PANCAKES!!!!!!!!! mmmmm Shrove tuesday is almost here here are some good ideas enjoy

With not much to do in the garden this week. I decided to do a big spring clean, make new veg beds, fix lights, and generally get the garden up to scratch for the upcoming season,

With that done my mind turns to the fantastic possibilities that await tomorrow.

Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday, jif lemon day whatever you call it. From the tried and tested sugar and lemon to the more adventuress bacon and cheese the main thing is to enjoy the endless possibilities

So I wanted to share with you my family favourites, But before I do that it’s important to get the batter sorted

Ingredients:

110 g plain flour

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs

200 ml milk mixed with 75 ml water

50 g butter

Method:

First of all sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with the sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing.

Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs – any sort of whisk or even a fork will do – incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

Next, gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk.

When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream.

Now with that done I like to leave it sit for an hour or so or overnight if you can wait that long

Ok I’m going to assume everyone know how to cook the little marvels if not let me know and I’ll fill you in!

Breakfast:

For me it’s has to be nice salty bacon

The salty pig:

Cook off 3 or 4 pieces of bacon under grill till crispy stick on top of your freshly made pancake savage

Another option is a funny one but tastes so good!

Coco pop pancake:

When you’re making your pancake make it a bit thicker than normal and after you put in your batter give it 10 seconds and add a generous sprinkling of coco pops make sure they are covered and flip cook for about 20 seconds and enjoy a great texture

Jiff lemon classic:

Sugar and a squeeze of lemon on your pancake simple classic

Fun guy Special:

Chop and fry off about 8 mushrooms with a knob of butter and season well, serve on top of fresh pancakes

Lunch/Dinner:

Italian frittella:

Fry 6 slices of salami in a frying pan until crispy (depending on thickness) in another pan start making your pancake after first side is done flip then add the salami and some grated cheese fold in half and heat till cheese melts mmmm……………

Sweet taste of colour:

Dice and sauté some onion, red, green and yellow pepper for 5 mins until soft add large spoon of pesto serve on top of a fresh large pancake

Hail Caesar:

Place cold chicken on a warm pancake with Caesar salad dressing and rocket leaves.

Desert:  (the most importantJ)

I think if I’m truthful I will just have about 4 pancakes with Nutella but here are some more ideas if you have more time

So good it couldn’t be good for you

Ok this is my favourite by far

Microwave a handful of frozen raspberries for two minutes place on fresh pancake and 2 scoops of good quality vanilla ice-cream and then sprinkle a crushed chocolate digestive biscuit over the top and enjoy heaven on a plate

Apple cinnamon rolls

Peal 2 eating apples and dice add to saucepan with a tablespoon of water and cook for 10 mins and add half a teaspoon of cinnamon and an optional 2 tablespoon of raisins after 5 mins cook till apples are soft and served rolled in a fresh pancake

So here are some of my ideas for a great day on Shrove Tuesday I hope you all have a great day and have some interesting ideas yourselves please feel free to post them on the blog I would love to hear what ye are all doing tomorrow LET THE FATTENING BEGIN !!!!!!!

   

                                          Graces First Pancake day!!

Too Chit or not to Chit! gibney's chicken and pea stew. planting early peas. soil preperation

Too Chit or not to Chit!

So with the days getting longer and the weather warmer, it’s time to start getting plans into action.

Chitting potatoes for planting in March, sowing early peas and beans. Preparing the soil to give your veg the best chance of giving you a bumper crop.

Chitting potatoes this is a funny one, while commercial growers don’t chit and they get a successful crop the small holder and backyard gardener mostly prefer this extra step. There is evidence that it helps to produce a stronger plant with bigger potatoes. But for me it’s a little tradition that signals the start of the season, rows of spuds in egg boxes on the window sill spring is really here!!!

Peas and Beans

A lot of people will say that direct sowing is the only way to go but with the weather to take into account, it’s worth looking for ways to help improve the chances of a good crop. In the past I have both planted out early under plastic, and planted into small individual cell trays with mixed success so this year I’m going with the trays for all my early planting. I will run through pea and bean planting in a few weeks when I am plant my second batch direct in the soil.

Soil preparation

Getting the soil ready for the year is a really important step, to ensure a great crop, with heavier soil this was best done in the autumn, but it’s never too late to make a positive difference.

I would say it’s too late to add manure at this stage, but there are other things you can add to help like, compost, leaf mould, composted bark, mushroom compost. These will all help loosen the soil and make for a better environment for strong root growth.

But at this time of year the one unbreakable rule is never dig if the ground is too wet, a simple test of walking across the soil and if big clumps stick to your boots  it’s too wet leave it alone!

How to dig

The depth of your topsoil, quality of drainage and whether or not your plot has been previously cultivated, will all determine the digging method required. Single and double digging are the most effective and labour-efficient digging techniques. Before digging, make sure the site is clear of all persistent weeds.

Single digging

Adopt this method on regularly-shaped plots, where it's important that the soil has an even texture. Single digging is also useful when large quantities of organic matter need to be incorporated.

•Dig out trenches to a spade's depth, known as a 'spit', and about 30cm (12in) wide.

