Allotment Excess

Own an Allotment? Well here are some great ideas on what to do with the excess

I have always wanted to have my own allotment, but realistically I know I will never have the time to do it justice, unlike the huge number of people that grow their own vegetables and flowers in allotments all over the country, my Father included. So when I visit my Father it is such a treat to come away with an array of fresh vegetables, that not only look better than those bought in a supermarket, but also really do have the most amazing flavour in comparison. As a child I would help my grandfather pull up the carrots growing in his garden and he would clean one off for me to eat – they were so sweet. Now when I am cooking at home I sometimes do the same with a supermarket carrot and all I taste is water! The first time my Father gave me red onions he had grown I couldn’t believe how crisp and sweet they were, not like the soggy ones I had been cooking with for years.

One of the downsides (and there are only two that I can think of, the other one being lots of hard work!), is that everyone grows pretty much the same things at the same time and all have far too much of everything and then end up giving lots away.

Having a good bank of recipes to vary the way the vegetables are used is really important – I love cauliflower cheese, but if I ate it every night of the week even I may get bored! So here are a few ideas for those vegetables that may be in excess around your allotment –

Vegetable stock – rather than reach for a stock cube, how much nicer to have your own vegetable stock to hand, made with onions, celery fennel, carrots, herbs, garlic, peppercorns and bay. Once made, store in handy ice-cube trays in the freezer.

Soups – the obvious choice for stocking up the freezer with warming soups through the colder months to come. Try roasting vegetables with herbs and garlic before making into soups, or spice them up with toasted spices like cumin seeds or mustard seeds, to give a really tasty treat.

Pizza – don’t call for a take-away when you can make your own pizzas really easily – buy pizza bases, top with chopped tomatoes, slices of red onion, courgette, red pepper, sliced runner bean, before sprinkling with grated cheese.

Cakes – a novel way to use vegetables, but sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, courgettes, beetroot and pumpkin can all be used to add sweetness and flavour to cakes. Most of these can also be frozen once cooked.

Drying – drying fruits, vegetables and herbs is a very easy process and can be done without specialist equipment, just by using your oven at a low temperature.

Pickling – instead of using the usual apples and onions, try pears, cauliflowers, sweet potatoes and other unusual ingredients, varying your spices according to those you prefer.

If after trying all of these ideas you still have vegetables in abundance, use them as an excuse to visit friends with a gift – a great way to ensure your friends remember you fondly!