December in the Garden
The dahlias are tucked up for the winter, either dug up and wrapped in newspaper and stored in our potting shed, or simply cut down and deeply mulched to keep them cosy. I have been ruthless this year and dumped all the straggly and failing plants leaving space for lots of new varieties next year. We have a never-ending battle with bindweed in this garden so a really good dig and rummage about for those spaghetti like roots will pay dividends. It is a very satisfying task! Then a nice covering of mushroom compost before planting more tulips. We’re planting a lovely mix of Apricot Beauty and double Negrita in our pink borders and masses more Ballerina, the best orange lily tulip that looks fab against the purple honesty that self seeds so happily in our borders.
In the market garden, Will is busy preparing for next year reorganising compost heaps and covering areas of ground with cardboard which will prevent any weeds. We are now committed to a no dig policy here. This year’s beans, that I hope you all enjoyed in the Farm Shop, are now fixing the nitrogen and keeping the soil pliable ready for next year’s crops. We have a polytunnel and greenhouse full of endive, chicory, radicchio and winter varieties of lettuce interplanted with garlic. We’ll be picking these salad leaves right through to May so watch out for these in the shop. The Purple Sprouting Broccoli is threatening to throw out early shoots – I didn’t think this was meant to happen until February! – so watch out for this too.
I have a shed full of Honeyboat squash! The squash this year have been rather small and disappointing – it just never rained at the right time! But these squash are just delicious, especially in my favourite autumn risotto:
Roasted Honeyboat squash and Chestnut Risotto for 4
About 75g butter + splash olive oil
2 shallots finely sliced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 Honeyboat squash, peeled and cubed
About 800ml hot veg stock
250g risotto rice
150ml white wine
200g pack ready peeled chestnuts
Couple of sprigs of thyme stripped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lots of good quality parmesan
How:
Put the squash covered with a sprinkling of olive oil in a medium hot oven for about 20 mins until cooked.
Heat 50g of butter and a little oil in a large pan, add shallots & garlic and sweat gently, covered for about 20 minutes until silky soft. Add the rice to the shallots, stir for a minute, then add the wine and bubble gently for a couple of minutes. Then start adding the stock a ladle full at a time stirring often until the stock has been absorbed into the rice. Keep repeating this process until the rice is nice and al dente which might take about 25 minutes.
Whilst the risotto is cooking, heat 20g butter and a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chestnuts (I like them whole) with a pinch of salt. Turn heat up and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes until chestnuts and butter are browned. Take off heat and stir in thyme leaves.
When the risotto is cooked, turn off the heat, season to taste, add squash. Add a nob of butter, a handful of parmesan and beat until smooth and silky. Serve scattered with the buttery chestnuts and thyme. I like to sprinkle some more parmesan on top. Oh yes, and a pack of Falconhurst salad on the side.
