Hey Harriet

Coastal Pandanus

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 06:15:00 +0000

Pandanus Tectorius aka Screw Pine, an iconic sub-tropical evergreen tree, native to Australia and found growing abundantly along the coastline of Queensland. While pandanus thrive in coastal conditions they’ll also grow well further inland if planted in well draining soil and they receive plenty of sunshine. They’re a popular tree in many Queensland gardens, grown primarily as ornamentals but their fruits are indeed edible as are the young leaf shoots, and the older leaves can be used for weaving and making string.

the stilt roots of the pandanus are quite something!

The large odd looking fruits are made up of individual segments (known as ‘keys’ or kernels) and are tough, very fibrous and contain hard seeds in the lower half. The seeds are also edible if roasted. The pandanus fruit can be used to flavour drinks or made into sauces/chutney. I simply made a pandanus paste by cutting the ‘keys’ in half, discarding the lower half that contained the seeds (into the compost bin) and placing the upper halves in a manual wheatgrass juicer to extract the tough stringy fibrous bits from the fruit. A nice sweet rich thick paste was extracted which I used as a base sauce in making a curry along with some coconut cream. Pandanus and coconut are a wonderful combination!

While the wheatgrass juicer did a fantastic job of removing the stringy fibrous bits, I had a difficult time trying to dislodge it from the machine. Next time I’ll be sure to remove it after every couple of kernels I press rather than right at the end. That should simplify the clean up process!

Coffee Cherry Pickin'

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 04:07:00 +0000

Spring has sprung and my coffee trees are loaded with fruit ready for harvesting and turning into delicious beverages to enjoy over the coming months…

These freshly picked fruits will be made into coffee cherry tea by removing the coffee beans and drying the outer fleshy cherries in the sun for a couple of days.

After two days in the sun they’re dried enough to be placed in a large glass jar and ready for tea making. The longer stored the more intense the flavour. Lovely with a little honey as a natural tea sweetener and can be enjoyed as hot tea or refreshing iced tea on warmer days!

Obviously the coffee beans can be processed to make coffee but the procedure is quite a task and after having done it once I’ll not likely be doing it again anytime soon. A whole lot of work for a very mediocre tasting cup of coffee.

If your fondness for coffee extends to low-brow coffee themed literature I have a couple of coffee zines available in my etsy shop. Currently in stock is How to Order a Cup of Coffee and Coffee Haiku Volume 1. Or purchase them both as part of a special priced zine pack of 5!

“Coffee connects us in so many ways – to each other, to our senses, and to the earth that supports the coffee tress” – Rohan Marley

Eat Your Greens

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 07:30:00 +0000

Leafy greens are simple to grow and a variety of types can be grown all year. It’s so satisfying being able to harvest a bunch of fresh greens from the garden whenever they’re needed! Rocket makes a great substitute for lettuce if craving a simple egg & lettuce sandwich but with a little more flavour. Especially if adding in some chives to the mix!

Asian greens are fast growing and can be harvested when young to compliment stir-fries and are delicious steamed.

Even nasturtium leaves can be added to salads or made into pesto. Very nice if you like your pesto on the peppery side! Chillies for extra punch!

Log Cabin Bee Hotels

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 07:24:00 +0000

A pile of hollow logs were recently given to me by friends who thought I may be interested in turning them into native bee hotels. And yes, they were right! Thanks to tree termites having so neatly chewed through the insides of the logs they provided perfect natural frames to create the bee hotels…

The first step was roughly cutting some wood backs, nailing them in place, threading through some thick wire for hanging and then interior decorating the bug abodes.

The log cabin models make a nice addition to the range of bee hotels I’ve so far made…

Feather Cyanotype Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 07:02:00 +0000

Tools of the trade … gathering what I need ready to develop some cyanotypes while the weather is so lovely! Winter sun exposures are slower compared to extreme summer sunshine but that’s kind of nice. Slow and steady is a pace I prefer to work at and there’s much less risk of over-exposing like there is during summer.

Feather cyanotype prints exposed, rinsed and drying. All strung up across the deck like sweet bunting. The feathers I used are ones I found by the way, so completely cruelty-free ethically sourced feathers!

My favourites from the batch. These were developed on Fabriano watercolour postcard sheets. If interested in viewing / purchasing any of my cyanotypes, I currently have a selection available in my Etsy Shop.

Wild Mandarin Foraging!

