cook | ginger

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Mushroom & ginger pot stickers

¼ cup vegetable oil
600g button mushrooms, very finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 long red chilli, finely chopped
3 green onions (shallots), chopped
½ cup chopped coriander, plus extra leaves, to serve
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
250g pkt fresh wonton wrappers
Dipping sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp finely shredded ginger
2 tsp white sugar
1 tsp sesame oil

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on high. Cook mushrooms for 5 mins, until soft and dry. Add garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook for 1 min, until fragrant. Add onion, coriander, fish sauce and soy and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
2. Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, place 1 tsp of mushroom mixture into centre. Moisten edges of wrapper with a little water. Fold wrapper over and pleat edges together to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
3. Heat ½ of the remaining oil and ¼ cup of water in a large frying pan on medium. Add half of the wontons and cook, covered, for 5 mins. Remove lid and cook for another 2 mins, until water is evaporated and wontons are golden and crisp on base. Repeat process using remaining oil, another ¼ cup of water and cook remaining wontons.
4. To make dipping sauce, mix together all ingredients. Serve wontons with dipping sauce and garnish with extra coriander leaves.

Makes about 30

Tip
Assemble the wontons up to 4 hrs ahead of time. Place on a lined baking tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

try this …Ginger poaching broth

Place 6 cups of water in a stock pot or large saucepan. Add ¼ cup fish sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, 6 green onions, cut into 5cm lengths, 2 tbsp chopped ginger and 2 peeled garlic cloves. Heat on medium and simmer for 10 mins.
Reduce heat to low and use to poach chicken, fish, prawns or vegetables.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

grow | radish

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Often I am asked what are the easiest of all veggies to grow, and radish would have to be up with the front runners for this award. It seems to grow in any climate, from cold to hot, any well drained soil and is also one of the few vegetables that is even reasonably shade tolerant.
The various types range from small cherry sized fruit right up to long tapering varieties, like the Daikon. Colours too range from red, to white, black, pink, and purple, and variants of these.
From seed to the plate varies depending on the type, but some smaller root types can be harvested after only a month in good growing conditions. Whilst it is normally the root that is eaten raw or pickled, the flower pod is edible too.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | radish

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Leave the leafy tops attached to the radish or daikon and store refrigerated in a plastic bag.

What to do with glut

Pickled radish

2 cups white vinegar
½ cup white sugar
1 red onion, halved sliced
10 red or white radish, trimmed, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black peppercorns

Heat vinegar, sugar and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan on low until sugar has dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 mins. Transfer radish to sterilized jars and cover with pickling liquid. Seal and store in a cool dry place for 1 month before using. Refrigerate after opening.

• To Freeze
  Remove tops and scrub radish under cold water. Chop unpeeled radish and blanch in a pan of boiling water for 2 mins. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain again. Transfer to clip-lock bags, seal and freeze for up to 1 month.
• To Dry
  Due to the high water content of most radish, drying is unsuitable, however, daikon is an exception. Drying of this variety tends to enhance the sweetness of the radish.
  To dry, thinly slice daikon and lay in a single layer on rack placed over a tray. Place outside in the sun for about 2 days, until dry and crisp. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.  Use crumbled over stir fries, salmon or sushi.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

grow | parsnips

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Whilst parsnips today may be confused by some as “white carrots” there was a time not so long ago in the middle ages when carrots would never have featured on a good British feasting table, such was the high ranking status of the now humble parsnip. Making a comeback to the table, however, the parsnips sweetness and versatility is finally being recognised again.

To grow them, the best way is to plant out seeds.  Dig over you garden bed a few weeks earlier with well rotted manure or blood and bone, then soak
some of the small, flaky seeds overnight in water to aid in their germination.  Run a string line or use a stake flat on the ground to make
your straight line, and sow your seeds about 15-20cm apart – you can always thin out small parsnips every second plant as they successfully
germinate and grow. Apart from regular water, full sun and free draining soil, the thing you next need to have in spades is patience, as 14-16 weeks is not unusual for a decent sized root to develop.  To harvest, simply put your garden fork own beside the plant and gently lever to loosen the soil, then pull.
Storage for more than a few weeks is best by simply leaving your parsnips in the ground, bearing in mind that frosts only make the roots sweeter.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | parsnips

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Harvest  parsnips whilst still young and smallish. The larger they are the more woody the core. They are still perfectly ok to use, simply remove the core before cooking. Store in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

What to do with glut

• To freeze
  Peel and blanch halved or chopped parsnips. Place into clip lock bags and freeze for up to 6 months.

• To Dry
  Wash, thinly slice or shred parsnips. Plunge into a pan of boiling water. Drain and rinse under cold water. Lay on a baking tray, in a single layer. Place in 60C (non-fan) for 10-12 hrs, until dried. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.  Add to stews, casseroles, soups. Rehydrate by covering with hot water and soaking for 1 hr. Drain.

• To preserve
  

Parsnip & ginger chutney

1kg parsnips, peeled, chopped
3 onions, chopped
2 cups cider vinegar
Juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange
500g brown sugar
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp allspice

1. Place parsnip, onion, vinegar, orange juice and rind in a large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 mins, until parsnip is tender. Remove from heat.
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add ginger, curry powder and allspice. Mix to combine. Cook on low heat for 50-60 mins, until thick. Transfer to streilised jars and seal. Store in a cool dark place for up to 3 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Makes 4 cups

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | parsnips

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Caramelised parsnip & chorizo salad

600g parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthways
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup brown sugar
2 chorizo, sliced
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
100g baby rocket
Dressing
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1. Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan. Place parsnip in a large baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of oil and sprinkle over sugar. Toss to coat. Bake for 1 hr, until tender.
2. Place chorizo, garlic and remaining oil in another pan and bake for 20-30 mins, until chorizo is crisp.
3. Squeeze garlic from skins. Place 2 in a small bowl with dressing ingredients and whisk until combined. Season.
4. Toss together parsnips, chorizo, remaining garlic and rocket. Add dressing. Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4

Tip

Chorizo is a cured spicy sausage available at most large supermarkets. They usually come in a pack of 2

try this …….
Parsnip mash
Peel and chop 500g parsnips and 500g potatoes. Cook in a large pan of boili9ng salted water for 20 mins, until tender. Drain and return to pan. Add ¾ cup hot milk and 20g butter and mash until smooth. You can flavour with crushed garlic, thyme leaves or chopped parsley if you like. Serve with chargrilled steak, roast beef or lamb.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

grow | jerusalem artichoke

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Growing these sunflower like plants is so easy the problem is normally not how to grow them but how to control them!  The will thrive in any free draining soil and take frosts, droughts and even partial shade, throwing their flowers 3m to the heavens above most if their neighbours. Native to North America where Indians frequently cultivated them, the tubers are very versatile being able to be eaten cooked or raw.  Plant these out in spring and after they flower in autumn you can dig them up like a potato.  Any tubers left in the ground will reshoot the following spring, or you can store them for replanting in the crisper of your fridge. When planting, make sure you leave some space around them as they can easily overcrowd their neighbours.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS