Chervil Soup

CHERVIL SOUP, WITH LEEKS & POTATOES
Chervil (Anthriscus Cerefolium). An easily grown, aromatic, spring herb with a subtle aniseed flavour. Delicious with eggs, ham and in soups, at a time of year when other fragrant herbs, like tarragon, are out of season. 

Chervil, a cousin of the carrot and of parsley, probably introduced from
south west Russia and/or south eastern Europe.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHERVIL SOUP

Leeks, sliced potatoes, homemade stock and a large fistful of Chervil.

Chervil, Leeks & Pink, Fir Apple Potatoes

CHERVIL SOUP RECIPE

To make Chervil Soup, sweat sliced leeks until soft, then add sliced potatoes (in this case, Pink Fir Apple potatoes were used, no need to peel them). Add stock and cook until the potatoes are soft, then add a large handful of chopped, bruised chervil. 

Cook for a couple of minutes, then whizz to the desired consistency and correct the seasoning.

Chervil Soup

Serve in warmed bowls with a little organic Irish yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped chervil. If bruised before use, it will release its flavour more readily, makes an interesting replacement for parsley. 

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Sea Kale on the first day of Spring

The Sea Kale plants were checked today to ensure that all was well and that the pesky slugs had not launched an attack.

Blanched young Sea Kale shoots

The plants have spent the winter under terracotta pots, excluded from all light. The new blanched shoots are beginning to sprout and are doing well under their upturned pots. The shoots are blanched, not forced, and are allowed to develope in their own natural time.

In a few weeks time, they will be ready for cutting and they will be available for sale in Glasrai & Goodies shop in Gowran, County Kilkenny.

Look out for them so you can eat them when freshly cut.
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Purple Sprouting Broccoli

A delicious, welcome spring vegetable that even the most incompetent Kilkenny gardener can grow, provided they have a sheltered spot. A descendant of the wild cabbage, found in the Eastern Mediterranean, and a cousin of the cauliflower.  Gradually, it evolved into the vegetable that we now know as, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, and made its way up through Italy into Northern Europe and thus to Ireland in the early eighteenth century.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli waiting to be picked

Not to be confused with the Italian Calabrese that is commonly seen in our supermarkets, the Purple Sprouting Broccoli has a fresher, more delicate flavour and melts in the mouth when cooked.

A welcome green vegetable at a time of year when edible, seasonal, greenery, locally grown is difficult to find. The small purple heads are made up of tiny flower buds on little stems, these are picked and eaten before they open.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli waiting to be cooked

Traditionally, after picking they were tied into small bunches and placed in boiling water standing up, so that the stems were in the water and the heads were steamed. If life is too short for such niceties, just throw them into boiling water, for not more than 5 minutes, or steam them, until barely tender.

Steaming Purple Sprouting Broccoli waiting to be eaten

The shorter the time between picking and eating vegetables, the more flavoursome they will be and the more nutritous they are. So, try and source locally grown vegetables, snap them up whenever they appear in your local shop, cook them as soon as you can, then they will be squeaky fresh when you taste them.

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Eating Brussels Spouts in County Kilkenny, in February

It is time to think about sowing next year's vegetables. Time to check out last year's seeds, some of which were saved and others bought. Not all were put away properly and some have not survived the winter months as well as they should have. Last year's Brussels Sprouts were planted late in June which was a little late. So, to avoid forgetting about them, the Brussels Sprouts seeds have already been sown.

Brussels Sprouts ready for picking

An interesting vegetable, descended from the wild cabbage, Brussels Sprouts were cultivated in Belgium, probably improving an older variety, which may have been known by the Romans. When introduced to Ireland, it was found that they grew well here. Just 8-10 plants will yield more than enough for a small family.

Meanwhile, we are eating our current crop. For those who claim to have an intense dislike of Brussels Sprouts, try growing your own, pick them when they are young and small. Cook them whole (immediately after picking), in fast boiling water, for not more than five minutes.

Freshly picked Brussels Sprouts, briefly cooked and ready for eating

Drain, add a small amount of good quality locally made butter and eat at once.

They will be very far removed from the soggy, smelly, yellowing vegetable that so often passes as Brussels Sprouts. Try finely grating raw Brussels Sprouts into a salad for a novel addition. The leaves and plant tops also make great eating, at a time when there is a limited choice of vegetables in the garden. Stir fry the shredded shoots and/or leaves or be brave and try Darina Allen's recommendation: peel the stalk and dice it up before cooking. There will not be much of the plant left, to go onto the compost heap…
So waste not, want not....

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A Kilkenny February Salad

With a little care and protection salad leaves can easily be grown in Kilkenny, at all times of the year. This February Salad is made up of the thinings from Cos lettuce plants, young sprigs of watercress and blanched chicons.

A freshly picked Kilkenny February Salad

The dressing consists of Irish rape seed oil, homemade verjus, honey from the bees in the yard and a small amount of finely chopped fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh sage and fresh rosemary. All the ingredients originated within a few square yards of each other in rural Kilkenny, with the exception of the oil.

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