ready or not??

[hiyatim]

Hey, ive mentioned my broccoli but figured its easier to just post a pic...

IMG_0223.jpg

IMG_0224.jpg

as u can see one picture seems to has a slight hint of yellow, the other less so but has a fully opened flower

neither are as big as i had hoped they would grow (ive bought much bigger from the supermarkey )

am i hoping for too much should i just harvest and enjoy??

[hiyatim]

ps if i should harvest..is it just a case of secetaring??

[Lesley Jay]

Hiya Tim, eat it now please before it goes passed it. You will really enjoy it and never mind about the supermarket stuff - yours is home grown with no nasty chemicals or gassed to make it last longer on the shelf!!

[hiyatim]

consider it officially harvested im really excited about eating it


i was looking if there is anything else to harvest.. and have found a cabbage with the heart about the size of an easter egg and its nice and firm...i think ill harvest it but i dont know how, do i just cut it at ground level?? can i use these huge leaves..i know lesley composts hers but they look tasty and it seems a waste??

also what happens then, will it try and grow back like the lettuce has or is that it and if thats it do i attempt to get the roots out now or wait until ive harvested the surrounding plants and want to plant something else?

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Tim, you've got me again!

You can cut the cabbage off at ground level but you do need to remove the roots when you have harvested the crop to reduce the risk of club root. Try eating those huge outer leaves - you might like them but you might find them very strongly flavoured. Unless you try them you will never know!!

[hiyatim]

will do, it will be harvested tomoz and the roots removed, going to take a few small carrots too make a real meal outa it

[hiyatim]

ive harvested the cabbage an will post a pic on hollies harvest post, im currently cooking some of the outside leaves aswell so ill feedback on that. i have a problem tho, its that big that it takes a whole draw in the fridge up, if i decide i dont like the outer leaves then its fine but if i do like then then i think im going to have to freeze some and i bet its not as simple as putting it in the freezer ??

[hiyatim]

for the record them outside leaves are aweful, really bitter, they going to compost

[Lesley Jay]

Originally Posted by hiyatim

for the record them outside leaves are aweful, really bitter, they going to compost

Well, you never know until you try and I won't say that I told you so!!

[hiyatim]

haha glad to hear it they looked so good on the plate, a real deep green and when i tried one i thought it was ok, but when i put a few in my mouth i spat them back out hehe

[woodpile]

Originally Posted by hiyatim

ive harvested the cabbage an will post a pic on hollies harvest post, im currently cooking some of the outside leaves aswell so ill feedback on that. i have a problem tho, its that big that it takes a whole draw in the fridge up, if i decide i dont like the outer leaves then its fine but if i do like then then i think im going to have to freeze some and i bet its not as simple as putting it in the freezer ??

Tim, on the subject of freezing it, chop it to your preferred size, put it in lightly salted boiling water (unless you prefer it without salt) for 5 or 6 mins then drain it, let it go cold and freeze it in the size portions you will be using it at. (You can also freeze the cooking water to use as soup stock if you have the space). Then just remove a portion from the freezer and drop in lightly salted boiling water until cooked. Try a bit to check whilst cooking. You can do this with most veg, just cook it until it is not so firm but not soft either "parboiling", drain, cool, freeze.

[Lesley Jay]

Originally Posted by woodpile

Tim, on the subject of freezing it, chop it to your preferred size, put it in lightly salted boiling water (unless you prefer it without salt) for 5 or 6 mins then drain it, let it go cold and freeze it in the size portions you will be using it at. (You can also freeze the cooking water to use as soup stock if you have the space). Then just remove a portion from the freezer and drop in lightly salted boiling water until cooked. Try a bit to check whilst cooking. You can do this with most veg, just cook it until it is not so firm but not soft either "parboiling", drain, cool, freeze.

Hi Woodpile, I freeze my veggies in a different way - but wouldn't life be boring if we all did exactly the same!!!

I blanche the veg in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunge it into cold water containing ice cubes to stop it cooking. When the veg is cold I drain it then bag it up into portions and with peas I spread them out on a baking tray to freeze (after blanching and cooling), then when the peas are frozen I tip them into a plastic container.