Friday, February 11, 2011

Eat Your Greens (and Whites!)

Sweet seedling success...
These are broccoli and cauliflower, although which is which at this stage is anyone's guess. Now while I am quite exited about growing broccoli again, cauliflower is the prize that I'm after.

I have tried to grow it before and failed spectacularly, but this time the timing is much better (I think!), and I am looking forward to consuming cauliflower bake, cauliflower puree, and the michelin star of them all, lemon and garlic cauliflower roast.
My tastebuds are already preparing.

16 comments:

vrtlarica ana said...

... and bananas in the back of the picture! :)
Will you thin them and transplant them soon?

Judith said...

Don't forget to make a pot of cauliflower soup too.

Mark Willis said...

You really are the expert at the macro photo style Ali. Those are superb shots.
Never heard of lemon and garlic cauliflower roast, but it sounds good. Do you have your own recipe, or can you send me a link to one you know?

Esther Montgomery said...

Lemon and garlic cauliflower roast? That sounds interesting.

It's strikingly odd that these little plants - which could just as easily be mustard and cress, will grow to be giant lumps.

Esther

veggiegobbler said...

You must post your lemon and cauliflower roast recipe when you get there. It sounds good.

duchess_declutter said...

God speed young seedlings - venture forth into Ali's kitchen.
I must say the lemon and garlic cauliflower roast sounds delish. I'm with popular opinion - can we have the recipe?!? pleae

Ali said...

Vrtlarica, I am so glad you noticed the banananas! I am not sure when I will plant them out, maybe I will thin them a little and let them get a bit bigger?? I don't really know when is the right time.

Judith, I've never made cauliflower soup. On the list it goes.

Mark, thank you so much for your lovely compliment on my photos, your comment has left me very chuffed. I was quietly very proud of them and I'm so glad someone else likes them too :)

Esther, I would watch things grow until the cows came home, and perhaps even then some


And yes lovely people, If I can find a nice cauliflower I will make it tonight and post the recipe in the morning... it really is a yummo alternative to the usual ways of preparing cauliflower.

Susan said...

I'm another one who likes the idea of the lemon and garlic cauliflower roast.... :)

Your seedlings are off to a good start. Good luck to you.

When we grew cauliflower once, it amazed us just how quickly it cooked, coming straight from the garden.
I agree with a previous comment, cauliflower soup is really nice too. I use a light evaporated milk to make it creamy - works a treat!

fullfreezer said...

We tried cauliflower last year for the first time in the garden. It was fun to hear the children saying "that was the best cauliflower I ever had!" Coming from the mouth of a 10 year old, that is amazing. I, too, look forward to your lemon garlic recipe. We will be planting the multicolored cauliflower this year and a few more recipes would be fun.
Judy

Kat said...

Banana pic- check. :)

Your seedlings look so healthy and well tended, you've inspired me to try growing cauliflower now.

Ali said...

Kat you know those bananas were for you :p We can have a cauliflower grow off if you like, I'm a little worried that it might still be too hot here to grow them, so I will be sowing a second batch... lol and perhaps a third!

Full freezer mulitcoloured cauliflower sounds quite fabulous, what colours are the exactly? I have only seen the purple one.

Elaine coolowl said...

When you thin out your seedlings Ali, remember that Broccoli sprouts are among the most nutritious on the planet! I grow Broccoli sprouts by the handful ... at least I can grow them year-round where the full-sized plant is a winter wonder only. What I call 'sprouts' others call 'greens' which can be confusing ;-)

Ali said...

Elaine, you marvellous young lady, sprouts hey... at what stage would you eat them?? Bigger than they are now? My dad thinks I am starting them too early, so perhaps I should use the majority as sprouts, and only plant out a few for now.

Elaine coolowl said...

You'll go far Ali ;-) Thin them to whatever the recommended distance apart is. This time of year the Cabbage White Butterfly is still active so be prepared to spray them with Dipel or cover them with fly-wire or your seedlings will be chomped to within an inch of their lives. I'm with your Dad here, use these as sprouts ('greens') and put down a few seeds early March when it's cooling a bit.

Byddi Lee said...

Great photos and lovely healthy dicots! These look yummy already!

Ali said...

Right, well I am having some friends over for brunch today, so cauliflower and broccoli sprouts will be inflicted upon them! And bacon, I promise :) Elaine I just tried one now, they are quite an unusual flavour, and they are lovely and fresh tasting...

Byddi, I had to look up dicot in the dictionary! And they are yummy :)

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