spud you like?

We're due to go on holiday in a few days time so it was decided that we needed to harvest the 2nd earlies and what a crop it was! We have from left to right: Kestrel, Courage and Mayan Twilight. We'll leave them to dry off in our greenhouse at home then bag them up and store them. Should keep us going for a week or two!

So here's a quick and tasty potato-based dish:

Layered Potato and Onion Bake

Potatoes sliced thinly

Onions any variety (I used our red onions) sliced

Milk or single cream if you're feeling extravagant

Grated cheese

All quantities to fit in whichever dish you're going to cook it in

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Alternate layers of potato and onion

You can also add anything else you fancy, e.g. courgette, tomato, aubergine, etc.

Splash over some milk (or cream) to give a bit of moisture

Cover in foil and place in oven for about 45 mins or until potatoes have begun softening

Remove foil, sprinkle over cheese and return to oven for about 20 mins or until cheese golden and bubbling

Allow to cool for 5 mins before serving either as a main vegetarian dish or accompaniment to chicken or fish

Enjoy!

flowers and a courgette recipe

As well as all the lovely veg growing at the allotment, we've also planted up loads of flowers not just because they look pretty and add a splash of colour but in the attempt to lure the bugs and insects away from our crops. It stuck me the other day just how lovely some of the flowers are so I couldn't resist photographing them.

Ok, this shouldn't strictly go to flower but I just love the fluffy lilac flowers of our mint. They're soon to come off though as we want to contain the plant to just one spot so I'm afraid the plant will be having a trim very soon before all the seed disperses across the plot

These Nasturtiums were grown from seed harvested by Cloddigger from a neighbouring plot last year. They add a wonderful splash of colour and seem to grow in just about any condition

We love Marigolds not just for their magnificent display of colour but because they've helped keep the blackfly off the broadbeans this year. Such jolly little fellows guaranteed to brighten up the dullest spot

Our latest harvest - snowball turnip, courgettes (green and yellow), red onion, two HUGE cauliflower and, just out of shot, a big bucket of spuds - Kestral (whites) and Courage (reds).

The round yellow courgette have been very successful, much to our delight as it's the first time we've grown courgette. It's been nice to pass some of the excess on to friends and family but it has been even better to eat ourselves. If you've ever wondered what to do with a round courgette, you might like to try the following easy-to-prepare recipe:

Stuffed Courgette

INGREDIENTS

1 round courgette

250ml passata or tin of chopped tomatoes

Clove of garlic, crushed

2 tbsp olive oil

Couscous (plain or flavoured - I like the Mediterranean variety available at most supermarkets)

Seasoning

Optional - fresh basil, finely chopped

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 180 C

Cut the courgette in half going through the middle of the stalk

Scope out the seeds and discard (or keep for drying out for sowing next year)

Carefully scope out some of the flesh and place in a bowl; retain the two halves of the courgette

Add the passata, garlic, oil and basil (if using) and mix

Add the couscous straight from packet and mix thoroughly, seasoning to taste

Divide the mixture equally between the two halves

Loosely wrap each courgette half in tin foil leaving enough of an air pocket to allow the couscous mixture to expand

Place in the oven and cook until couscous has risen and courgette flesh is soft - depends on size of courgette allow 40 mins to 1 hour

Makes a delicious dish on its on or as an accompaniment to chicken or fish

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.