Get the most from your home-grown produce and cook up your vegetables. There’s little so satisfying as eating food you’ve cultivated yourself. Take inspiration from our recipe blog posts and see what our friends and contributors have created from their own gardens and allotments.


Cucumber pickle recipe

by | July 10th, 2024 | Gardening Posts, Recipes

 

Mini cucumbers burlap

Cucumber pickle recipe

Elizabeth McMahon from Ayrshire has sent in this cucumber pickle, which is great for using up a glut of cucumbers. Elizabeth says "It is very easy to make and delicious served with cold chicken any cold meat and salad - any left over juice can be used as a dressing for your salad. Also the cider vinegar is good for arthritic problems."
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Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Put cucumber, onions, peppers and garlic into a bowl layered with salt. Cover and put into the fridge for 2 hours. Drain and wash out salt well.
  • Put sugar, spices and vinegar into a pan and slowly bring to the boil. Boil for 5 mins. Add vegetables and slowly bring to boiling point, but do not boil. Pot and cover.

Notes

Find helpful cucumber growing tips & variety advice at our dedicated cucumber hub page.
Lead image: Cucumber 'Diva' from Thompson & Morgan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Spicy butternut squash soup recipe

by | November 6th, 2023 | Gardening Posts, Recipes

 

Collection of butternut squash on ground

Spicy butternut squash soup recipe

Ken Stockley
Why not grow your own butternut squash to use in this delicious soup recipe from Ken Stockley?
Ken says: "A lovely, creamy soup. All of the veg came from my garden and I only used ONE Apache chilli, but it still made my mouth tingle! Don't forget to wash your hands after clearing out the chilli seeds."
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Course Soup
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g butternut squash
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 1½ tbsp oil
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp mixed herbs
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • ½ red pepper
  • 500 ml water
  • 125 ml milk
  • 1 small chilli or half tsp chilli powder (optional)
  • Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cut the butternut or squash into one inch chunks, removing the peel and seeds and any ‘stringy bits’. Peel and chop the garlic, onion, red pepper and fresh chilli.
  • Put the oil into a saucepan on a medium heat and fry off the garlic, onions and red pepper (and fresh chilli if using) for a couple of minutes until the onion is soft but not coloured. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.
  • Add the butternut squash and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Keep stirring throughout.
  • Dissolve the stock cubes in the water and then add to the pan together with the milk, herbs, chilli (if using) and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is simmering. Put the lid on the saucepan and continue to cook for another 20 minutes until the butternut is soft.
  • Remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth. If you prefer, you can leave it lumpy.
  • Reheat the soup again gently but don't allow it to boil. Season to taste with black pepper.

Notes

Find out how to grow your own squashes from seed through to harvest at our pumpkin and squash hub page.
Lead image: Squash Winter Butternut 'Hunter' F1 - Kew Vegetable Seed Collection from Thompson & Morgan
Keyword butternut squash, pumpkin, soup
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Plum curd recipe

by | August 9th, 2023 | Fruit, Gardening Posts, Recipes

 

Plum curd with red plums

Plum curd recipe

Kay Sexton
This delicious recipe is ideal for plums but can also be used with other fruit such as apricots, peeled apples or peaches. Taken from her book, Minding 'My Peas and Cucumbers: Quirky Tales of Allotment Life', Kay Sexton has kindly donated this yummy recipe which is a great way to use up a glut of plums!
Kay says: "You can substitute the plums for apricots, peeled apples or peaches, which make a very similar pulp. However, soft fruit like raspberries, redcurrants and strawberries have to be sieved to take out pips and cores and blackberry or blackcurrant curds both taste fine but tend to be an unattractive pale grey-mauve colour. These curds are not as strongly flavoured as the aggressive lemon curd sold in supermarkets, and have a higher fruit content so they might be considered to be a bit healthier. Their subtlety lends itself to imaginative ways of baking and creating desserts, and they are particularly good simply spooned over vanilla ice cream!"
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Course Condiment, Dessert

Equipment

  • 1 Glass bowl
  • 1 Wooden spoon.
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 Saucepan
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Metal spoon
  • Sterilised jars

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g washed fresh plums
  • 125 g caster sugar
  • 125 g unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk

