The Plant Based Garden: Early Autumn 2020

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This Autumn has been a busy time in the garden especially after the heat of the past summer had left much of the soil bone dry and many of the plants water stressed. The flower garden really took a hit, but it was the vegetables that got wiped out. With little to no water and no rain I was forced to let the garden die off with the hope of rainfall later in the year. Well did we get rainfall, here on the coast it absolutely poured with rain, the next door neighbours rain gauge showing nearly 30 inches of rain during the February floods. Since then we have had regular rain which has improved the soil moisture and as a result the plants are thriving.

My main aim this Autumn has been to work on composting and improving the soil structure in all my garden beds, not just the vegetable garden, but in the flower gardens as well. I find that all manner of plants bring bio diversity into the backyard and keep the pests at bay.

With the winter on the way my vegetable garden is at a busy place.  Winter greens such as Cimi di rapa, rainbow chard and cavolo nero have all been planted, as well as seeding runs of onions, leeks, garlic and broad beans.

Check out some the photos below and my recipe for all those freshly harvested eggplant to finish up this post.

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Below Broad Beans, chilli, horseradish, raspberry canes and eggplant.

Eggplant “Parmigiana” with tomato and garden herbs

This is a super quick and easy recipe that I like to use up all my end of season fruit. You’ll need 2 large eggplant for this recipe. This recipe doesn’t stick to quantities, moreover it is intuitive, add what you have or like. For the tomato sauce buy a good brand or make your own, see recipe. A good sprinkle of Vegan cheese if you’re a vegan, or mozzarella, if you’re a vegetarian just tops the dish off.

Method

  1. Get your eggplant and slice length ways.

  2. Sprinkle with salt and allow to stand for 30 minutes. This removes moisture and firms the dish up.

  3. Wash off the salt and dry.

  4. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry eggplant until brown. Drain on paper towel.

  5. In a baking dish spoon on some tomato sauce. Top with eggplant in a single layer, add sauce and cheese, or if you’re feeling it maybe some vegan white sauce (see vegan lasagne recipe)

  6. Repeat layers and finish with tomato and cheese.

  7. Bake it a 180-degree oven until cheese has melted and eggplant is soft. Sprinkle with chopped herbs, I choose whatever is in the garden such as parsley, sage, oregano.

For the sauce

Chop 1 brown onion and 1 clove of garlic finely.  In a large pot heat a big glug of olive oil and gently fry it all until soft.  Add about a kilogram of chopped (skinned) tomatoes or the same in canned of bottled.  Cook slowly for about thirty minutes until thick and reduced.  Adjust seasoning.

Kim Mainey