Hello all! Happy Mid-Week!
I was a bit slow today – probably in shock from vacuuming yesterday.
Still, a walk in the garden, a trip to the shops and a few barrow loads of firewood moved up to the back door and that wakes you up.
I also baked a cake as we are expecting visitors tomorrow!
My fennel is looking pretty great! Pity I haven’t ever used it in cooking before. Another ‘gunna’ job to look up non-scary recipes to try it out.
I just like the way it grows where it pleases and thrives.
I can’t tell you how much I am longing to throw myself into my garden. In among the weeds and scruffiness, the herbs are happily doing their thing.
I have four or five beautiful thyme plants. I think it should be next on my list to dry.
I have parsley like some people have lawn.
The lemon balm has well and truly seeded and more young plants are popping up. Does anyone make tea out of this? I haven’t used this in my cooking either, but its another plant I love just having in the herb garden.
The oregano is also doing so well… I need to cut back all the old stuff
I accidentally pulled a bit up – reminded me that I need to get in and pot lots of it, nurture it and sell it on my street stall in spring.
An easy enough task since it pulls up roots and all…
Anyway – I have an early start tomorrow, so best make my way towards bed!
Hope you all have a great day!
Cheers
Hi Lisa,
Try that fennel in some stew or slice a bit super thin and add to a salad. It can be a bully so start out with a little bit. I think you’ll like it. Your garden is beautiful.
Thanks Teresa!! I will just have to get brave and give it a go! (I am looking forward to making the garden less scruffy!!)
Hi Lisa, I like to use fennel when I roast a whole chicken. I add it with carrots and onions and then place the chicken on the top to roast. I like cooked fennel better than raw fennel. Here is my go-to recipe for roast chicken. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe-1940592. It’s a perfect dinner for winter.
Hi Julie!! Thanks so much for that! I’ll take a peek and see if I can do this successfully! Cold weather here, so just in time for the upcoming roasts!
yes- cut up and slice the fennel bulb and roast along with other vegetables and chicken. It’s delicious!
I also cut the fronds and make pesto with them. Who knew you could do that but it makes great pesto. I also freeze tubs of it (but leave out the parmesan if you freeze it).
Hi Laura! Thanks for the suggestions! Especially the pesto! Interesting!!
And oops… why leave out the parmesan when freezing? I didn’t !! Hope that wasn’t bad because we ate some tonight actually 😀
I think it doesn’t stay fresh if you freeze it with the parmesan. but it’s good your batch was fine! I also use it as a dip for vegetables and crackers.
Just a thought–when I have too much parsley, I blend it with olive oil (and maybe pine nuts) and freeze the slurry in small batches to add to soups and stews in the cold weather. It gives a lovely flavor to all kinds of hearty dishes.
Lemon Balm is taking over my garden. It’s gone feral. I’m starting to dig it out, which hurts. Anyway, I’ve tried it in cooking and maybe tea. It keeps its lemony flavor through cooking. I vaguely remember making lemon sugar cookies with it once and also putting it in some savory dishes. Experiment!
Glad you are feeling better.
Cheers,
Carla
Hi Carla – love the suggestions on the parsley… and I will have to experiment on the lemon balm!
After all the replies I got I am going to have to get a notebook to remind me of them all!
I know what you mean… I hate digging up useful plants even if they do go feral!! xx
I really like lemon balm tea- it’s supposed to be very soothing and calming (and anti-viral). I don’t use it for much else but you can make syrup, put it in fruit salads or stuff a chicken with it.
I’m not a huge fennel fan but I’m teaching myself to like it 😉
I think it would be lovely to make a fresh tea with the lemon balm… I guess when I haven’t done it before and unsure I put it on my long term ‘to do’ list!
We like eating the flower heads of the fennel as its a huge jolt of aniseed! One is always enough!