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 06:41:00 +0000

I discovered a couple of mandarin trees growing wild in a bushy vacant block only a short bike ride from my house. So a foraging I went, and here is my little stash of motley mandies! Sure, they’re not the prettiest specimens but they’re flavoursome, juicy and perfect for turning into marmalade!

Peeled, segmented and bubbling away in the pot, filling the kitchen with warmth on a cold winter morning while the beautiful aroma of citrus wafts through the entire house…

The end result. Bottles of sweet, sticky deliciousness all ready to be slathered on toast. The only cost was the addition of some sugar and a small amount of time. Time well spent. The trees were loaded with fruit so I’ll be heading back to collect more shortly.

Making Leaf Mould

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 07:19:00 +0000

Leaf mould (or leaf mold, depending on what country you’re in) is nothing more than decomposed leaves. A beneficial resource for the garden as it works as a soil conditioner, helping to improve the structure of the soil. Leaf litter in my yard is something I have an abundance of due to the many large trees growing on the property. Where the leaves fall in the garden areas I leave them to naturally break down where they are but the constant leaf litter that accumulates in the gravelled areas I regularly rake up and pile them into a leaf tower. I made a very simple and primitive looking leaf tower by sticking four posts in the ground and wrapping chicken wire around it, positioned in a shady spot in the backyard. 5 years on and it’s still going strong and has provided loads of beautiful crumbly leaf litter. Generally leaves will take at least 1 to 2 years to naturally break down to become fine crumbly leaf mould. Regular watering of the pile will help speed up the process but I prefer not to water mine and wait that little bit longer.

This is a handful of leaf mould after about 12 months of decomposing. It’s perfect to use as mulch or dig directly into the garden. And the other perfect thing about it is the cost. It’s free!

All fired up!

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 04:08:00 +0000

I’ve been having fun creating a range of ceramic pieces for upcoming markets. Colourful little spoons for scooping dried herbs, spices, loose leaf teas, coffee grounds etc…

Soap dishes, salt dishes and other small dishes with nice subtle speckled glazes. The bar of soap displayed in the photo is from an amazing local soap maker called The LittleShipping Co and they are the most beautiful soaps I’ve ever used! All natural and sustainably sourced ingredients. Gotta love that!

And more soap dishes and tea bag strainer spoons about to have additional coats of a lovely milky chai gloss glaze applied to them before their next firing. Being a member of the Macleay Island Arts Complex includes access to their very well equipped pottery studio and large kilns which I’m very grateful for. Local community arts organisations / groups are such great things to be involved in!

Tin Shack Bee Hotels

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 03:56:00 +0000

Wildlife habitat for the garden! Tin shack tiny homes for native bees and other beneficial insects! A great way to recycle tin cans, and spruced up with a little paint can turn them into cute and colourful little bug abodes! These won’t attract the European honey bees but will provide habitat for various types of solitary native bees such as leaf-cutter bees and resin bees.

Simple to make for anyone keen and the materials are likely available for free. Most people growing bamboo are happy for folk to harvest some as it grows so abundantly. For some of the hangers I’ve cut up old wire coat hangers and for others I’ve used old phone charger cables.

This larger reclaimed wood framed model bee hotel I recently made for the front garden. No inhabitants yet in this one but it’s still early days. Build it and they will come!

Homemade Dog Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 08:40:00 +0000

Homemade Dog Cookies

These treats are simple to make and this recipe has only three basic ingredients…

1 cup of flour (any type)

2 ripe bananas

½ cup of peanut butter

*Please note*: it’s very important that you check the ingredients list of the peanut butter before using. If it contains Xylitol do not use it as Xylitol is toxic to dogs. Organic peanut butters are safe for dogs and are available from the market.

Mash your bananas and stir through the peanut butter. Then add the flour a little at a time while stirring. Next, sprinkle some flour onto your work space and roll out the dough to about a 1cm thickness and press your cookie cutter into the dough to cut the shapes. If you don’t have ‘dog bone’ shape cutters you can use any shape cookie cutter or cut with a knife free-hand to whatever shape you want. Be creative!

Once all of the dough has been cut place your cookies on a tray and pop into the oven at 200c for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are nice and firm for super crunchy cookies. If you have an elderly dog or a small variety pooch that has difficulty with chewing hard foods simply shorten the baking time for softer cookies.

