Comments on: Of root vegetables and root cellars –oh, and a grill recipe. http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/ Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:07:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-27797 Chris Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:34:19 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-27797 Mary, I searched your website and saw the measurements and pics of your garden. I have been reading your blog for months and somehow missed those critical posts. :) Just this past weekend my husband agreed to let me use a 12X19 section of our yard for a larger garden. I had been using an empty flour bed before that. We live in a suburban neighborhood, similar to the movie Edward Scissorhands if you know what I mean, so there is not too much room in our yard. However, this yard is MUCH bigger than we had in the house we owned prior to this, so I am having a field day...so to speak. ;) Either way, can someone help me. I had to till the 12x19 area the other day as it was covered in sod since it had been part of the yard. I finally got the majority of the grass out and now I am wondering if I should do raised beds with wood borders, or use it as is. One reason I was leaning towards the raised beds was for resale value. People don't expect to see a dug up garden where we live, so I thought it would look nicer if and when we ever sell the house. Plus, we have a dog and 3 kids, so I thought it might help to kind of raise it up. So anyone have any advice on that? Now , the biggest problem I have is that my two eggplant plants are looking suspicious. They are the Black Beauty variety, and they do have several eggplants on them. The problem is that they are NOT at all black. They are more like purplish/green, streaked looking. I did not start these from seed. Do you think thye were mislabled at the nursery or does it take quite some time for that variety to actually turn black?! One is quite large. Maybe 6 inches, and very fat. Please, help. Thanks everyone. :) Mary,
I searched your website and saw the measurements and pics of your garden. I have been reading your blog for months and somehow missed those critical posts. :) Just this past weekend my husband agreed to let me use a 12X19 section of our yard for a larger garden. I had been using an empty flour bed before that. We live in a suburban neighborhood, similar to the movie Edward Scissorhands if you know what I mean, so there is not too much room in our yard. However, this yard is MUCH bigger than we had in the house we owned prior to this, so I am having a field day…so to speak. ;)
Either way, can someone help me. I had to till the 12×19 area the other day as it was covered in sod since it had been part of the yard. I finally got the majority of the grass out and now I am wondering if I should do raised beds with wood borders, or use it as is. One reason I was leaning towards the raised beds was for resale value. People don’t expect to see a dug up garden where we live, so I thought it would look nicer if and when we ever sell the house. Plus, we have a dog and 3 kids, so I thought it might help to kind of raise it up. So anyone have any advice on that?
Now , the biggest problem I have is that my two eggplant plants are looking suspicious. They are the Black Beauty variety, and they do have several eggplants on them. The problem is that they are NOT at all black. They are more like purplish/green, streaked looking. I did not start these from seed. Do you think thye were mislabled at the nursery or does it take quite some time for that variety to actually turn black?! One is quite large. Maybe 6 inches, and very fat. Please, help.
Thanks everyone. :)

]]> By: MomToCherubs http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20225 MomToCherubs Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:26:05 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20225 Thanks for the book recommendation - I will definately look for it !! BTW - the photos of you r garden are lovely !! God Bless. MomToCherubs http://www.becksbounty.blogspot.com Thanks for the book recommendation – I will definately look for it !!

BTW – the photos of you r garden are lovely !!

God Bless.
MomToCherubs
http://www.becksbounty.blogspot.com

]]> By: JaneeNoel http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20209 JaneeNoel Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:27:47 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20209 This is one of my favorite dishes and it uses Daikon. I've only made it a few times long ago, but it is delicious. You can find it in some Chinese restaurants that serve dim sum, and some of the ingredients are best found in Asian markets. It's savory, not sweet. White Turnip Pudding Cake 2 1/2 c. daikon 2 1/4 c. chicken broth 4 T oil 1/3 c. dried shrimp 1 c. Chinese bbq pork or cooked ham 2 T. dried salted turnip, minced 1 t. salt 1/2 c. green onions, chopped 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped 2 c. cake flour Soak shrimp for 1 hr, then drain and finely dice. Bring diced turnips, 2 T. oil, and 1 c. broth to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until turnip is soft. Do not drain. Heat wok and add 2 T oil and stir fry diced shrimp for 1 min, then add diced prok, salted turnips, 1 t. salt, and 1/3 c. each of the green onions and cilantro. Set aside. Mix cake flour with 1 1/4 c. chicken broth until smooth. Add stir fried mixture and boiled turnip, including the remaining liquid in the pot. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9 inch cake pan. Set pan over steam rack in wok. Cover, bring to boil, and turn heat to simmer. Steam for 1/2 hour or longer until cake is set. Sprinkle remaining green onions and cilantro over cake. Cool for at least 1/2 hour before cutting. Optional- brown in a little oil for crunchy edges. Enjoy! This is one of my favorite dishes and it uses Daikon. I’ve only made it a few times long ago, but it is delicious. You can find it in some Chinese restaurants that serve dim sum, and some of the ingredients are best found in Asian markets. It’s savory, not sweet.

White Turnip Pudding Cake
2 1/2 c. daikon
2 1/4 c. chicken broth
4 T oil
1/3 c. dried shrimp
1 c. Chinese bbq pork or cooked ham
2 T. dried salted turnip, minced
1 t. salt
1/2 c. green onions, chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
2 c. cake flour

Soak shrimp for 1 hr, then drain and finely dice. Bring diced turnips, 2 T. oil, and 1 c. broth to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until turnip is soft. Do not drain.

