Tips from James,  the Garden Chef at the Pheasant

February 03, 2010 By Diana

Tips from James the Garden Chef at the Pheasant, Gestingthorpe, Essex for the month of March

Busy times will begin if your soil is warm enough. It has been a cold winter but the sun is getting warmer and the soil will soon warm up, especially if you cover it in plastic or use a cloche. Your seed will only germinate if the soil temperature is high enough to allow growth to begin. The weeds will be growing regardless!

TASKS FOR MARCH

• Dig in well-rotted manure or compost to help groom soil.
• Mulch fruit trees and bushes
• Prepare asparagus bed.
• Plant chatted early potatoes
• Tie in blackberries and their hybrids
• Plant out potted strawberry runners
• Prepare runner bean trenches
• Cloche seed beds to warm soil for salads such as cut and grow lettuce

SOW OUTDOORS…

Broad beans, brussels sprouts (earlies), carrots (earlies), leeks, lettuce (cloche),
onions, peas (main crop), radish, spinach, spring onions, turnips (earlies).

SOW INDOORS..

Tomatoes, aubergines & sweet peppers (temperature around 21c)

WHAT YOU COULD BE EATING THIS MONTH…

Sprouting broccoli, cabbage, leeks, kale, spinach, spring greens, rhubarb (forced).

CREATIVE KITCHEN

Rhubarb with Ginger & Almond Sponge Pudding

Serves 4-6

A perfect Sunday lunch pudding, with gingerbread sponge on top of a layer of rhubarb.  Eat with cream or custard.

11b/450g forced rhubarb, cut into 1in/2.5cm lengths
8oz/225g soft brown sugar
4oz/110g butter
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground cinnamon
2oz/60g almonds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2oz/60g self-raising flour

• Preheat the oven to 180c gas mark 4
• Spread the rhubarb out in an ovenproof dish (one about 6x8in/15x20cm) and scatter with half the brown sugar.
• Cream the butter and rest of the sugar until smooth and fluffy.
• Beat in the spices and almonds, and then eggs, one at a time.
• Fold in the flour.
• Spoon the mixture on top of the rhubarb, spreading it out lightly
• Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown and more or less cooked through.  It will still be quite sticky in the middle, which is part of the charm.