Instructions
 

  • Start by making plum pulp. Put the plums in a saucepan and cook them gently until they soften and the skins begin to shred. Then allow them to cool a little before using a wooden spoon to push them through a colander placed over a glass bowl so that the pulp is broken up and passes through but the pits (which, in wild plums, can be so small they are more like pips) are trapped.
  • Add the sugar and butter to the glass bowl with the pulp and place over a pan of simmering water - I prefer to put the bowl on a trivet to avoid any chance of the curd sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Stir frequently until the butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Now whisk the eggs and yolk together and beat into the mixture.
  • Continue to cook, beating away, until the mixture thickens - you can test this by dipping a clean metal spoon into it and watching how it coats the back. You want it to stick rather than running straight off. If you’re in doubt, unsure of your preserving skills or easily distracted, this should take about ten minutes on a timer.
  • Remove from heat, and while it is cooling, give it the occasional whisk to encourage the heat to dissipate and to stop it setting too firmly. When it is completely cool, pour it into sterilised jars, cover and refrigerate. A home-made curd keeps for a couple of weeks in the fridge, but rarely lasts that long, once people know it is there!

Notes

This plum curd recipe is taken from Kay's book Minding 'My Peas and Cucumbers: Quirky Tales of Allotment Life'.
There are many different varieties of plums that you can grow and they would all work well in this recipe. However, Plum 'Victoria' is one of the most well known varieties.
Keyword dessert, fruit, jam, plum
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Fat free cherry cake recipe

by | July 20th, 2023 | Fruit, Gardening Posts, Recipes

 

Closeup of cherry cake

Fat free cherry cake

Jacqui Brown
Jacqui Brown says: "Here is my favourite recipe that I bake at least once a week as I just love something sweet at the end of a meal, but being virtually fat free it isn't too naughty! We are lucky enough to have an orchard in Poitou-Charentes, France with 5 large cherry trees and we freeze the fruit to use all year round. We also have plum, peach, apple, pear and quince trees so I vary the recipe to use whatever is most abundant!"
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Course Dessert

Equipment

  • Lined flat baking tin
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredients
  

  • Enough cherries to fill the bottom of a lined flan tin
  • 3 eggs
  • 65 g sugar
  • 110 g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 50 g ground almonds
  • a few drops of almond essence

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 4/160℃ fan/180℃
  • Beat the eggs and sugar for at least five minutes until very frothy and pale.
  • Gently fold in the yoghurt and almond essence, and then half the dry ingredients sieved, then the remainder.
  • Try and lose as little of the air as possible.
  • Pour the batter over the cherries and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 mins, or until the top is golden and springs back to the touch.
  • Leave to cool and then turn out upside down onto a plate.
  • Serve warm or cold with a healthy dollop of natural yoghurt.
Keyword fruit
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Lead image: Cherry ‘Stella’ from Thompson & Morgan

From Rake To Bake – Cheats Curry for One

by | June 10th, 2023 | Gardening Posts, Recipes

 

Vegetable curry collage images with aubergines

Cheats Curry for One

Amanda Davies
June is perfect for making Cheats Curry for One.
With crops sown in late winter now bursting in the allotment, greenhouse or garden, this month, I thought I’d take advantage of some of ingredients available right on our doorstep, along with a way to use up any of last year’s sauces you may have hidden in the freezer.
The list of ingredients used was enough to make just a meal for me as my partner doesn’t like aubergines. Just double/triple etc, the quantities to make extra portions and use up a glut of crops.
Note – I have not used salt in the list of ingredients as I do not cook with it, however you may wish to use it, therefore just season to taste. You may also add chilli flakes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Defrost Time 12 hours
Course Main Course
Servings 1

Equipment

  • Chopping board.
  • Potato peeler
  • Vegetable knife
  • Small saucepan
  • Large saucepan with lid
  • Colander
  • Spatula
  • Wooden spoon.
  • Garlic Press or heavy handled knife.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small bowl of defrosted homemade sauce containing onion, red pepper, garlic, red and yellow tomatoes and herbs and spices.
  • 1 small potato.
  • 1 snack sized sweet pepper (any colour)
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/4 aubergine
  • 3 dried apricots
  • Handful of raisins
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Garam masala
  • Curry powder
  • Black pepper

