A glorious day at From Spade to Plate

I made lavash today and thought of the 3rd feb when we first made this

We were welcomed by the sun today, the first bee was already buzzing so a little walk to the allotment was a treat.

As we were going to have to use the oven to bake our Lazy dough bread rolls so rather than having an empty oven to warm up, we made some Lavash. We used sesame and poppy seeds as well as some smoked paprika and put it directly into the flour. Then just before going into the oven we sprinkled sunflower and pumpkin seeds over the crackers.

 






When I saw this tasty Cheddar Soup,  and having some broccoli  and carrots in the allotment, thought we might slightly alter it to make a sauce rather than a soup. We just left out 2/3 of the stock, so it was thicker and  stayed in the bread rolls better.

Whilst June was keeping an eye on the oven (filled with crackers, vol au vents and bread rolls) the rest of us went off to forage for our salad.  We harvested some yacon, carrots, oca's in addition to edible flowers like daisies, corn flowers, calendula and rosemary (not too many as they are important for the bees to visit at this time of the year)

More broccoli - let's make curry

As I still have some lazy dough in the fridge, I turned that into some delicious flat bread
The broccoli was so abundant this year, and the fact that I planted enough to feed all the from spade to plate friends (who in the end did not have a chance to harvest it before the lockdown)

The broccoli and chickpea curry was delicious, well worth doing again.

Broccoli, Mushroom Pasta

A one pot meal that worked out very well.

The glut of purple sprouting broccoli was turned into a ginger and broccoli (and coconut milk) soup,
I then found this Broccoli and Mushroom Pasta which was delicious and quick.
Well worth doing again.

Halloumi, broccoli couscous

This recipe was first cooked on 24/10/2018

As I have a lot of purple sprouting broccoli at this time of the year I thought to use it instead of the Broccoli that is normally ready in autumn.
So lovely to see Angeles, Lucy, Ana, June and Sue again in this picture. Especially as due to the Corona Virus I don't see anyone other that Mark ofcourse.

We went to the allotment where we harvested, a beautiful broccoli head, spinach beet and tomatoes and mint.



We will be preparing the mint in such a way that we strip  all but the top set of leaves. Those leaves were chopped for the couscous but the stems with the few leaves on top will be put in water to start rooting and become another plant for next year.

The Halloumi Couscous and Broccoli dish went down a treat.

With the broccoli stems, spinach beet and marrow chunks (left from a large Marrow that we started using at the beginning of the week)  we made a delicious soup topped with crumbled feta cheese and a delightful blue borage flower
                 

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

A small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups broccoli stems, chopped

4 cups spinach beet or chard chopped

4 cups courgettes chopped

Gorgonzola dolce (optional)

1 litre vegetable stock

Borage flowers for garnish, if desired

Feta Cheese for garnish, if desired

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add oil to a large pot.
2. Add in onions and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
4. Toss in broccoli and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
5. Stir in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli , spinach and courgettes are tender.
6. Take off of the heat and stir in  Gorgonzola  (optional) salt and pepper.
7. Cool soup slightly and puree with hand blender.
8. Pour soup into bowls and serve immediately.
9. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and a Borage flower or chives.

Tried and tested by June, Lucy, Ana, Angeles, Sue and  Karina 

Apples and Pears galore

As we picked loads of apples (from The Othersyde,) and pears (From corner chesterton Road) I have decided to turn them into juice before going on holiday.

Arisa pressing the apples

Sara, Sayaka, Hiroe, Arisa and Today prepping the apples

I am also looking after Maria and Pete's allotment, which has 8 very large broccoli heads in need of picking, for that reason, I have decided to use the Broccoli, Courgette and Spinach soup with gorgonzola from book 1

June is looking after the pears

and as a desert we used the pears instead of the Rhubarb when making the Rhubarb crumble from book 2. The almond and ginger topping went really well with the pears and no sound was heard when we were eating.  A keeper we have decided.

Dezyre making the crumble topping

Todai and Arisa went around the garden to pick the sweet mini mini tomatoes which we turned into salad.

Everyone was able to take back with them some pears and a bottle of apple juice.
Yet another lovely morning.

Halloumi and Broccoli couscous

Another wonderful sunny day, today.  What an autumn treat!

We went to the allotment where we harvested, a beautiful broccoli head, spinach beet and tomatoes and mint.



We will be preparing the mint in such a way that we strip  all but the top set of leaves. Those leaves were chopped for the couscous but the stems with the few leaves on top will be put in water to start rooting and become another plant for next year.

The Halloumi Couscous and Broccoli dish went down a treat.

With the broccoli stems, spinach beet and marrow chunks (left from a large Marrow that we started using at the beginning of the week)  we made a delicious soup topped with crumbled feta cheese and a delightful blue borage flower
                 

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

A small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups broccoli stems, chopped

4 cups spinach beet or chard chopped

4 cups courgettes chopped

Gorgonzola dolce (optional)

1 litre vegetable stock

Borage flowers for garnish, if desired

Feta Cheese for garnish, if desired

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add oil to a large pot.
2. Add in onions and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
4. Toss in broccoli and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
5. Stir in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli , spinach and courgettes are tender.
6. Take off of the heat and stir in  Gorgonzola  (optional) salt and pepper.
7. Cool soup slightly and puree with hand blender.
8. Pour soup into bowls and serve immediately.
9. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and a Borage flower or chives.

Tried and tested by June, Lucy, Ana, Angeles, Sue and  Karina