Tips from the Garden Chef

March 27, 2010 By Diana

Tasks For April

• Put supports in place for peas
• Prepare celery trench or bed
• Feed fruit trees and bushes
• Pigeons are especially fond of newly planted onions and cabbages, protect with netting,
• Cabbage can be harvested all year if sown in succession, so begin with summer cabbage varieties.
• Slugs and Snails seem to go straight for the lettuce, spread used coffee granules around each one which also works a treat around hostas.

Sow Outdoors

Artichokes, asparagus, broad beans, beetroot (main crop), broccoli (earlies), Brussels sprouts (earlies), cabbages, cauliflower, chicory, endive, kale (end of month), kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce/rocket, parsnip, peas, radish, spinach, spring onions, swiss chard, turnips (early,) Borage, chervil, coriander, dill, fennel, marjoram, parsley, sage.

Plant Out

Asparagus crowns (do not harvest for at least 2years), globe artichokes, onion sets, potatoes, (2nd earlies main crops), shallots, strawberry plants, summer cabbage seedlings, tomatoes, (cloche)

What you could be eating this month

Broccoli, cabbage (spring), cauliflower (winter), leeks, spinach, turnip greens, lemon thyme,.

Top Tips

Using bio degradable pots is a good system for bringing on plants, especially those, such as sweet corn and peas , that resent root disturbance at transplanting time. If you have room, many varieties do well indoors in peat modules/trays and it is possible to gain a few weeks on harvest.

If April showers have begun, start thinking about water harvesting and its conservation.

Creative Kitchen

Spinach Roulade

500g/1 1b small spinach leaves
2 tbsp water
4 Eggs, separated
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
salt & pepper
300 ml/ 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce to serve

Filling
175g/6oz small broccoli florets
30 g/1oz/1 ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
175g/6oz/11/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1. Wash the spinach and pack, still wet, into a large saucepan.  Ad the water, Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over a high heat for 4-5 minutes until reduced and soft. Drain thoroughly, squeezing out excess water.  Chop finely and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Mix the spinach with the egg yolks, seasoning and nutmeg. Whisk the egg whites until very frothy but not too stiff, and fold into the spinach mixture.

3. Grease and line a 32 x 23cm/13 x 9in Swiss roll tin.  Spread the mixture into the tin and smooth the top.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220c/425F/Gas mark 7 for 12-15 minutes until firm and golden.

4. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli in boiling water for 4-5 minutes until just tender.  Drain and keep warm.

5. Sprinkle a sheet of baking parchment with parmesan. Turn the cooked base on to the paper and peel away the lining paper.  Sprinkle the base with mozzarella and top with broccoli.

6. Hold one end of the paper and carefully roll up the spinach base like a swiss roll.  Heat the tomato sauce and spoon on to 4 warmed serving plates.  Slice the roulade and place on top of the sauce.