Do you grow? Back garden, allotment, a window box? Considering how it was impossible to purchase vegetable seeds last spring, home crops must be plentiful in Britain. On the other hand, if it was most people’s first attempt, things might have bolted (lame pun, sorry!). The summer has been mixed and favours the native crop: beans of all kinds, broccoli, lettuce and potatoes. Unlike the previous two, this isn’t a tomato summer. You can’t have everything.
If you are drowning in courgettes and your broad beans grow faster than you can shell them, here are some more suggestions from me. Broad bean bruschetta is gorgeous, and a tip for broad beans: you can freeze them without blanching if they are used within a few weeks – and on the bruschetta, they sure will. Just spread them on a tray, freeze and then load into a bag.
Green or runner beans are lovely cooked with garlic, or with tomatoes. A warm courgette and potato (they needn’t be purple) salad is ideal for a hot day. And courgettes will go well with spinach in a tian, or stuffed with minced lamb.
Use up your broccoli glut making a salmon and broccoli bake, or broccoli cheese if you want to skip fish. And have you tried these smashed roasties? I like to have them as my main, with no meat or fish or tofu and just a green salad on the side.
Cake time: if you’re still craving berry bakes, here’s the buckwheat berry striped cake. If stone fruit sounds better, try maybe the summer cherry cake or the twice baked apricot cake. If you just want an easy dessert, make a jam tart; that’s what I’m doing this week. Stay safe and well – and well fed!