Monday 10 June 2013

Harvest Monday

Lots of things growing in the plot but nothing much just quite ready for picking, late Autumn plantings mean I'm quite behind in Winter crops.
                                                                            

Over the last few weeks we have received plenty of much needed rain and the paddocks are looking beautiful and green and the soil in the plot has been a dream to work with, so easy to  fork over and lots of worms present.

The old faithfuls have been standing up strong to the weather, Kale, Lettuce,Parsley and the first of the garlic shoots have been picked and enjoyed in soups and salads.

To supplement the lack of fresh produce from the plot I have been making use of many of the sauces I made earlier in the year and my favourite lunch time meal is Spicy Pumpkin Soup made from our store of Butternuts.
                                                                              

This recipe sort of just evolved after I threw in all my favourite herbs and spices, a bit heavy handed for a change as I always feel my soup lacks just the right amount of bite.

1 small butternut cut into chunks
4 cloves of garlic crushed   
1 small piece of ginger grated
Olive oil
mustard seeds,  fennel seeds, turmeric, cumin seeds,
salt and pepper
1 litre of chicken stock.

In a saucepan I heated up a few tablespoons of olive oil and added the spices cooked for 1 minute. 
  Then added garlic, ginger and pumpkin pieces and cooked for a couple of minutes until all the pumpkin was well coated with the spices.
Added the chicken stock and then let simmer until the pumpkin was falling apart and all very soft.  I just used a potato masher to get out the few lumps ( I don't like it to smooth)
Some fresh parsley upon serving...........

                                                                             



Joining in today with Daphne sharing what's been harvested from the plot with many others from around the globe........



Saturday 8 June 2013

Winter Bliss

It has been quiet on the blogging front of late ..............................so many things to do and where to fit them all!
  I can imagine you all have been busy too and I hope you are all enjoying the start to Winter here in Australia.
The veggie garden has been well planted out, onions, broccoli, spinach, lettuce varieties, parsley, kale, sugar snap peas and plenty of garlic.
The grounds have had a good old fashioned "clean up" which in our house usually involves a bonfire.......
And of course plenty of firewood gathered and stacked ready for those cold nights ahead.

                                                                               

Around lunch time and after 6pm this is my favourite place to be..........

                                                                               
 
My idea of bliss ......
Open fire
Good Book
Home made soup..
 
How are you enjoying the start to Winter?