harvest | strawberries

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Strawberries are delicate and should be handles with care. As they do not ripen after picking, harvest your strawberries when they are bright red and plump. Store in a bowl in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

What to do with glut

• Freeze

Wash and hull strawberries. Pat dry with kitchen paper, lay on a tray and freeze. Transfer to clip-lock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

• Preserve

Strawberry jam

750g strawberries, hulled, halved
750g caster sugar
¼ tsp tartaric acid
Jamsetta, see tip

1. Place strawberries in a saucepan and heat on low, stirring occasionally, for 15 mins, until slightly softened. Add sugar and tartaric acid. Stir until sugar dissolves.
2.  Increase heat to medium. Boil for 20mins, the test for setting point. To test, place a teaspoon of jam on a cold saucer. Sit for 2 mins, until cool. Run finger through the centre, if jam is ready it will stay in two halves.
3.  If not, remove from heat and stir through 16g jamsetta. Return to the heat and boil for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Divide jam between hot sterilized jars and seal.

tip ….
Jamsetta is powdered pectin and assists in setting the jam. It is available at supermarkets.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | peas

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
When peas are ready for harvest the pods should be shiny and plump with the seam almost bulging. If purchasing peas, avoid pods that are dull or have yellowish speckles.
Peas deteriorate rapidly once picked, so use within 2-3 days of picking. Store in a clip-lock bag in the refrigerator.

What to do with glut

• Blanch & freeze

Blanch freshly shelled peas in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 mins. Drain and refresh under cold water. Transfer to clip-lock plastic bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Use as you would fresh peas.

Pea, almond & mint pesto

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small saucepan on medium. Cook 1 crushed garlic clove for 1 min, until fragrant. Add 1 ½ cups shelled peas and ¾ cup of chicken stock and simmer for 4-5 mins, until tender. Cool.
2. Place pea mixture, 1 1/2 cups of mint leaves, ¾ cup of grated parmesan and ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Season well, add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and process until smooth. Transfer to sterilized jars, cover the surface with a little extra oil and seal. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
3. Use as a spread on bruschetta or as a sauce for pasta or gnocchi.

Makes about 2 cups

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | broadbeans

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
Once picked, place whole broad beans in a paper bag and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Compared to the weight of the whole bean the yield is quite small. Once podded, 200g of whole beans will give approximately 80g.

What to do with glut

• Freeze

Podded broad beans freeze very well. Place in an airtight container or plastic bag and freeze until ready to use. Cook beans straight from the freezer in a large pan of boiling water. Drain and peel outer skin from bean to reveal a bright green, tender inner.

• To dry
  

Leave the whole beans on the vine until shell is brown and dry. Pick beans and remove pod, the beans should be brown-green colour and smaller in size than freshly podded broad beans. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To use, soak in water overnight before boiling in salted water until tender.

• To preserve

Broad bean puree

1.2kg whole broad beans or 500g shelled
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Cook shelled beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 mins, until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Peel beans, discard skins.
2. Place beans, garlic, cumin, coriander and ½ cup of reserved liquid in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding more liquid if needed. Fill sterilized jars and refrigerate for up to 1 week or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Use as a dip topped with sumac and served with pita crisps. Spread onto bruschetta, top with a little grated parmesan and gill until golden. Stir through hot pasta and serve with shaved parmesan.

Makes 2 cups

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | quince

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
As quince age the fuzz on the skin decreases. Store at room temperature for up to 10 days or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

What to do with glut

• Preserve

Heat 1 litre of water, 1 cup caster sugar and the juice of 2 lemons in a large saucepan on low, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Cut 3 quince in quarters and remove core. Add to syrup. Cover and simmer for 4 hours, until fruit is deep red and tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool in syrup. Remove quince from syrup and use in Quince cake recipe below.

Quince Paste

Once quince have been removed from syrup, add ½ cup caster sugar and heat on high until boiling. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 mins. Place a saucer in the freezer until cold. Drop 1 tsp of syrup onto saucer and wait for 1 min. If quince paste is ready, the syrup should be firm with a wrinkled surface. If not, simmer for another 5 mins and check again. Spoon into sterilized jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 1 month. Serve with cheese or in marinades for meat

Quince Jam

Scrub 1kg of quince and place whole and unpeeled, in a large saucepan with 6 cups of water and ¾ cup caster sugar. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours, until quince are tender and pink. Remove quince, chop and discard core. Return quince flesh to syrup and boil for 30 minutes, until jam sets when tested.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | fennel

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
Always store fennel with feathery tops attached. Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What to do with glut

• Freeze

Trim fennel then halve or leave whole. Blanch in a large pan of boiling water for 5 mins. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain very well and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Pack fennel in clip lock bags and freeze for up to 1 month.

• Preserve
  

Fennel Oil

2 fennel bulbs, ends trimmed, bulb chopped
2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 120C or 100C fan. Place fennel in a large baking dish. Pour over oil. Bake for 2hrs, until fennel has collapsed and very soft. Cool.
2. Strain oil, discarding solids. Pour oil into a sterilized jar or bottle.

Use when cooking fish, brushed on pizzas or tossed through pasta.

Pickled fennel

Combine 3 cups white vinegar, 1½ cups white sugar and 2 tbsp salt in a pan on medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil for 5 mins. Add 2 trimmed and chopped bulbs of fennel. Cover and remove from heat. Stand for 10 mins. Pack fennel into sterlised jars and cover with vinegar mixture. Seal and tore in a cool dark place for 1 week before using.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | cauliflower

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
Once picked cauliflower should be stored, leaves attached, in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What to do with glut

• Freeze

Cut cauliflower into florets. Blanch in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 min. drain and refresh under cold water to cool. Pack into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3months.

Spicy cauliflower patties

1 small head cauliflower, florets chopped
1 potato, diced
½ cup frozen peas
1 green onion (shallot), chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 egg, lightly beaten
few drops Tabasco
1 cup breadcrumbs, plus extra to cook

1. Cook cauliflower and potato in a pan of boiling water for 10-12 mins, until tender. Drain and mash. Place in a bowl and set aside to cool.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Shape mixture into patties. Stack in an airtight container, placing baking paper between each layer. Cover and freeze until ready to use.
3. Thaw fritters. Roll in extra breadcrumbs to coat. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium. Cook for 2-3 mins, each side, until crisp and golden. Serve with natural yoghurt.

Makes 14

• Preserve

Cauliflower pickles

Place 3 cups chopped cauliflower, 1 sliced onion, 5 cups white wine vinegar, ¾ cup white sugar, 1 tbsp mustard seeds,1 tsp turmeric and 1 chopped red chilli in a saucepan. Heat on low until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Cook for 10 mins, until cauliflower is tender, but not soft. Pack into sterilized jars and seal.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | garlic

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
Keep whole bulbs of garlic in a basket in a cool dark place for up to 2 weeks.

What to do with glut

• Preserve

Garlic confit

Separate cloves of 3 garlic bulbs. Place unpeeled cloves in a pan with a few sprigs of thyme. Pour over enough olive oil to just cover. Cook on low heat for 40 mins, until garlic softens. Transfer garlic to a sterilized jar and pour over oil. Seal. Store in a refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Use garlic in mayonnaise, on bruschetta, spread over fish, stir through pasta or steamed vegetables. Use the oil in a dressing or to cook chicken in.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS