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.

Preserved Chilli Peppers in Brine

Chilli Peppers in Brine

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

I just love this nursery rhyme from childhood.  The beautiful alliteration is quite catchy and repeating the rhyme is enough to make you smile, a big happy smile :D

Funnily enough my parents ate quite bland food.  Fish or meat with 3 vegetables almost every night.
Both of my parents are steeped in English background.  My mother is a descendent of Matthew Everingham who was on the First Fleet, so I often joked to my friends that we were brought up on bread and water.

Actually, it was more like Sunday roasts with baked vegetables or freshly caught fish with oven baked chips and salad.  I vividly remember the first time I had garlic bread at a friends' house and marvelled at the amazing flavour.  Chilli, not very hot, was enjoyed at the same friends Italian family restaurant and had such an impact on me.

I was mesmerised!  These wonderful flavours had been hiding from me for all of my life.
Since then, my husband says that I am still making up for the lack of heat in my early years.  I love chilli.
I love garlic and chilli, together or apart.  If I have a sore throat the first thing I reach for is a spoonful of harissa or sriracha  to numb my throat and kill the germs (it certainly makes me feel better anyway).

Hence, we grow chillies, of many shapes, sizes and heat strength.
To eat, puree, cook, dry, freeze, give away, jam or to bottle.

This is an easy recipe for bottling whole chillies and I hope you too have the pure enjoyment of chilli peppers.

Leave the chillies whole, wash them and leave some stem on, about 1cm if possible.

Bring salted water to the boil and blanch the chillies in batches, for 1 minute, then remove, place in a colander and refresh with cold water.

Sterilise your jars by placing clean jars into a cold oven, turning the oven to 150 degrees celsius and when it has reached temperature., turn the oven off and let sit for 10 minutes.
Put the lids into a jug of boiling water and let sit 5 minutes, then carefully remove with tongs.

 Bring the vinegar to a simmer in a saucepan, adding the spices and stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Take the sterilised jars from the oven with oven mitts, placing onto a tea towel on the bench so they don't crack on a cold surface.   Place the whole chilli peppers in the jar, then pour the brine solution over the top completely immersing the chillies in liquid.  You will find after 5 minutes that you need to add more brine as the air pockets in the chillies are filled with liquid.  Put the hot jar lids on and seal, label and let sit for 1 month before consuming.  This recipe will last for 2 years (if you don't eat them all first).

Pickled Chilli Peppers in Brine

600g fresh long chillies
2 tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon black mustard seeds
10 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
500ml cider vinegar
500ml white vinegar

Extra salt for boiling water

Rinse chillies, leaving them whole, then boil for 1 minute.  Remove and refresh in cold water.
Add all brine ingredients together and bring to a quick boil, stirring just until the sugar is dissolved.
Place chillies in hot sterilised jars, pour brine solution over until completely covered.
Seal and wait at least 1 month before consuming.
Buon appetito!

Spicy Pickled Cabbage

Our family love to sit around the table, sharing a variety of dishes, both hot, savoury and sweet.
This winter our garden has been abundantly healthy and overflowing with cabbages.  Red, green, and almost white, much like the Italian flag!  You give away what you can to family and friends, but still, one day you pick six and think, 'by golly' what will we do with all of these?  We stir fry cabbage, make sauerkraut, add to soups, fried rice and curries.  There remains, on the bench, however, more cabbages.
The answer - spicy pickled cabbage, perfect for accompanying any stir fry or curry dish.
You could only use one chilli and add 1 tablespoon black peppercorns instead of the Szechuan peppercorns  if you prefer a milder dish.
This not only tastes great but it looks wonderful as well!

Taking one green cabbage, wholesome and round, weighing 800g I sliced it into large pieces, about 6 x 3cm and placed them into a bowl.

Add sea salt and brown sugar then mix well. 

Cover and leave to stand for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
While it is resting, place oil, peppercorns and dried chillies into a pan and turn heat to med high.  Cook for  1 minute or until the chillies change colour.  Remove from heat.  Let cool then remove chillies and peppercorns.

Drain cabbage and squeeze out any excess moisture with your hands.
Pour the flavoured oil onto the cabbage, add vinegar and mix well.
Serve as a tasty side dish.

Spicy Pickled Cabbage Recipe

1 green cabbage, about 800g sliced into 10cm x 3cm pieces
3 level tablespoons fine sea salt
2 raised tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup rice bran oil
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
4 long dried chillies, whole
2 tablespoons malt vinegar

Buon appetito, if you have enjoyed this post, kindly tell me about it.  Cheers Merryn.