•Place the soil from the first trench on the ground in front and work backwards along the plot, turning the soil from each subsequent trench into the one in front.

Double digging

Double digging is useful when drainage needs to be improved, or if the ground has not been previously cultivated. This is a time-consuming process but is worth the hard work and will result in good soil.

•The soil is worked to a depth of two spades, rather than one, and it’s essential to keep the two layers of soil (subsoil and topsoil) separate. In order to do this, the lower half of the trench can be dug over in situ.

•Remove the soil from the upper and lower spits of the first trench and from the upper spit of the second, placing it aside on the ground in three separate, clearly marked piles.

•The soil can then be transferred from the lower spit of the second trench to the base of the first trench, and from the upper spit of the third trench to the top of the first. This ensures that the topsoil and subsoil remain separate.

•Continue digging trenches in the same way, until you reach the end of the bed where soil saved from the first trench can be used to fill the appropriate layers in the final trench.

Simple digging

This method of digging is suitable for cleaning the soil surface of any debris and non-persistent weeds. This is often the best option for working with irregularly-shaped beds or around existing plants.

•Simply lift a spade of soil, invert it and drop it back in its original position.

No dig method

If you suffer from a bad back you may prefer this method over other digging techniques. It's useful for vegetable plots which need organic matter added.

•Ensure your soil is weed-free and level.

•In late autumn, spread manure or compost over the surface of the bed and worms will do the work of incorporating it by taking it down into the soil.

•Further mulch can be applied during the growing season. Repeating this process annually will keep your soil fertile.

Preparing soil for seed

A 'tilth' is a fine soil surface which is essential for seed germination. A surface tilth should guarantee good contact between seed and soil, so that moisture can easily be absorbed.

•Prepare seedbeds about one month before sowing by digging the soil and then leaving it to weather.

•Just before sowing, break up any remaining clumps of soil with a rake, level the ground by lightly treading on it, and rake the surface to give it a fine tilth.

So with a hard days digging done, my mind turns to the potatoes in the egg boxes, the peas in the trays and the dishes that I can’t wait the try out, so I’m not going wait after raiding the last of my stored potatoes (stored in sand) and a few bags of peas from the freezer I’m looking forward to a well-earned hearty meal and a nice cold beer.

Gibney’s  Chicken and pea casserole

Ingredients:

25g/1oz butter

150g shallots, peeled but left whole

5 garlic cloves, crushed

150g streaky bacon, cut thickly

Sprig of fresh thyme or a good pinch of dried

350g button mushrooms

350g of frozen peas

500ml good red wine

500ml chicken stock

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. Worchester sauce

1 free range chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces, on the bone but skin removed (or 6 chicken thighs)

Small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and crushed black pepper

Preparation method

1. Heat a thick-bottomed casserole dish on the stove; add almost all the butter (reserving a knob of the butter) and the shallots. Cook until just browned; then stir in the garlic. Add the bacon and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat and add the red wine, chicken stock, vinegar and Worchester sauce. Add the chicken pieces, bring the sauce to the boil and then simmer gently for about 30minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Add the peas about ten minutes before the end. For a thicker sauce, remove the chicken once it is cooked and keep warm. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few minutes until the volume of liquid has reduced. Return the chicken back to the pan.

3. Add the parsley, together with the reserved knob of butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve with buttery mash or crusty bread.

so after a hard days work the garden ready for planting and my belly full with a hearty stew. I have time to sit back and think about the coming weeks and months. It looks like and interesting summer ahead!!

Spring is here! i think.GGG’s French Onion Soup:,Caramelized Chocolate Onion Cake:

SPRING

Is Here!

 Well at least I think it is! It hard to know with the weather!

So with the festive period over and the New Year’s resolutions well and truly broken, it time to get back to work. There’s not much to do at the moment, but it’s a good opportunity to turn the soil to make things easier in a few weeks. And also it can be worth getting your onions and garlic into the ground under cover of plastic. Now the garlic doesn’t need it but it helps get it started as it’s best to plant it in November.

Onions and Garlic!

About onions

Various types of onion, including spring onions, pickling onion and shallots can be successfully grown from sets or from seed, some from both.

Onion sets:

Onion sets are small, immature onions, planted in spring or late summer. The sets increase in size and each forms one full-sized bulb when ready to harvest. Where possible, choose onion sets that have been heat-treated. This means their flower embryos have been killed, so they're less likely to run to seed or bolt. Generally, growing onions from sets is easier and more reliable than from seed and in cooler, damper areas, the sets should give a better yield of larger bulbs than if grown from seed. However the range of varieties available is far greater if growing onions from seed.

What to do:

Soil preparation

•A sunny, well-drained site is essential for growing good crops of onion and garlic. It's possible to grow good onions on heavy soil, but the drainage should be improved prior to planting with grit and bulky organic matter, and the cloves planted in ridges of soil 10cm (4in) high to help reduce soil moisture.

•Onions and garlic both like fertile soil, but neither require much nitrogen and so shouldn't be grown on freshly manured soil. Instead, dig over and manure the ground several months before planting. If the soil is acid it's worth liming it so its pH level becomes neutral or even slightly alkaline.

