Merryn's Menu: Garden Share Collective ~April 2014

Merryn's Menu: Garden Share Collective ~April 2014: The slow transition through Autumn between Summer and Winter seems to last forever. The rain this Autumn has been welcome and very refres...

In Marches Autumn

Autumn in my Garden

March brings so much variety with many fruits almost ripe, a total gardener's delight!

Last year I had one Pitaya, this year there are 19, although 2 are on my neighbour's side of the fence.

Both of my arms were badly scratched retrieving the prickly branches to bring 17 back on my side.

Pitaya (Dragon fruit)

The first quinces have been picked. This tree was planted twelve months ago, it is clever to grow 5 fruit.

There are 20 olives brining in this jar, 20 this year, a whole bucketful next year~!

We have an abundance of figs.  Black Genoa, Brown Turkey, White Adriatic and a Yellow seedless variety (Please inform me if you know it's name.)
Fresh figs, grilled figs, fig jam, dried figs did I mention fresh figs?  Their flavour is sublime.

Soem need more protection from birds than other varieties.

A selection of chillies, from mild through to cayenne and jalapeno hot.

Plus our first lime of the season.

We have two bunches of bananas growing, which will ripen in different months.  Both suckers came from the same tree but one was moved to a different part of the yard where a crop of bananas will ensue.

Eggplant (aubergine) black, glossy and healthy.

This Tuscan Kale plant was riddled with caterpillars, so I pruned it right back

and now it has re-shot, producing fresh, young kale leaves.

Corn, behind a chicken proof fence, soon to produce luscious corn cobs.

Since being planted in the ground this bay tree is bursting with life.

Green papaya, I love to make green papaw salad with these lovely specimens.

Tamarillos (Bush Tomatoes), proudly clumped together.
These will turn a bright, dark red when ripe.

Ever present chicory, pick all the leaves and it will re-shoot to produce another plant.

We are still picking tomatoes, so much nicer than any store bought variety.

A Rockmelon vine with flowers trailing along the ground.

One of the free ranging chickens eating everything in it's path.

I hope you have enjoyed strolling around my Autumn garden, 

please take the time to enjoy the other Garden Share Collective members gardens.

Buon appetitio, Merryn.

Forster Foliage in February

We are officially in the middle of summer! 

Strolling around the garden there are so many delights to enjoy!

Here are mangoes, bursting with colour and vibrancy.

The biggest avocado tree is loaded with Secondo avocadoes, a semi dwarf variety

which is flourishing in our mid north coast climate.

Note the varieties of lettuce, protected behind a chicken proof fence

(I always think of rabbit proof fence when I walk past this garden bed).

Below is an example of what ten free ranging chickens can do to your garden.

This was a healthy patch of sorrel at Christmas time, before the chickens arrived!

The dwarf Pinkabelle and Granny Smith trees are a delight.

I plan to harvest them before the flying foxes do

(wish me luck).

 Figs Figs Figs!  Black Genoa, Brown Turkey and White Adriatic.
So sweet and succulent.
We check each morning and night to ensure we get them before the birds, blue tongue lizards or rats eat them.

A baby watermelon, proudly nestled on the ground, growing every single day.

The capsicums have been abundant, even looking slightly weathered as these ones do, 

they are still sweet and luscious when cooked or finely sliced for a salad.

I am so proud to show this Banana Passionfruit.

This is the first time I have ever grown a passionfruit plant successfully.

Previously they were planted too far from the house for frequent watering.

However I have found they are incredibly hard to spot on the vine.

The flowers were prolific, but I don't know where all of the passionfruit went -
did birds eat them or did they prematurely drop off?
 I don't know and would welcome advice as to how to harvest these passionfruits.

The next crop of bananas, biding their time to ripen to a golden yellow delight.

Tamarillos, or tree tomatoes as they are known.

I don't know what to do with them, apart from turning them into a chutney.

Any ideas are welcome.

I picked the first Pomegranate yesterday.

These are truly beautiful fruits.

I had to share this, these are beautiful chicory flowers, a traditional Italian vegetable,

the flowers are gorgeous and I love the idea of blue nectar in the bee hives. 

More rockmelons, we have been eating them for three months now, these vines are great~!

There are two (yes, 2) pears on the Williams Pear Tree.

I check them daily, as does a gorgeous Rosella, hopefully I will win

and taste the sweetness of the pears before the Rosella does ...

Three years in the ground and this dwarf Ruby Red Grapefruit has hit the jackpot.

It was well worth netting for protection.

You can see the colour is slowly changing.

Hopefully we will eat them in early Autumn.

This quince tree is only one year old and there are five gorgeous quinces growing firmly.
I can't wait to cook them.

My healthy bunch of lemongrass had to be moved as it was pushing out

the garden bed's wooden supports.

I literally dug a hole in the ground, in the middle of the lawn and planted some here.

12 months on and look at it flourishing, sometimes neglect is a good thing.

Tahitian Limes.  This Lime tree was a house warming present from my brother and three years on,

we will be picking many limes in the next few months.

This yellow aubergine (Eggplant) is fruiting continuously.

We have picked kilos of grapes, sweet and almost seedless, these are succulent.

Here you can see seedlings shortly to be planted out, gardening is a continual process.

These are the highlights of my February garden.
I hope you have enjoyed strolling with me around the Garden Share Collective this month.
Kind regards and buon appetito, Merryn

Capsicums stuffed with Vegetables - My Unique Creation

Capsicums filled with Vegetables

Perfect Vegetarian Fare for Spring

Firstly I chopped up vegetables, and fried them in olive oil until just cooked.

Then I halved 2 freshly picked green capsicums, removing the membrane and seeds.

Placing the capsicum halves into a foil lined and olive oil sprayed tray,

they were then filled with the cooked vegetable mixture.

Mozzarella was grated over the top and I placed the tray into a pre heated oven

180 Celcius and cooked for about 25 minutes, 

until the capsicums were soft and the cheese was melted. 

What a delightful vegetable accompaniment, or served as a tasty entrée.

 

Vegetable Filled Capsicums

 Ingredients

1 eggplant, cut into 1cm cubes

1 potato, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 zucchini, cut into 2cm cubes

1 onion, sliced finely

1 garlic clove, finely chopped



1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed
3/4 cup Passata, (or 3 tomatoes, chopped)
Handful parsley, chopped
1 pinch dried oregano
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
6 green capsicum, halved and with membrane removed.
1/4 cup olive oil
olive oil spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Heat up a large frying pan, pour in the 1/4 cup olive oil, add eggplant and fry for 2 mins per side over a medium high heat.  Add potato, celery, zucchini and onion, turn down to a medium heat and stir occasionally , cooking for 8 minutes. 

 Add the garlic, capers and chopped tomatoes. Cook another 3 minutes. 

Ad the herbs, salt and pepper, tossing through the vegetable mixture. 

Line a baking tray with foil.  Spray lightly with olive oil and place the prepared capsicums, cut side up in the tray. 

Put the vegetables into the capsicums, piling them high as they will shrink when baked.
Top with mozzarella, spray with a little olive oil and bake for 25 - 30 mins until the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

I  would love to hear how you bake capsicums.           Buon appetito, Merryn