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Monday 2 July 2018

Small Harvests, Simple Food


The first harvests of the summer fruit and vegetables - tiny, but oh what joy!      

The hard work is suddenly begining to pay off.   Everything is going to burst into full production before long, we will be snowed under, but right now there is just the smallest trickle to tickle the tastebuds and make me purr with pleasure.





The blackcurrants are ripening nicely - and goodness are there lots of them.    I love them either fresh and whole, or simply cooked without sugar and pureed, then served with Greek yogurt.   









A marriage made in heaven.









Parsley is growing like mad, which is handy because the first cucumber has ripened no tomatoes yet but plenty of mint and chives ...now what does that suggest?
    




Tabbouleh!      

I checked the pantry, no bulgur wheat, no couscous - oops!  Luckily I had some quinoa, that will do nicely.

Chop, chop, chop.  Chop, chop!   Parsley, cucumber, chives (no spring onions)  tomatoes and plenty of mint, add the cooked and cooled quinoa, a good amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a glug or two of olive oil and plenty of black pepper.  

It is a shame that I had to use shop-bought tomatoes, but never mind.










It tasted wonderfully cool and refreshing.










Last week I made a couple of bottles of elderflower cordial, what better drink could there be on a baking hot afternoon?





I picked a second lot of blackcurrants this afternoon - blackcurrant sorbet is on the menu for tomorrow.

17 comments:

  1. Blackcurrant and mint pie.

    LX

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    1. Now added to the list, sounds delicious.

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  2. That's a really refreshing salad. My traditional people won't eat it but it was a side on a plate at a taverna the other day, with couscous. delicious.
    Even better with your own tomatoes though. Hope it won't be long

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    1. I keep looking at the tomatoes, first one is about to ripen. I hate say that it doesn't look as though it is going to be a bumper year, darn it. I love tomatoes straight from the vine, sun warmed and delicious.

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  3. lucky you!!! Nice harvest starting to pay off!

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  4. Your own produce!

    The best!

    Heat wave there too?

    Awful over here.... Where we are, that is. Probably not the whole country.

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    1. Lovely and warm - great for ripening those berries, etc.
      I see you have found my younger brother's blog (Diesel Electric Elephant) He will keep you laughing, he has a wicked sense of humour!

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  5. I would love the black currant sorbet recipe - I have so many ripening!

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    1. No problem, Susan. It is very easy - I will pop it into a post.

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  6. I agree, it's those first few gathering from the garden that are so special...before the real work sets in. Wish I knew how to use all the herbs and berries like you do. It all looks delicious!

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    1. Aren't they wonderful - the novelty factor! It wears off!!

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  7. Blackcurrant sorbet sounds delicious. I love the first harvest and its beautiful freshness, nothing beats homegrown.

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    1. Those first few berries and vegetables are definitely the best ones. The sorbet is delicious, a naughty but nice treat on a hot summer's day.

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Lovely to hear from you.
I will try to answer comments in the next post.