Garden Therapy» fennel

Harvesting in Early August

Stevie — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:59:20 +0000

This month my neighbours and I have more growing than we can harvest and eat so there is quite a bit of food sharing going around. Almost daily I get a delivery of somthing, like a giant bowl of fresh figs, that I turn into some lucious creation. I have also now organized a farm fresh egg delivery in my city neighbourhood and been out picking wild berries – all making for a crazy first few weeks in August.

I’m currently harvesting the following veg from my home garden and the community garden plot:

Beans: Purple Peacock, French Filet

Peas: MammothMelting Snow Peas

Tomatoes: Black Russian, Siletz, Sweetheart Grape, Gold Nugget Cherry, Sungold Cherry, Isis Candy Cherry, Red Zebra, Tumbler

Sema Fino Florence Fennel

Beets: Detroit Supreme, Red Ace, Chioggia, and Golden

Chard: Rainbow, Fordhook Giant, Rhubarb

Peppers: Filius Blue, Garden Salsa

Basil: Organic Sweet Basil, Thai Basil

Squash: one Gold Nugget was ready at the community garden

Potatoes: Red Chief, French Fingerlings

All this has made for some interesting recipes like carmelized figs, fig ginger jam, walnut pesto, and mixed veggies ragu. I’ll be sure to share very soon. If I can get out of the kitchen long enough. help.

Sweet Fennel – the second showing

Stevie — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:59:03 +0000

The sweet fennel looks like soldiers.

Back in the spring I planted sweet fennel. I got about 8 bulbs in by half wine barrel planter. In a short time, the bulbs grew to 2.5” as shown here. I could eat them…but I waited longer, they got bigger and sweeter. I cut them back for a few dinners here and there, careful to leave the roots in tack, just cutting the bulb off. And by mid-summer I had 2 or 3 new little fennel bulbs growing off each root. They grew throughout the summer, and just as I was about to harvest them off, they bolted! Those little guys were so eager to set seeds they shot up overnight. So, now, no fennel for me this fall, but next spring for sure.

Pork Tenderloin w/ Cherry Reduction, Sautéed Fennel, and Spinach Chive Toast

Stevie — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 15:30:11 +0000

Pork Marinade

½ cup cranberry or blueberry or cherry juice

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

3/4 pound pork tenderloin

Salt and pepper

Mix first 3 ingredients in a bowl and marinade tenderloin for a minimum of 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grill pork off heat on BBQ for 10-15 mins. Keep basting with marinade as it cooks. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then serve it sliced widthwise ½” thick.

Cherry Reduction

1/2 pound dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 tsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp finely chopped red onion

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp sweet wine (I used rhubarb wine)

Process all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fine. Transfer to a skillet and bring to a boil on med-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce to medium and continue stirring as the sauce thickens and reduces by about half the original volume, about 8 minutes. Spoon finished reduction over pork tenderloin to serve.

Sautéed Fennel

2 fennel bulbs

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Chop fennel bulbs by slicing the bulb crosswise starting at one corner and continue to create ¼” thick pieces. Discard the stalk and foliage. Warm olive oil in a skillet on med-high heat. Sautee fennel until slightly soft, about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Spinach Chive Toast

Handful of chives

Handful of spinach

Large knob of butter (about ¼ cup)

Dollop of olive oil.

Mix all ingredients in a food processor until butter is completely mixed, and spread on hot toast. Season with salt and pepper to taste.