Mashed pumpkin, sweet potatoes or a number of other things can be substituted for the bananas. Some chopped parsley added to the mix can be a nice addition too!

The cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for approximately one week or kept in the freezer for a longer period.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in January 2019.

Comfrey Tea (for the garden)

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 08:29:00 +0000

Comfrey is such a beneficial plant to have growing in your garden and with it being so hardy with minimal requirements it’s a real winner! It will grow in average soil conditions in full sun or part shade and once established is very drought tolerant. Comfrey is packed full of nutrients which will help improve soil health and can be used in a number of ways in the garden.

1. Grow some comfrey next to your compost bin/compost bays and regularly harvest bunches of leaves to add to your compost. It’s a very effective natural compost accelerator. It’s best to wear gloves when handling comfrey as the stems have course hairs that may irritate the skin.

2. Use comfrey leaves as mulch around your plants and trees. Nutrients are released into the soil as the leaves break down and will help plants grow stronger and become more resistant to pests and diseases. It also doesn’t deplete nitrogen from the soil as can unfortunately happen with the use of some other types of mulches.

3. Make comfrey tea! A fantastic liquid fertiliser “superfood” brew for your garden! Fill a big container (or a general sized garden bucket if that’s all you have) with comfrey leaves. Then weigh down the pile with something heavy such as a brick so the leaves remain completely submerged once the tub is filled with water. Once the container is filled with water place a lid or covering over the top and allow it to steep for at least a couple of weeks (longer is fine). WARNING – it gets super stinky! So you’ll need a strong stomach when using it. Once it’s finished brewing into a black horrid smelling concoction dilute it with water (approx 1:9 parts water) and apply it to your garden. The sludgy leaves at the bottom of the container can be placed into your compost bin or around the base of any plants. Now if you don’t have a strong stomach and the smell is going to be an issue you can make a quick brew comfrey tea. Do the same as above but only allow it to sit for around 3 to 5 days. It still gets smelly but it’s a much more tolerable stench. As the quick brew isn’t as potent it’s fine to apply directly to your garden without diluting with water first.

Comfrey is also regarded as a medicinal plant but it’s best to consult a qualified herbalist or naturopath before using it, or at least do some thorough research beforehand.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in December 2018.

Lemon & Rosemary Salt Seasoning

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 08:18:00 +0000

Lemon and rosemary salt seasoning.

Citrus fruits are something we all enjoy but the peels are often discarded. Rather than wasting them why not use them? There are a number of ways that citrus peels can be put to good use. They can be made into natural all-purpose cleaners, bug repellents, tea and used in cooking.

Lemon & Rosemary Salt Seasoning is simple to make and goes nicely with roast chicken, fish dishes and it’s ever so delicious sprinkled over hot chips!

To make the seasoning, peel lemon as thinly as you can trying not to include too much of the white pith as it contains a lot of bitterness. Dry the skins (use a dehydrator, over or the sun). Once completely dry, allow to cool and then place them into a spice blender / food processor along with course salt and some dried rosemary and whiz them up.

Lemon pepper seasoning can also be made using peppercorns instead of salt or blend the dried lemon peels with sugar to use in sweet baked goods. . .

And here’s a helpful suggestion for anyone who doesn’t like lemons…

"When life gives you lemons, throw them at the zombies” – Bruce Campbell.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in November 2018.

Vegan Pumpkin & Chai Spiced Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 08:09:00 +0000

Here’s a simple recipe for a delicious bread packed with flavour and it’s especially good eaten fresh from the oven while still warm (just as all bread is really!). If you have a load of pumpkin needed to be used, why not make a few loaves and freeze some for later enjoyment too!

Ingredients:

2 cups of SR flour

½ cup of raw sugar (or coconut sugar)

½ cup of desiccated coconut

1.5 cups of mashed pumpkin

½ can of coconut cream

2 tbsp of chai syrup (optional)

A good pinch of salt

Roasted pumpkin seeds for top

Chop up and boil enough pumpkin for approximately 1.5 cups mash Scoop out some of the seeds and lightly roast then in the oven. Once the pumpkin has boiled and softened, drain the water, mash it and stir through half a can of coconut cream (the smell of the coconut cream being stirred through the pumpkin is amazing by the way!). Remove the pumpkin seeds from the oven and set aside. Transfer your pumpkin mash to a large mixing bowl and add all other ingredients (except for the pumpkin seeds) and stir with a wooden spoon (no electric mixer required). If you don’t like chai simply don’t add it. If you really like chai add a little more, bearing in mind that it can be a little overpowering. The suggested 2 tablespoons gives a nice subtle spiced sweetness. Pour the mixture into a load tin (best to line the loaf tin with greaseproof paper for easy removal). Sprinkle the roasted pumpkin seeds over the top and bake at 200 c for approx 40 minutes, do the skewer test for readiness.

