.

Courgettes with baby tomatoes

Ingredients

2 or 4 small courgettes or 1 large courgette
15ml thick olive oil
French tarragon, whole basil leaves or fresh oregano
Baby tomatoes

Method

If using a large courgette, slice into 1cm (half inch) slices.

Heat oil in a frying pan and fry smaller courgettes whole like sausages, turning until they are evenly brown.
Or fry slices from large courgette.

5 minutes prior to courgettes being full cooked, add the baby tomatoes together with your chosen herb. Season with fresh ground pepper to taste.

Continue cooking until the tomatoes are on the verge of collapsing.

Serve immediately, or dish can be allowed to cool and eaten cold.

May 25, 2017July 23, 2017

Asparagus Omelette

If, like me, you have asparagus on the plot, you may be getting fed up with boiled asparagus with melted butter as a starter. I can enjoy it every other day, but every day is too much! I researched asparagus recipes on the web and found several for asparagus omelette. I adjusted one to what was available, and it was delicious!
Phil Charsley

Ingredients (for 2 people)

6 thick asparagus spears or equivalent
about 3oz (80 grams) bacon bits
1/4 red pepper (optional)
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil or small knob butter
small quantity milk (optional)

Method

Hold ends of asparagus spears in each hand and bend until they break. Discard hard ends (or use to make soup!) Cut asparagus into half inch lengths.

Slice and dice pepper.

Break eggs into a bowl and whisk to omelette consistency. Add a little milk if you prefer.

Put oil or butter in frying pan, heat and add bacon bits. Fry on medium heat until brown.

Add diced pepper and asparagus and fry for 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour in beaten eggs. Cook on a medium heat until surface is almost set

Fold over, and cook for a further minute.

Serve and enjoy!

April 30, 2017May 25, 2017

Rhubarb and Vanilla Crumble

This is a recipe I’ve been tweaking ever since I pulled my first rhubarb stalks a few weeks ago. I’ve previously made rhubarb and vanilla jam, which was wonderfully mellow to taste and I was hoping to recreate the flavour in a crumble.

If you have a go, let me know if the sweetness needs amending. Mine was a bit tart still, although the flavours were much more mellow the following day.
Joanna Kent

Ingredients

1lb Rhubarb
4oz Caster sugar
1 Vanilla pod

For the crumble
4oz Plain flour
2oz Butter or margarine
3oz Caster sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 190 deg C (375deg F / gas mark 5)
Wash rhubarb stalks and cut into 1″ pieces. Place rhubarb chunks into an ovenproof dish and cover with the caster sugar.
Cut vanilla pod in half and scrap out the seeds and place in the dish together with the halved vanilla pod.
Stir the contents to ensure all the rhubarb pieces are covered in sugar.
Cover dish with foil. Place in the oven and roast rhubarb for approx. 20 – 30 mins until rhubarb is soft. Remove vanilla pod from dish.
Sieve flour into a bowl and rub in butter or margarine until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in caster sugar.
Pour crumble mix over the roasted fruit.
Cook in oven for approx. 30 mins until crumble top is golden.
Enjoy with custard, cream or ice cream.