If only creeping buttercup was one of my desired crops, I would be reporting a bumper harvest. It seems to be the main thing I need to clear out of the beds. It was good to make a start on the long route to pristine planting spaces. Had to make sure I stood on a plank when digging the beds in order to avoid compacting the soil, rather than turning it. More regular trips like this and the plot might even start to look more presentable.
Uprooted most of the remaining parsnips in order to make parsnip bread, which was, bizarrely, added to my youngest's recent birthday list. Never fail to deliver vegetables when they are requested by your children!! The recipe is based on Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall's and is more like a scone than a bread. It IS completely delicious:
Parsnip Bread.
1 onion, sliced
175g SR Flour
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 tablespoon oil
50g grated strong flavoured cheese (parmesan or cheddar are good)
175g grated parsnip
1 medium egg, beaten
2-3 tablespoons milk
Pepper
Fry the onions gently in the oil for about ten minutes. When they are soft and slightly coloured, remove them from the heat and let them cool a little.
Mix flour, thyme, salt, cheese, parsnip and pepper. Add the onion, then the egg and milk. Mix to make a soft dough. If it is too stiff, add a little extra milk. Be careful not to over mix. Shape the loaf and put it on an oiled baking tray.
Bake in oven at 180 deg C/Gas Mk4 for 40-45 minutes until golden. To check if the loaf is cooked, tap the underside - if it sounds hollow, it is ready.
Serve warm with soup and slabs of butter.
Your parsnip bread recipe sounds great. Strange that in our country parsnips belong to it seems a forgotten vegetable.
ReplyDeleteThey're not always top of everyone's list here in the UK - but roasted with in the tin with a joint of lamb/pork/beef, they can't be beaten - so sweet and tasty!
ReplyDeleteI've got one son who hates them and one who loves them - just got to keep serving them up to make the hater cave in eventually!
Sadly our parsnips are no more, but I'll give this a try next time I buy some, sounds interesting. Your crop is looking very neat; nice straight roots.
ReplyDeleteThe parsnips are a bit on the small side compared with some years. Secret to straight roots is avoiding stony soil and recently fertilised ground. Did get a few forky ones in this batch, but most were fine - one of the few success stories of a very rubbish year.
ReplyDelete