A slice of this bread with a cup of coffee is the bomb! The combination is similar in taste to a pumpkin spice latte but more hearty and filling and loads nicer than starbucks.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in November 2018.

Coffee Cherry Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 07:47:00 +0000

Coffee trees are generally grown for …well….um….coffee, but a type of tea (or fruit tisane to be more accurate) can also be made from the very same fruit! The magical little beans contained inside the coffee cherries / berries are harvested, processed and roasted to create the coffee beverages we all love to enjoy. However the red cherry fruit surrounding the bean (which is usually discarded during the processing of the coffee beans) can be dried to make coffee cherry tea, resulting in an eco-friendly, waste-free and delicious use of a by-product of the coffee industry! Coffee cherry tea is also known as Cascara tea (Cascara meaning ‘husk’ in Spanish) but it’s not to be confused with the Cascara tree (cascara sagrada) which is commonly used as a laxative. They share a name in common but that is all.

Making coffee cherry tea is ideal for the home gardener who may have one or only a few coffee trees growing. It’s an easier alternative to processing and roasting the beans for coffee which is quite an involved and lengthy task from raw bean to cup stage and it requires an awful lot of beans to make even one cup of coffee! To make the tea, harvest the fruit when ripe, remove the beans and place the outer cherry fruit in the sun for a couple of days until it forms a dry leathery kind of texture. Store it in a sealed glass jar. You can brew immediately but best to wait at least a couple of months for the flavour to develop more. Coffee cherry tea tastes nothing like coffee and reportedly has a much lower caffeine content. It has a mildly sweet fruity taste and is especially nice made into iced tea. It’s wonderfully refreshing chilled with a sprig of mint or used as a kombucha flavouring.

Now what to do with all of the coffee beans you’ve removed? Option 1: if keen on home processing/roasting your own coffee, give it a go! Option 2: plant them because coffee beans are actually seeds. They are slow to germinate and can take at least a couple of months before seeing any signs of life so be patient. Option 3: compost them!

So there you have it… the fruit from a coffee tree can also be used for tea. The best of both worlds!

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in October 2018.

Ruby Saltbush

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 07:34:00 +0000

Ruby Saltbush is an attractive native bush food plant that grows in abundance here on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands. The tiny red berries are edible as are the leaves. The berries have a sweet and slightly salty taste.

The leaves are high in oxalates so if eaten raw in salads etc they should be consumed sparingly. Best to blanch them prior to eating. The leaves dried and crushed make a nice salty seasoning. The leaves from a variety of saltbush called “Old man saltbush” are more commonly used for flavouring and seasoning but the leaves of Ruby Saltbush also work well and are tasty.

If foraging Ruby Saltbush (or any wild edibles) only take a small amount, being careful not to damage the plants as they provide food and habitat for the wildlife. They also play an important role in our ecosystem, helping prevent erosion. Be sure to not harvest anything from an area that may be polluted or sprayed with chemicals. Ruby Saltbush grows well from cuttings so try planting some in your garden. Saltbush seedlings can also be purchased from Indigiscapes Nursery

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in October 2018.

Rustic Roasted Tomato Relish

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 07:21:00 +0000

Many gardeners who have at one time grown cherry tomatoes, will find they’ve self seeded year after year and grow like weeds. Forever! Not a bad problem to have unless you have more tiny toms that you know what to do with. So here’s an easy little recipe to make use of at least some of those volunteer cherry toms!

Pop a bunch of cherry tomatoes into a baking pan with some sprigs of oregano, some parsley, sea salt, cracked black pepper and olive oil. No chopping anything up prior to tossing it into the pan. While it’s roasting away start chopping up some onion, garlic & a red chilli & start cooking that in a frying pan.

