Although our snowmageddon turned out to be a slightly cold and damp squib, we did have enough to make me go down to the allotment to check things out. Snow will weigh down netting and other structures and if there’s enough cause them to collapse or tear. This then means that your crops underneath get flattened.
I’ve got some brassicas still under netting (and enviromesh), so I wanted to make sure all was well.
The snow (which had melted and turned to ice), had push down both cages a little. Not enough to cause them to collapse but enough to pull out some of the anchoring pins that secure it to the ground. I pushed off the remaining chunks of ice, tightened up the netting and re-secured the pegs. Job done.
The forecast at least in the short term is for fine, cold and dry weather. So now more snow, at least for now.
Here’s a quick video for making potato salad. Details below.
Makes enough for four people.
You’ll Need:
6 to 8 small / medium sized potatoes
Fresh Chives or mint
2 small / medium red onions
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
Lemon juice (2 to 3 tablespoons)
To Make:
Prepare the potatoes, peel if needed (if you’re using young new potatoes, they’ll probably just need a scrub and the skins can stay on). Chop them into bite size pieces.
Boil them until they are just soft, be careful not to over-boil, particularly if you are using a fluffy type potato.
When they’re done, drain and put them back into cool water, and allow them to cool down, until they cold enough to handle comfortably with bare hands.
Prepare the onions and chives by chopping into as finer pieces as you can manage, put these into a large mixing bowl.
Add the potatoes into the mixing bowl, with the onions and chives.
Add some mayonaisse (about 3 or 4 tablespoons), be careful not to add too much, you can always add a little more if needed.
Add a good grind of pepper and salt and the lemon juice.
Mix all together in the bowl, either with clean hands or a couple of large spoons, be careful not to mash the potatoes!
This is ready to serve or can be refrigerated in a covered container for a couple of days.
Since I recorded the above video, the pumpkin that is next to the brassica cage has succumbed to slug damage. I think I’m going to pull out that plant this weekend, as although it has already fruited another pumpkin, there is no way that it will ripen in time.
This is an easy and quick way to use up gluts of some vegetables, and you can swap out ingredients for whatever you happen to have. For this version you’ll need:
Sheet of ready made puff-pastry (or hand make a sheet)
2 medium or 1 large courgettes (make sure that the skins aren’t too tough)
3 large tomatoes or a couple of handfuls of cherry tomatoes
2 medium red onions
100g Goats Cheese
Small bunch of basil (or dried flakes)
Small bunch or oregano (or dried flakes)
Regular olive oil & extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
1. Preheat you oven to 200°C or whatever temperature recommended on you pastry packet.
2. Take a baking tray that’s large enough for you to roll out your puff pastry sheet out onto. Pour a little regular oil on the sheet and grease the sheet thoroughly (use a pastry or oil brush if you need to).
3. Put the puff pastry sheet onto the baking tray, and with the tip of a sharp knife, score around the outside edge of the pastry about 1 to 2 cms from the outside edge – be careful not to cut all the way though the pastry, and don’t cut to the edges. (This allows for a crust to form around the outside of your tart when it cooks). Put the sheet to one side.
4. Now slice up all your vegetables. Slice onions to form rings, and thin to medium slices of courgettes and tomatoes (if you’re using cherry tomatoes, slice in half or if really small leave whole). Cut goats cheese into slices too.
5. Now layer the vegetables onto the pastry sheet starting with the onions, next the tomatoes and finally the courgettes. Sprinkle the herbs over the top of the courgettes and then add the goats cheese.
6. Drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and add a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.
7. Cook in the oven for about 20 mins. at 200°C or until the pastry is cooked. Be careful not to burn the edges of the pastry!
The last week has been incredibly hot, with temperatures in the high twenties and low thirties most every day. I don’t mind the heat, but the humidity some days has made things feel quite oppressive. The plot and the potting shed are doing well though, with some exceptions. Video updates of both below.
Electronic Scrapbook 