Instructions
 

  •  Defrost the homemade sauce the night before.
  •  Peel the potato, cut into bite size chunks and par-boil in the small saucepan.
  • While the potato is boiling, de-seed and slice the sweet peppers. Wash and slice 1/4 of the aubergine into identical shaped cubes.
  • Chop the dried apricots into quarters. Slice and dice the onion and press the garlic. If you don’t have a press just bash the handle of a heavy knife onto the garlic on a chopping board.
  •  Drain the potatoes and leave in a colander.
  • In the large saucepan, on a low heat mix curry powder, garam masala and black pepper with the olive oil, and allow the spices to infuse.
  • Add the garlic and onion and fry until translucent. Next add the aubergines. The aubergines will soak up the oil, but don’t add any more, just turn down the heat and keep moving the pieces around with the spatula/wooden spoon.
  • Add the sweet pepper and fry for about two minutes. Next pour over your sauce, stir well, cover with the lid and heat for ten minutes.
  • Add the cooked potato, apricots and raisins. Taste and add more spices if needed.
  • Replace the lid and heat on low for a further ten minutes. If your sauce is getting too thick you can either add some vegetable stock or a splash of boiling water.
  • When you have the desired consistency and taste, serve immediately.

Notes

Serving suggestions:
  • Go traditional and eat with rice and naan bread.
  • Go British and serve with chips.
  • Go lazy and just eat with brown bread and butter.
Keyword aubergine, curry, seasonal vegetables, vegetables
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Leek muffins recipe

by | December 7th, 2022 | Gardening Posts, Recipes

 

Leek muffin recipe start to finish

Leek muffins recipe

Amanda Davies
Have you ever wondered why Welsh fans carry inflatable leeks to rugby or football matches? Legend says Cadwaladr, a 7th century King of Gwynedd, once ordered his men to wear one into battle for identification purposes.
But this tasty veg is more versatile than identifying troops. Rich in antioxidants, leeks are packed with vitamin K, manganese, vitamin B6, copper, iron, folate and vitamin C, as well as vitamin A vitamin E, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.
Leeks may be perfect for roasting, souping and frying, but they make surprisingly good cakes too.
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Course Side Dish

Equipment

  • Measuring scales
  • Nest of measuring spoons
  • Wooden or silicon spoon
  • Measuring jug
  • Cheese Grater
  • Fork
  • Vegetable knife
  • Sieve
  • Mixing bowl
  • Muffin/bun tray
  • Paper or silicon cases
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients
  

  • 1 leek
  • 1 egg
  • 175 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
  • 100 ml olive or vegetable oil
  • 50 ml milk
  • 75 g cheddar cheese
  • 2-3 tsp mixed herbs
  • 1-3 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp turmeric

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
  • Grate the cheese.
  • Line the bun or muffin tray with paper/silicone cases.
  • Wash the leek throughly to remove any soil from between the leaves. Then slice the leek into thin circles. Slice these circles into thirds.
  • Measure out the flour, baking powder, herbs and spices in the mix together in a bowl, then turn gently with a wooden/silicon spoon. (Note salt can be used if desired.)
  • Pour the measured milk into a glass and beat the egg into it with the fork.
  • Make a well in the flour, add the milk eggs mix and required amount of oil.
  • Quickly blend together for one minute.
  • Next add the leeks and cheese.
    Continue stirring for two minutes until the mixture is of a stiff consistency.
  • Use a filled teaspoon to drop the mixture into the cases.
  • Place on middle shelf and bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

Serving suggestions:
  • Go Welsh and serve with a bowl of Cawl.
  • Go Oriental and dip in a bowl of sweet chilli sauce or mango chutney.
  • Freeze for the summer and enjoy with an egg fried in plum tomatoes for lunch.
 
Grow your own leeks
Leeks are hungry plants, so add plenty of well rotted manure to your plot, or alternatively grow them in a deep container with fresh compost, adding a feed of Incredigrow.
Start the seeds in late February or through March and April either in a single seed in cellular trays outdoors or direct in your soil. From May to July the plants can then be transferred to their final growing positions.
To have a more blanched stem it is necessary to fork the soil around the stems as they grow, being careful not to get it between the leaves.
Beware of the leek moth and leek rust – for more information on this you can always visit our guide on growing onions and leeks from seeds.
Keyword leeks, muffins, vegetables
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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