Heat wok and add 2 T oil and stir fry diced shrimp for 1 min, then add diced prok, salted turnips, 1 t. salt, and 1/3 c. each of the green onions and cilantro. Set aside.

Mix cake flour with 1 1/4 c. chicken broth until smooth. Add stir fried mixture and boiled turnip, including the remaining liquid in the pot. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9 inch cake pan.

Set pan over steam rack in wok. Cover, bring to boil, and turn heat to simmer. Steam for 1/2 hour or longer until cake is set. Sprinkle remaining green onions and cilantro over cake. Cool for at least 1/2 hour before cutting. Optional- brown in a little oil for crunchy edges. Enjoy!

]]> By: jcn http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20208 jcn Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:06:36 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20208 i love reading about all this, but must admit it is way of my head. :-) i love reading about all this, but must admit it is way of my head. :-)

]]> By: Jody http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20217 Jody Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:45:41 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20217 All I know about kohlrabi is that my grandpa used to grow it when I was a kid and my dad called them "little green pigs" b/c if you chop the leaves and turn them on their sides, that is what they look like. And he did not like them either so he said it w/ some disdain :) All I know about kohlrabi is that my grandpa used to grow it when I was a kid and my dad called them “little green pigs” b/c if you chop the leaves and turn them on their sides, that is what they look like. And he did not like them either so he said it w/ some disdain :)

]]> By: April http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20216 April Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:52:19 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20216 We eat radishes raw with a little sprinkle of salt, sliced up in salads, or thinly sliced and tossed in oil and vinegar. Never cooked here either. We like Kohlabri too! Salsify though? Not quite sure what to do with it! We eat radishes raw with a little sprinkle of salt, sliced up in salads, or thinly sliced and tossed in oil and vinegar. Never cooked here either.

We like Kohlabri too! Salsify though? Not quite sure what to do with it!

]]> By: Chanda http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20215 Chanda Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:50:36 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20215 I have friends who use daikon radishes in cole-slaw (just shred it up like a carrot)...it adds a really nice flavor and crispness to it. I'll have to ask for the recipe. I've never had the daikon radishes cooked, though. All this garden talk on your blog is making me long for a garden space of my own. My parents always had a huge garden like yours (and still do), but I live too far away to get my hands dirty in it. But, man do I have memories of fresh garden produce. Some of my favorite summer memories are of picking the first ripe tomato and eating it before anyone else could notice....picking beans with my faithful old english sheepdog (who, like me, would pick the beans right off the plants and eat them up), and helping my mom pickle cucumbers. I miss those days of summer gardening. Chanda I have friends who use daikon radishes in cole-slaw (just shred it up like a carrot)…it adds a really nice flavor and crispness to it. I’ll have to ask for the recipe. I’ve never had the daikon radishes cooked, though.

All this garden talk on your blog is making me long for a garden space of my own. My parents always had a huge garden like yours (and still do), but I live too far away to get my hands dirty in it. But, man do I have memories of fresh garden produce. Some of my favorite summer memories are of picking the first ripe tomato and eating it before anyone else could notice….picking beans with my faithful old english sheepdog (who, like me, would pick the beans right off the plants and eat them up), and helping my mom pickle cucumbers.

I miss those days of summer gardening.
Chanda

]]> By: Beth http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20214 Beth Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:20:26 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20214 I've never tried Salsify but this cookbook http://www.solsexchange.com/store/mcart.php?ID=507 (which I LOVE) describes it as a Oysterlike flavor that can be used "raw, cooked, in soups or with meats" It also has 3 recipies Mock oyster soup, mock oysters, and Baked Salsify. It's on my list to try next year. I’ve never tried Salsify but this cookbook http://www.solsexchange.com/store/mcart.php?ID=507 (which I LOVE) describes it as a Oysterlike flavor that can be used “raw, cooked, in soups or with meats” It also has 3 recipies Mock oyster soup, mock oysters, and Baked Salsify.

It’s on my list to try next year.

]]> By: Linds http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20213 Linds Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:40:44 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20213 Hmm..wow kohlabri has gotten great reviews. I may have to give it a try. Maybe even plant some. I'd love to hear more about the root cellar idea. Thanks! Hmm..wow kohlabri has gotten great reviews. I may have to give it a try. Maybe even plant some.

I’d love to hear more about the root cellar idea.

Thanks!

]]> By: Shalee http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/30/of-root-vegetables-and-root-cellars-oh-and-a-grill-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-20224 Shalee Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:06:15 +0000 http://owlhaven.wordpress.com/?p=1543#comment-20224 One of the things I love about the house we're moving to this month is that it has a concrete sub-basement and space underneath the house. I'm looking forward to storing beans and rice there, as well as yams. I hadn't considered potatoes, turnips, apples or the like. I'm very interested in hearing how you're doing your root cellar. I may be trying to emulate one down there if it means keeping items longer! One of the things I love about the house we’re moving to this month is that it has a concrete sub-basement and space underneath the house. I’m looking forward to storing beans and rice there, as well as yams. I hadn’t considered potatoes, turnips, apples or the like. I’m very interested in hearing how you’re doing your root cellar. I may be trying to emulate one down there if it means keeping items longer!

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