I decided to make some mint & apple jelly this spring while I had lots of healthy-looking mint. I often look forward to using mint in summer only to discover that it has succumbed to rust. Cutting it right back solves the problem for a while as the new growth is rust-free but coinciding sufficient clean mint with my cooking requirements can be somewhat of a challenge. 1kg cooking apples Water Sugar Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup firmly packed mint leaves, finely chopped (retain … [Read more...]
Broad Bean & Couscous Salad
Broad Bean and Couscous Salad is my new favourite 'go-to' salad, full of new season broad beans, fresh spring herbs and chunky Israeli couscous. You can serve it as a light meal with garlic pita bread and some labneh or Greek yoghurt. Any leftovers can be mixed with some feta and used to stuff capsicum for another tasty meal. 25 grams butter 1 onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 sprigs fresh thyme sea salt 1½ cups Israeli couscous 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock 1 cup … [Read more...]
Zucchini, Feta and Herb Fritters
Mid summer is a time of abundance in the veggie garden and this year zucchini (also known as courgettes) are extremely prolific in mine. Finding new ways of using and preserving them is essential. I've given them to friends and neighbours, frozen them both grated and in pieces, and made relish. I've grilled them, stuffed the flowers, made ratatouille and even a zucchini loaf. This fritter recipe is a nice option and you can use frozen grated zucchini to make them at other times of year … [Read more...]
Herbal Bath Tea Bags
Bath tea bags are blends of dried herbs that add scent and soothing qualities to your bath. According to Wikipedia: " Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses plant materials and aromatic plant oils, including essential oils and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering one's mood, cognitive, psychological or physical well being. Aromatherapists, who specialise in the practice of aromatherapy, utilise blends of therapeutic essential oils that can be issued through … [Read more...]
Growing and Cooking Bulb Fennel
Fennel is often grown as a herb, for its feathery leaves and seeds, and is used in salads, soups, fish dishes and teas. The seeds are often chewed after a meal to help the digestion - particularly in India. There are several different sorts of fennel and some species of fennel produce a crunchy white 'bulb' from the swollen stem bases of the leaves. They have an aniseed-like flavour and are also good for the digestion. The most important thing is to make sure you buy the right kind of fennel … [Read more...]
Self-Watering Pots for Herbs
Fresh herbs are a must-have item - even if you don't have a garden - and self-watering pots are a great way to grow them. I put mine just outside the back door where I can see the herbs both from the kitchen and on my way to the dining table. This has proven to be a great strategy because I often used to think that I would add some herbs to a dish and then forget. Being able to see the herbs greatly increases the chances of me using them in as many dishes as possible. Herbs in a pot at the … [Read more...]
Focaccia Bread
Most of the time I use my bread-maker for a quick and easy loaf of bread but there is something special about getting more hands-on with bread making. I particularly love focaccia bread because you brush it with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh herbs (or add olives and other goodies if you prefer). 500g plain flour 1 tsp salt 4g yeast sachet 330ml lukewarm water Sea salt and fresh herbs (e.g. rosemary, oregano, thyme) Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and … [Read more...]
Pesto Recipe
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves Pinch of salt 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tbsp pine nuts 3 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until blended. Cover the surface with plastic food wrap (to stop it discolouring) and set aside until required. Handy Tips Italian Pesto is traditionally served stirred through pasta but it is delicious with lots of different dishes. I often … [Read more...]
Drying Herbs using a Dehydrator
I had been thinking about getting a dehydrator for a while, particularly for drying herbs for cooking and in soaps and other bath products but also for potentially preserving my increasing fruit and vegetable harvests. After a bit of research it seemed that you could get either large expensive dryers or small relatively inexpensive dehydrators and nothing in between. There was a lot written about the bigger dryers but not so much about the smaller ones. I certainly couldn't justify the size … [Read more...]