Growing onions from sets (I always use sets less hassle)

•The easiest way to grow onions is from sets, available from garden centres.

•Prepare the soil a couple of months before planting by digging over and adding manure.

•Plant the sets in spring in shallow drills and cover them so the necks are just protruding from the soil.

•Weed regularly and water sparingly.

•Harvest as soon as the foliage starts to yellow.

Growing tips

•Regular weeding is essential - because of the way their leaves are held upright, onions aren't good at supressing weed growth and, if left for too long, weeds will soon swamp the crop and cause damaging competition.

•Bolting, or running to flower, can be a common problem with onions, especially if there's a late cold spell or they suffer hot, dry conditions. Choosing heat-treated sets or late-maturing varieties will reduce the likelihood of bolting.

Harvesting and storage

•As soon as the leaves start to yellow and die back, onions and garlic are ready for harvesting. Don't bend over the leaves to speed this up.

•Lay the bulbs complete with foliage, in a warm, dry place for a couple of weeks to dry out. If onions develop thick necks use these straight away as they don't store well and are prone to neck rot.

•Make sure the foliage is completely dry before storing the crop in a dark, cool, dry place, either by hanging in nets or plaits, or packing carefully in layers in boxes. Storage life depends on the cultivar but is usually 3-6 months.

 Pests and diseases

Onions can be prone to various fungus-borne diseases which makes it worthwhile to rotate the position of your onions each year. It's also worth always buying fresh sets each year from a reputable supplier to avoid the viral diseases that garlic in particular is prone to.

•Onion neck rot - fluffy grey fungal growth around the neck leads to softening of the tissues. Infected areas turn transparent and may start to dry out. Avoid by always purchasing sets from a reputable source and not growing onions on the same site more than two years running. Onions with red or yellow bulbs are less affected than white ones.

•Onion white rot - a dense fluffy fungal white growth around the roots and base of the bulb. If you find it, remove and burn infected plants promptly, and don't grow onions on the same site for at least eight years. There's no chemical control or resistant varieties.

•Onion fly - onions are particularly prone to this larval fly but shallots, leeks and garlic may also be attacked. The larvae eat the roots of the bulbs and may burrow into them in late summer. Growing onions from sets reduces the problem, as does interplanting with carrots to mask the smell. If you discover an infestation, remove infested bulbs promptly before the larvae move into the soil to pupate.

•Onion thrips - a fine white mottling on the foliage indicates an attack on onions or leeks. They're tiny yellow or black bodied insects about 2mm long and are particularly troublesome in hot, dry weather. The damage to leaves can result in smaller crops.

Garlic

It’s as above with the onions just split the bulb into cloves and they are your seeds simple!!

So with all this talk of onions I think it’s time to raid the stored onions for last year and warm the body after that cold out there

GGG’s French Onion Soup:

Ingredients:

50.0g butter
1.0kg brown onions, thinly sliced

2 tbsp. thyme, picked leaves

3 tbsp. dry sherry
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
Beef stock fresh, cube or concentrate made up to 1.2 litres

CROUTONS

1 baguette, sliced

1 garlic clove, halved

Extra-virgin olive oil

100.0g Gruyère or  Emmental, grated

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a large pan and gently cook the onion and thyme until the onion is softened but not browned - about 20 minutes. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 15 minutes, until the onion becomes dark golden, sticky and caramelised, stirring now and again to stop it catching. Add the sherry and simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Season. Simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toast the +bread; rub each slice with garlic, then drizzle with a little oil. Sprinkle with the cheese and grill until golden and bubbling. Serve the soup with the cheese croutons on the side.

Here is something a little different to use up your onions tasty mmmm!

Caramelized Chocolate Onion Cake:

 Ingredients:

180g of unsweetened chocolate

1 cup of finely-diced sweet onion

1 cup of vegetable oil

2 cups of sugar

 2 eggs

1 tsp. of vanilla

2 cups of flour

1 tsp. of baking soda

1/2 tsp. of salt

1 cup of milk

1 tbsp. of vinegar

Method:

 The first step in creating your chocolate onion cake is to sour the milk by adding the tablespoon of vinegar to it. Then melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring it often to keep it from burning. While you're doing that, caramelize your onions in two tablespoons of oil, using medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes.

Beat together the remaining oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until the mixture has a fluffy consistency (this should take 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer). Then fold in the meltedchocolate and the onions, and add the baking soda and salt, stirring them in alternately with the sour milk.

Grease two round, nine-inch cake pans with butter before pouring in your batter. Bake for 25-35 minutes at 180 degrees. When the cake passes the toothpick test, it's done. Let the components cool for ten minutes outside the oven, then stack 'em and frost 'em with the icing of your choice.(which will be chocolate of course) And there you have your deceptively delicious chocolate onion cake, ready to please the palates of unsuspecting guinea pigs everywhere !

So the first veg of the year are in the ground, and I’m enjoying the last of the spoils from last year, with a nice warm cider in front of the fire looking forward to the treats of the year ahead, I have some interesting projects coming up so I hope ye will all follow me on this year’s adventure  and get inspired to get cracking yourself !!! till next time