Stalk Soup
Izzie’s got the munchies. The other week one of the local supermarkets had cauliflowers on sale for $1.70 when they usually sell for somewhere between $3 and $4. So this was just the excuse to indulge in something a bit healthier than cheese, bread or potatoes
They also had broccoli for $1 a head so added one of those to the basket too. Did get to thinking that anyone who has ever grown these critters knows how long it takes and how hard it is to get a half decent sized head. If the supermarket can sell them for $1.70 one can only imagine how little the grower is getting. But of course there is the age old problem of been torn between paying a fair price to the producer while having a limited stash of cash for food.
Decided to try a variant of the totally addictive Potato Gauranga which is a regular at Govinda’s the Hari Krishna restaurant on Thursdays. This simply involved substituting broccoli and cauliflower for potatoes but keeping the other ingredients of turmeric and sour cream exactly the same. It was especially interesting to compare the taste of the shop broccoli with the handful of florets harvested from the vegie bags in the garden. The home grown stuff tasted much better but there was only enough of it for two dinners. Chose to let some of it go to seed to save for next year now that the state quarantine service is whacking on an outrageous $56 import fee from the usual interstate source of old fashioned heirloom seeds
It turned out quite tasty especially with cheese on top but was still left with half a cauliflower and a big fat broccoli stalk.
Most folks in Oz toss out the leaves and stems from broccoli, caulis and cabbages. But they are just as tasty even if they do take a bit longer to cook. So it was the perfect excuse to make some stalk soup. Being a vegetarian, soup can be a bit bland without a half decent stock. So I cheated of course. This is not the usual resorting to stock cubes or those dodgy tins or packets of stock but something a bit simpler. Got one of those jars of Kan tong satay sauce as a base and simply zapped the vegies when they were hot enough. Peanut butter also makes a good soup thickener but this jar was a more interesting alternative.
Soup is such a quick and simple thing to make. The supermarkets are now full of plastic pouches and cups of single serve soups. They seem to have launched an invasion. With the prices they are charging it is hardly surprising. Only Mt Franklin and Evian would be a more profitable way of selling water. The tins of Campbell soups are so 1960s these days.
Now that half the eggs in the supermarket are coming from Queensland and most of the frozen food from China, even the soups are coming across the pond all the way from New Zealand, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find local stuff. Soon there will be no one making stuff here anymore so if you want fresh fruit and veggies you will have to grow them all yourself
Was pottering about in the garden today. It’s the first decent sunny day in ages so it was nice to peek about and see what’s growing and what sorts of creepie crawlies are lurking about. The nasturtiums have basically taken over. They will be finding their way into some sandwiches soon.
The snails pretty much nuked our attempts to grow broccoli and kale. Never thought I would see the day that seedlings died because they got drowned in the rain. Usually it’s thirst that gets them in the end.
Got to get busy in the next few weeks as there’s about 3-4 months left of decent growing conditions before the serious summer weather starts sizzling everything. Tomatoes and basil will be the main items on the menu. Got lots of chilis but always end up giving them to the neighbours as they are just too hot for this serpent’s tastes
Also tried the first orange of the season. Usually already raiding the tree in early July but been a bit distracted this year. It was sweet and juicy. Must find some way to preserve the peel or to at least get the essential oils out of it.
Been peeking through the stash of seeds. It’s time to get started on those tomatoes so that they are ripe and picked long before Christmas.
Still not gotten around to making a weekly menu list like most organized and resourceful penny pinching shoppers do. Did once write a list of the old favorites and was surprised just how many versions of sandwiches appeared usually filled with tomatoes, onions, basil, peanut butter and cheese. Burritos, kebabs, panini and pita are really not much more than exotic incarnations of the basic idea of bread with assorted fillings.
Oh well. There’s always tomorrow to get organized
They also had broccoli for $1 a head so added one of those to the basket too. Did get to thinking that anyone who has ever grown these critters knows how long it takes and how hard it is to get a half decent sized head. If the supermarket can sell them for $1.70 one can only imagine how little the grower is getting. But of course there is the age old problem of been torn between paying a fair price to the producer while having a limited stash of cash for food.
Decided to try a variant of the totally addictive Potato Gauranga which is a regular at Govinda’s the Hari Krishna restaurant on Thursdays. This simply involved substituting broccoli and cauliflower for potatoes but keeping the other ingredients of turmeric and sour cream exactly the same. It was especially interesting to compare the taste of the shop broccoli with the handful of florets harvested from the vegie bags in the garden. The home grown stuff tasted much better but there was only enough of it for two dinners. Chose to let some of it go to seed to save for next year now that the state quarantine service is whacking on an outrageous $56 import fee from the usual interstate source of old fashioned heirloom seeds
It turned out quite tasty especially with cheese on top but was still left with half a cauliflower and a big fat broccoli stalk.
Most folks in Oz toss out the leaves and stems from broccoli, caulis and cabbages. But they are just as tasty even if they do take a bit longer to cook. So it was the perfect excuse to make some stalk soup. Being a vegetarian, soup can be a bit bland without a half decent stock. So I cheated of course. This is not the usual resorting to stock cubes or those dodgy tins or packets of stock but something a bit simpler. Got one of those jars of Kan tong satay sauce as a base and simply zapped the vegies when they were hot enough. Peanut butter also makes a good soup thickener but this jar was a more interesting alternative.
Soup is such a quick and simple thing to make. The supermarkets are now full of plastic pouches and cups of single serve soups. They seem to have launched an invasion. With the prices they are charging it is hardly surprising. Only Mt Franklin and Evian would be a more profitable way of selling water. The tins of Campbell soups are so 1960s these days.
Now that half the eggs in the supermarket are coming from Queensland and most of the frozen food from China, even the soups are coming across the pond all the way from New Zealand, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find local stuff. Soon there will be no one making stuff here anymore so if you want fresh fruit and veggies you will have to grow them all yourself
Was pottering about in the garden today. It’s the first decent sunny day in ages so it was nice to peek about and see what’s growing and what sorts of creepie crawlies are lurking about. The nasturtiums have basically taken over. They will be finding their way into some sandwiches soon.
The snails pretty much nuked our attempts to grow broccoli and kale. Never thought I would see the day that seedlings died because they got drowned in the rain. Usually it’s thirst that gets them in the end.
Got to get busy in the next few weeks as there’s about 3-4 months left of decent growing conditions before the serious summer weather starts sizzling everything. Tomatoes and basil will be the main items on the menu. Got lots of chilis but always end up giving them to the neighbours as they are just too hot for this serpent’s tastes
Also tried the first orange of the season. Usually already raiding the tree in early July but been a bit distracted this year. It was sweet and juicy. Must find some way to preserve the peel or to at least get the essential oils out of it.
Been peeking through the stash of seeds. It’s time to get started on those tomatoes so that they are ripe and picked long before Christmas.
Still not gotten around to making a weekly menu list like most organized and resourceful penny pinching shoppers do. Did once write a list of the old favorites and was surprised just how many versions of sandwiches appeared usually filled with tomatoes, onions, basil, peanut butter and cheese. Burritos, kebabs, panini and pita are really not much more than exotic incarnations of the basic idea of bread with assorted fillings.
Oh well. There’s always tomorrow to get organized