Harvest Monday Returnings

Sorry that it has been a little while between posts. I blame work and study commitments and the fact that I lost the cord that connects my camera to my computer. Luckily I am on holiday in Adelaide (with housesitter B looking after the balcony garden) so I have a little more time to write and in the process of packing I found my camera cord! So today's harvest Monday post will be a wrap up of the harvests from the past few weeks, including produce from my garden and generously donated produce from my Aunt's garden. I have other things to tell you about the garden, in which Spring has definitely sprung, but they can be held off for other posts.

So far I've harvested almost all the broccoli, which is pretty little now as it is only side shoots. I picked all the snow peas and promptly pulled the lot out which weren't producing. Silverbeet, I eat this almost daily. Unfortunately I keep forgetting to photograph it, though stay tuned for pictures of my Mum's rainbow silverbeet which is just huge.

My aunty supplemented my harvest with her harvest which included beetroots, brussel sprouts and broccoli. Yum

I turned them into this yummy beetroot risotto that I made to impress someone. :)

And look out for future harvests of these little yummies ... (there are 5 on the overwintered bush - 5!!!)

Harvest Monday

Two lemons, five carrots, a bowl full of lettuce, every last inch of rocket and some coriander all went into last Friday's meal. Beetroot (from my Aunt's garden), goats' cheese, rocket and pancetta risotto, served with a carrot and greens salad followed by strawberry lemon cheesecake icecream, straight from the brand new ice cream maker! And what photos do I have to show for it? NONE! But we had 5 happy dinner guests and one proud owner of an icecream machine and balcony veggie patch. Next harvest Monday I promise to photograph the produce, but in the meantime please take these recent shots of the plants for your harvest viewing pleasure, and imagine what they looked like in my harvest basket and then on the plate.

Ok so that is a golden beetroot not the large bulls blood ones that I cooked with but isn't it pretty. More of a single serve risotto size though. And for extra droolage I'll have you know that the second icecream flavour made in the icecream machine was Dulche de Leche (recipe here)

Now if you are after proper photos of harvests that aren't just substitutes for the real deal then head on over to Daphne's Dandelions for this week's harvest monday post.

Harvest Monday Happiness

A rainy Monday evening and I am just drying off after another snailageddon on the balcony garden. No matter how many I kill they just keep on coming! Still they can't get their hands on my harvest this week, well most of my harvest.

Snow peas are in at the moment, if this post at the 6 x 8 garden is to go by (and others that I have read recently but have slipped my mind.) They are in on the balcony garden too, crisp, sweet and ever so tasty. I only get three or four at a time, but once the rest of the peas grow through the harvest will increase. Yay for future stirfries!

Carrots get pulled out of the ground ever now and then. Good in salads and the vibrantly coloured ones are going to be a hit at my Casablanca 30th Birthday Party on the weekend.

Golden beetroot, pulled out, grated and placed in a beetroot and autumn veg risotto. Yum

I get a solid amount of lettuce and silverbeet eat week, probably a fistful every day. Enough for a plate of salad or an extra green sandwich.

Coriander is ready for the picking, and I had a leaf or two as a delicious garnish on my beetroot pearl couscous dish tonight (alas the beetroot was store-bought given the slowness of my purple beets in the balcony garden.)

Eggplant. Can't remember what I used it for, but whatever it was I bet it was tasty. There are even more eggplants on this hardy little plant! And it is almost winter here!!!

And these two delicious veggies, a butternut pumpkin and some cabbage, came from my cousin's garden. The pumpkin has been put in some pumpkin, pinenut and paprika filo parcels for the party this weekend (hiding in the freezer at present so they keep yummy and don't get eaten by myself before the party) and will also be cooked up to go in pumpkin coconut creme brulee. The cabbage has been added to many things including salads, a stir fry, and a corned beef.

The broccoli is budding so there might just be a new addition to the harvest post next week ... If you want to see more harvests pop on over to Daphne's Dandelions and join in the fun.