Once the tomatoes have roasted let them sit for a few minutes to cool before removing from the stems (unless of course you removed them from their stems prior to roasting). Remove the sprigs of oregano & transfer everything to the frying pan that you have your onion, garlic & chilli in. Add some more olive oil if needed. Then added some balsamic vinegar, raw sugar, more sea salt & cracked black pepper, a little curry powder and mustard. You can add whatever herbs and spices you like. Let all that cook & then simmer for about an hour or so, keeping a check on the consistency & tasting along the way. Many people add cornflour when making relishes & chutneys, so if you wish for a thicker consistency then add it, but it’s not really necessary. You'll know by the consistency & super delicious taste when it's ready. If it's not quite tasting the way you would like, just continue adding stuff until it's awesome! Once you’re happy with it, pour into sterilised jars and enjoy it on sandwiches, have it with cheese and crackers or whatever takes your fancy.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in October 2018.

Candied Cumquats

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:41:00 +0000

Candied cumquats are delicious little treats that can be used in savoury dishes, added to salads and cheese platters, sweet desserts or simply enjoyed on their own as a snack. And they’re crazy simple to make.

Ingredients:

12 cumquats (either roughly chopped or thinly sliced)

½ cup of water

1 cup of sugar

Method:

In a heavy based saucepan dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling add the chopped cumquats and reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes (until the fruit starts to appear translucent). Scoop out the cumquats and place into a glass jar or container and add a little of the syrup over them. Allow to cool and place in the fridge. They’ll keep for up to 2 weeks refrigerated. The remainder of the cumquat syrup is well worth keeping also as you can use that as you would any other type of syrup. Baked goodies (syrup cake!) or poured over ice-cream! Speaking of ice-cream… a handful of the candied cumquats added to a good quality chocolate ice-cream with some of the syrup drizzled over it, is heaven in a bowl!

Now, if you have a huge pile of cumquats you may wish to make cumquat marmalade. You’ll have no need to include a setting agent as cumquats contain enough pectin to achieve a nice firm set naturally.

If you make cumquat marmalade, add some to a cheese toastie. It’s the best!

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in September 2018.

Banana Bread (egg-free)

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:29:00 +0000

Whether you grow your own bananas or buy them, there will often be times when some have over-ripened. They pass that stage of being pleasant to eat as they are, but they’ve moved onto that next stage of their life cycle….the perfect ingredient for baking! Here’s a very simple recipe for an egg-free banana bread using staple ingredients that you’ll likely already have on-hand:

Egg-Free Banana Bread

3 mashed cavendish bananas (if using lady fingers or similar sized variety double the amount)

2.5 cups of SR flour

*1 cup of milk

*2 tbs of butter

¾ cup of raw sugar (or your preferred type of sugar)

Optional: other ingredients such as desiccated coconut, dried nuts, dried/fresh fruits (berries in particular!), cinnamon, chocolate chips etc would all be delicious additions if you wish to jazz up the basic recipe.

*Vegan alternative: simply substitute the butter for oil and the dairy milk for a plant based one.

Method:

Mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Pour the mixture into a greased loaf tin (or one lined with baking paper) and place into the oven at 180c for approx 35 minutes. Skewer test for readiness. This recipe will also work nicely for muffins with a shorter baking time of around 20 to 25 minutes.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in September 2018.

Recycling Coffee Grounds

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:22:00 +0000

If you’re a coffee drinker (not of the instant variety), those used coffee grounds can be put to good use in a number of ways. One way is making your own coffee body scrub. To make a simple exfoliating scrub mix together coffee grounds, some sugar and coconut oil. If the coconut oil is solidified, melt it a little first for easier mixing. Mix together about ½ cup of coffee grounds, ¼ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of coconut oil. The stickiness of the sugar helps bind the ingredients together and also assists with exfoliating but it isn’t absolutely necessary so omit the sugar if you prefer and use more coffee grounds. Many of the commercially sold coffee scrubs also contain added ingredients such as cinnamon, essential oils etc, so feel free to experiment. Coffee scrubs can also be used on your face but coconut oil may clog pores so best to substitute for another type of oil such as olive oil, hemp oil or grape seed oil. Store any unused portion of the scrub in the fridge to prevent mold forming and best to use within a few weeks.

Please note: after you’ve rinsed off the scrub your shower recess will be extremely slippery so be very, very careful. Another factor to consider is any potential issues caused by coconut oil and coffee grounds being rinsed into drain pipes. A little on occasion shouldn’t be a problem but if using regularly, place a few paper towels over the drain hole to soak up excess oil and catch the coffee grounds. It can then be discarded straight into your compost bin.

