For Whom the Courgette Blooms

We have two courgette (zucchini) plants that are cropping well.

These make absolutely great fritters (or bajji), and best of all can be removed harmlessly as the courgette begins to grow. For each flower you will need to make a batter of one tablespoon of breadcrumbs, half table spoon of cornflour, salt and garam masala to taste. Tastes delicious when deep fried!

Green Hot Chilli Pepper

One of our dreams for this year was to grow our own chillies.

We have three plants, all coming nicely.

Producing enough at a time for Mirchi ka Salaan. Maybe later.

Getting Saucy with Pizzaz

A wealth of tomatoes - different kinds. What to do? Pizza sauce, Indian Style!

Start with 1.5 kg of tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, dry roast a spoonful of mustard with some peppercorns and a sprig of mace. Keep a couple of star anise handy.

Chop some onions. Add a couple of spoons of oil to a frying pan. Put in the star anise. Add the chopped onions. Mix in the ground spices. Cook until the onions turn brown. Set aside.

Time to prepare a bouquet garni that will infuse its aroma and taste into the sauce. Take some cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cloves and nutmeg.

Tie up the spices in the bouquet.

Pulp the boiled tomatoes in a mixer. Remove skins. Add to the sauteed onions. Put in the bouquet garni and simmer. Add salt and sugar to taste, and two spoons of white vinegar.

Cook on medium heat for 40 minutes until the sauce begins to have glazed appearance.

Now for the pizza! Get the veggies ready - onions, chilli, tomato and basil: all home grown!

We favor Buitoni fina for the base and Galbani mozzarela. Slap on the sauce and pile up the veggies.

Slap into the oven, 205 degrees C, for 10 minutes.

Mmmm...Ab ayega mazza!

Juicy Culture

We also found that the birds have been very busy!

Quite a lot of the grapes have been pecked at. Many bunches are simply black shrivelled skins.

It's another one of those times when you make omelettes from broken eggs!

We had a cold refreshing glass of grape juice. 

Aah.

Gone to seed

We came back from four weeks of holiday.

Apprehensive about what might have happened to the plot (although we had neighbours cropping the veggies  for a couple of weeks).

The coriander plant has gone to seed!

Well, never mind. Omelettes out of broken eggs, then!

We harvested the seeds.

Just in time to make the "Double Coriander" Carrot palya the whole family enjoys.

First, lightly roast and dry grind the coriander seeds.

4 medium sized carrots, cut lengthwise into strips and then chopped up
1 small onion, diced
2 spoons cooking oil
1 spoon of coriander power
Salt to taste
A pinch of paprika (optional, the Younger can't take it)
Half a bunch of coriander leaves

Add oil to hot skillet. Brown the diced onions. Add the coriander powder and salt. Add carrots after a minute. Add paprika, and the the coriander leaves. Cook until carrot pieces start to get charred.

And enough seeds left over to plant - think about it, growing the seed for our own coriander plants!

Aubergine by any Name

Call it what you want: Aubergine, eggplant, or brinjal...

Tastes delicious, especially when picked right of the plant!

We bought this plant at the COOP Garden Center in Villeneuve. It has performed spectacularly.

A Good Crop

Early July, and the plot is firing on all cylinders!

Broccoli, broad beans, green onions - these went into a vegetarian Thai green curry.

The Morges Lettuce went into the salad.