A quick and easy wholemeal broccoli lunch

I harvested another 1.26kg at the weekend. All great apart from the smell it gives off after a day or so and I defy anyone to cook more broccoli than me. I have done broccoli quiche, broccoli gratin and broccoli souffles and still I have lots left.

I plan to steam the best stalks and serve them with hollandaise sauce for Tom and lemon and anchovy for me (health kick still more or less holding).

This morning though I chucked together a very easy and speedy lunch which is not only healthy but helps to use up leftovers. Mix 100g cooked wholemeal pasta shapes with half a jar of cool salsa (spicy is fine if you must). Chop up the long broccoli stalks and briefly boil with the florets. Add to the pasta mix. Easypeasy. For those so inclined, add pepper and lemon. If I'd had more time I would have added anchovy and onions.

Temporary measures

While the broccoli keeps sprouting away happily I can't plant the extra banana shallots I bought. Thankfully a fellow gardening enthusiast, Maximo, suggested I start them off in pots. A genius idea!

They are all now planted in degradable peat pots along with the tomato seedlings which I planted up to the first set of leaves. Tomatoes can grow extra roots from their stem so transplanting them like this allows them to develop a stronger base.

They are all outside at the moment as the glorious heat is with us for one more day. But I will have to pop them in the cold frame as the weather returns to normal levels tonight.

Potato dilemma

My potatoes I already planted are doing ok. In fact they are up before Bernie's. However I think his system of mounds and trenches means they are planted deeper and so will be more protected from frosts and blight.

It seems odd to think of frosts when the thermometer has consistently hit 20 degrees over the last fortnight but it is important to remember that frost hit as late as early may last year.

I still have two more sets of seed potatoes to plant. The rattes and some free charlottes that came as part of a patio growing set. Not wanting to muddy my lovely new patio I will experiment with the set on the plot and I will plant the rattes using Bernie's method too. I looked this up to make sure I do it right but, oddly, there isn't much information on it in books or online.

I consulted a number of books and websites all with limited success. The best I found was http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html which provided the following great drawing:

There seems to be a difference of opinion on how to do it and both make sense. Plant the seed potatoes at the bottom of the trench and use the mounds to earth up OR to plant the potatoes into the mound to allow them the mound to grow in and when watering allow the water to get to the roots.

As it was I did neither and just found some spare patches by the other potatoes...

Patience is needed for asparagus

I planted out my asparagus crowns ignoring all gardening advice. You are supposed to dig a trench, fill it with good compost, create a ridge, water it, place the crown with the roots spread out on the ridge and back fill gently. And water again.

I did none of that. I scraped out some space in one of my compacted raised beds, dumped the crowns in, leaving some roots a bit exposed and forgot to water. in the dry weather I assumed they were dead.

Despite this, I've spotted a few brave shoots breaking through. Maybe they are tougher than we give them credit for.

Asparagus are perennial plants and need time to establish themselves and that is why it is wise to give them the best possible start in life.

This includes ignoring the exciting new shoots that are appearing from the crowns I planted last year (somewhat unwisely in a sort of pathway). You should only really harvest in the 3rd year and even then sparingly.

Not an ideal crop for impatient people like me. But the taste will be all the sweeter for waiting. Hopefully.

Broccoli, ham and cheese souffle

Twice baked souffles are a godsend to busy working people. Make them when you have a little time to spare and chill or freeze them till you need them again.

True, they aren't the billowy cushions of a once baked souffle is but they are practical and can be low fat.

This was based on a Weightwatchers recipe that has only 4 pro points in and is delicious.

You are supposed to use two eggs separated but I had two egg whites left over so just used them. The fact I didn't use the rich yolks meant I felt justified in adding a little mozzarella on top when they got cooked for the second time.

25g low fat spread
25g self raising flour
25g Parmesan
4 slices parma ham
225ml skimmed milk
1tbsp mustard
150g finely chopped broccoli

Grease 4 ramekins. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Whip up the egg white. Melt the butter, remove from the heat and gradually add the flour so it becomes a smooth paste. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time. Return to the heat and bring to the boil until it reduces slightly. Remove from the heat. Fold in the finely chopped raw broccoli, most of the Parmesan (save 2 tbsp for the topping) the chopped ham and some coarse mustard. Cook for 25 mins or until risen. Leave to cool.

When ready to serve, remove gently from ramekins and bake for another 20 mins. Serve on a bed of salad with a sharp dressing.

Mangetout - the perfect crop for greedy growers

Today is a rare day of rain among amazingly sunny days. In fact the are predicting 21 degrees tomorrow.

In the mean time I hope it rains enough to penetrate the ground today. Sometimes rain showers can mean the earth looks wet but it isn't where it matters - at the roots of plants. In periods of dry weather and if you water little and often rather than giving it a good long soak, plants will send their roots to seek water in the shallow soil (and become unstable) rather than anchor itself deep into the earth with strong roots.

On the windowsill at home the plants are doing well. The mange tout (purple flowered) are looking spectacular. They are so big that I am considering planting them out. First I will harden then off with a couple of days in the cold frame. Then I will pinch out the tops to encourage side shoots.

Use some twiggy sticks as support and off you go.

Question: do pea sticks become mangetout sticks if you change the plants?

Raspberries and new growth

The woman who has best raspberry patch on allotment has cut all hers down. Not sure which variety that means she has. One that fruits on new wood clearly. Hope mine aren't that sort as have tied the old wood onto string (should be wire but I didn't have any). Luckily there are also lots of little plantlets which might do the job in case I've done the wrong thing.

The potatoes are starting to poke through. Lots of shoots of rocket (fair enough, as the name suggests, it's supposed to be early) and lots of Maris piper (odd, as supposed to be more of a main crop). Only one of pentland javelin (another early) and nothing showing for Charlotte (perhaps it was one of the Aldi varieties that was less chitted). Being planted in compacted soil might not have harmed the Maris as long as it can bury its roots and create potatoes.

Noticed that the grower of last year's cauliflowers has mulched his strawberries which were magnificent last year.