Speaking of compost bins, coffee grounds can also be beneficial to your garden. Your saved coffee grounds can be added to your compost bin/bay or worm farm. Or dig some directly into the soil around any plants that have a fondness for acidic soil such as blueberries, gooseberries, potatoes, rhubarb, chillies, radish etc. However, in all honesty you’d likely need to use loads of coffee grounds to change the acidity of the soil due to the used grounds having lost most of their acidity. Although they certainly will assist with improving soil structure, help with retaining moisture and attract earthworms! So now enjoy your coffee guilt-free, knowing the goodness it provides. Coffee makes the world a better place.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in August 2018.

Dried Chillies

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:15:00 +0000

These little chillies are commonly found growing in gardens and their compact size makes them perfect for drying. They can be sun dried but can take some time depending on the weather and time of year, so oven drying is a quick and easy alternative. Or use a dehydrator if you have one.

You can dry them whole but they’ll dry more evenly and quickly if you take the time to slice across one side and open them out. These chillies are quite hot so if you prefer them milder, scrape some (or all) of the seeds out. Place on a tray and pop in the oven until they just start to slightly crisp and they’re done. Allow to completely cool and then place them in sterilised jars and they’ll keep for ages in your pantry.

Preserved and ready to add to any dishes that require some heat. They’re especially good sprinkled on top of ramen noodles!

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in August 2018.

Preserved Lemons

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:08:00 +0000

When life gives you lemons…preserve ‘em!

Preserved Lemons are so simple to make and are a great thing to have on hand to jazz up all types of dishes. Commonly used in Moroccan cuisine but they are also a lovely addition to other types of meals. Especially baked fish! They’re also delicious finely chopped and tossed through a salad (or blended into a dressing) to give it some lemony zing.

Method:

For a medium sized jar you’ll need approximately two large lemons. Meyer Lemons are commonly the variety of choice but other varieties are also fine to use. Select fruit with unblemished skins because it’s the skins that will be eaten. Trim the top off the stem ends and then quarter them. Dip the quarters into a coarse sea salt and then add the quarters to the jar while pushing/squishing them down as you add them to extract the juice because the juice is the preserving liquid / brine. Add more salt to the jar as you go. You can also add other things such as cinnamon quills, peppercorns, bay leaves or whatever takes your fancy. Ensure that once all the lemon quarters have been added to the jar that the lemon juice completely covers them. If it doesn’t, simply add the juice of another lemon. Leave the jar at room temperature for a day or so giving it a gentle little shake occasionally. Then place in the fridge and leave for a minimum of 1 month to allow the magic to happen. The result will be lusciously soft, salty, intensely lemon flavoured rinds (without the sourness) ready to enhance all types of cooking. A little goes a long way, so that jar of preserved lemons should stretch across many meals and will keep well in the fridge for at least a year. Unless of course you can’t help eating them all at once straight from the jar!

Level of difficulty: easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Note: before using, rinse the excess salt from the preserved lemons, unless you like things super salty.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in August 2018.

Passionfruit Curd

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:00:00 +0000

Are your passionfruit vines providing an abundance of ripe fruit to enjoy? If so, congratulations that the cheeky cockatoos haven’t beaten you to them! Celebrate your win by making passionfruit curd!

Passionfruit Curd Recipe

(makes 2 medium sized jars)

Ingredients:

1 cup of passionfruit pulp (approximately 10 to 12 passionfruits)

120 g butter

1 cup of raw sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 large free-range eggs

2 egg yolks

Note: if you have an aversion to passionfruit seeds, strain the pulp and use the juice only. One cup of juice will require approximately double the amount of passionfruit.

Method:

Using a heavy based pot, heat the pulp (or juice if strained), butter, sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has dissolved.

Once it begins boiling, remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly for a few minutes. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they’re fluffy and then quickly add them to the passionfruit mixture while whisking.

Place the pot back onto the heat and continue whisking until it thickens.

Pour into sterilised jars, allow to cool and then place in the fridge. The curd will keep for up to 2 weeks stored in the fridge.

The curd is a great addition to cheesecakes and other desserts. Or simply make some tart shells and fill them up for deliciously tangy passionfruit curd tarts.

This is a blog post that I had originally written and published on the Infinite Earth - Organic Market website in July 2018.

