Kitchen & Garden

Lifa Nisan 28, 2022

I had completely forgotten about this luscious patch of Red Veined Sorrel hidden away in the garden until my blog friend Gina mentioned Sorrel in one of her recent posts.

This week we have been enjoying its lemony flavour mixed with other delights also currently growing in our garden. I shred the sorrel adding chopped chives, sage, pineapple mint and then dress with an olive oil, lemon and balsamic dressing adding a sprinkle of parmesan cheese at the end. You can use this sorrel like spinach, make a soup from it, and also make a sorrel cream to pour over poached salmon - so thank you Gina for the timely reminder

"Life has given me lots of lemons" (not the literal meaning) so this week I have made lemon curd.
Many recipes are unnecessarily complicated - mine is easy & delicious
Simply take
zest and juice of 4 large wax free lemons,
250g caster sugar
125g salt free butter
4 large free range eggs lightly beaten
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put lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter in heatproof bowl
place over simmering water i.e. bain marie
(I use a large saucepan & place a ovenproof dish in it)
stir with wooden spoon until sugar dissolves
Add beaten eggs, continue to gently cook in the bain marie until thick enough to coat the back of spoon - approx 20 mins
Pour into sterilised jars
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Use in sponge cakes, on scones, pancakes, topping for yogurt or liberally spread on crusty bread or toast
I have neglected photographing the garden this year - a quick run-around with the camera reveals

Convallaria majalis - Lily of the valley filling the kitchen with its sweet perfume

Prinula veris - cowslips -

lots of these have migrated to our garden from the common land surrounding us

I love this Geranium phaeum - mourning or black widow - so much detail in such a tiny flower

Clematis montana Elizabeth

Forget-me-nots are looking lovely at the moment but soon they will be pulled out - they return year after year having left hundreds of seeds in the ground