One of my favourite herbs is the celery plant (Apium Graveolens).

Celery plant is a flowering biennial plant that pre-dates the commonly available cultivated stringless celery varieties.

It makes my life happier in two ways: firstly, I avoid buying commercially produced vegetable stock, which I hate; and secondly I do not have to buy plastic-wrapped celery from the supermarket! In Griffins Hill garden, our celery is a striking plant growing about one metre high with large incised leaves similar to Italian parsley and thick green stems that are somewhat thinner that those of the supermarket varieties

The outer stems can be continuously harvested providing a year-round supply of fresh healthy celery. Because the celery plant is biennial it forms a seed head and dies every two years, but in my garden a new plant grows from the base of the old plant. All I need to do is harvest the seed for use in cooking, then cut back the spent foliage.

I use celery plant for flavouring and often add the cut up leaves to salads. My basic stock recipe includes frying onions in olive oil along with sea salt, carrots and celery stems and leaves. Once cooked, I add water to make liquid stock. Otherwise, I simply add ingredients such as spices, tomatoes, potatoes and chick peas and serve it up straight away. Yum.

Quinoa from Tasmania

Quinoa (pronounced Kinwa) is a “super seed” originating from Peru in South America. It is a source of complete protein, high in dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. I use Quinoa a lot.

If possible I buy Tasmanian-grown organic white Quinioa and begin the cooking process by washing the grain. I usually use the absorption method -- adding one cup of washed quinoa to two cups of water, pinch in some sea salt, and place on low heat without the lid and do not stir. It’s cooked when the water has absorbed the seed and it is soft. Take off the heat and toss with a little olive oil then use in salads or instead of rice as the main ingredient for stuffed tomatoes or capsicums.

Betroot with a difference

Cylindrical beetroot is a space saver. Oddly, this beetroot only has a small portion of the root under ground and the rest happily grows upright above the ground. If planted in clumps each plant will grow slightly sideways giving the impression that they are sharing the space by shifting over to make room for the neighbours.

Much to my delight, this plant provides Griffins Hill with a year round supply of dark red beets. This versatile vegetable is wonderful baked whole with the skin on, then sliced and served warm, lightly doused with vinegar and olive oil.   

Quinoa Recipe

1.     Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a heavy based pan and lightly fry two teaspoons of cumin seed. Then add and sweat 2 red onions diced, 4 sticks of celery and leaves finely chopped, 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill. Stir occasionally until onion becomes translucent then add

2.     2 finely diced or grated beetroot and 1 diced or grated carrot. Stir and leave cook for a few minutes. Arrange the vegetable so they cover the whole base of the pan.

3.     Sprinkle one cup of washed quinoa over the top of the vegetables. Do not stir. Add 2 cups of water cover with lid and leave to steam on low temperature until Quinoa is cooked. About 20 min.4.     In a separate bowl combine 2 tablespoon Maggi Beer Fig Vino Cotta, 2 handfuls of chopped fresh mint, 80g of chopped freshly roasted walnuts, or almonds, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 2 table spoons of red wine vinegar and 4 tablespoons of water. This makes a sauce that is stirred into the quinoa just prior to serving.

5.     Taste and add seasoning as required. Serve garnished with chopped mint and roasted walnuts. Serve warm. Happy cooking.

                        

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