Nasturtium Capers

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 05:52:00 +0000

So you’re growing nasturtiums and they’re scrambling across every available space in your garden. Even the spaces that weren’t available they’ve made available. They like to grow and they’re not fussy about where. Nasturtium plants have minimal requirements but provide maximum benefits. As well as being a wonderful companion plant in the garden (while they do like to spread, they aren’t invasive and are very easy to remove if need be) they’re also a delightful source of food. The flowers make for a colourful and tasty addition to salads, as do the young leaves. The leaves can also be made into pesto or dried and ground to a powder form to be used as a pepper substitute. And that’s not all. The green seed pods are also edible and can be pickled to create what many people refer to as nasturtium capers.

Harvest the seed pods while still green and if they happen to have a slight reddish tinge to them they’re also fine to use. Don’t use any that have started to turn brown for your pickles. Those ones you can set aside to keep for sowing next season. Although nasturtiums are prolific self-sowers, so you may prefer to gift those saved seeds to friends.

Nasturtium Capers Recipe

The following recipe is for one small jar of nasturtium capers.

Ingredients:

½ cup green nasturtium seeds

2 tsp salt

2 cups water

2 tsp sugar

¾ cup white vinegar (I’ve also used apple cider vinegar resulting in a more mellowing tasting pickles but it also gives the pickles a slightly cloudy appearance. So if you have a preference for sharpness and aesthetics I suggest using the white vinegar)

Method:

1. Rinse the nasturtium seeds thoroughly and place them in a jar.

2. Make a brine solution by dissolving 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water and pour it over the nasturtium seeds. Place lid on jar and allow it to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

3. Drain and rinse the seeds and repeat step two again allowing it to sit a further 24 hours (you will have noticed a sulphurous odour emitting from the jar. Don’t worry, you’ve not done anything wrong as that’s a perfectly normal part of the brining process)

4. Drain and well rinse the seeds. Place them in a sterilized jar.

5. Bring to boil the vinegar and sugar and pour over the seeds ensuring to completely cover them and then allow to cool (you may wish to add spices and herbs to the vinegar solution such as peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme or whatever takes your fancy).

6. Once sufficiently cooled place lid on jar and refrigerate after opening. They will store in the fridge for at least 6 months.

Simply use as you would traditional capers, bearing in mind that they have a punchy flavour so a little goes a long way. Enjoy!

Note: pressed nasturtium flowers can be used to decorate the lids or make labels with to sweeten up those jars for gift giving.

This post I had written for Pip Magazine and it was originally published on the Pip Magazine website in October 2016

Pigeon Pea - the ultimate multi-tasking plant

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 05:20:00 +0000

Pigeon Peas! These beneficial plants are popular in permaculture gardens, serving many uses… the fresh green peas can be eaten, although their dry form is most preferred, eaten as you would any dried peas / beans / lentils (dhal is made from pigeon peas). The dried peas can also be ground into a flour. All parts of the plant make great animal fodder and chickens especially love them. We have a number of pigeon peas planted in one of the larger chicken pens. Their edibility extends to the soil as well, with the roots feeding the soil with nitrogen and improving soil structure. They can be frequently pruned and used as mulch and make wonderful windbreaks to protect smaller trees and other plants.

Another useful function of the pigeon pea is that they can perform as a living trellis for climbing plants. The bees also benefit and are attracted to their flowers.

So, all in all, a very versatile and extremely easy plant to grow that has a fondness for our sub-tropical climate! If interested in adding pigeon peas to your home garden and you know of someone already growing them, kindly ask them for some of their pods to plant out. Most gardeners are happy to share!

The importance of bees

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Harriet) — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 05:08:00 +0000

It gives me so much joy to sit in the garden and listen to the buzz of the bees and observe them frolic from flower to flower. From the honey bees through to the various types of native bees. I try to ensure that there is always a constant and abundant source of bee friendly plants growing in the garden because it's important that we all play a role in the survival of these important critters. They're more than important, they're essential. An estimated 65 percent of Australian agricultural production is dependent on bee pollination. That's two-thirds of your produce. And that's not even including the beautiful honey that they make! So if we all take some steps towards assisting and encouraging the population growth of bees it will be a very positive thing indeed. A couple of simple ways to help both the bees and the environment is to use alternatives to chemical fertilisers and pesticides around your garden and to grow a variety of bee friendly plants. Shown below are some easily grown and common plants to include in your garden for the benefit of our beloved bees...

"The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.”

~ Henry David Thoreau