first harvest

This weekend marks the first harvest of the year, which is WAAAAY earlier than last year… better weather I guess is the answer… so far we got these…

french breakfast radish’s, typical takes 21 days to grow, these are at day 17, young and spicy!

I planted a couple of rows of organic mixed greens, determining the tender baby lettuces from the weeds was a bit of a problem, but what’s the worst that can happen, you chew down a mouthful of weeds, none the wiser I say.  Seeing as we are overrun with chives and I don’t know exactly what to do with them all, I sprinkled some of the flower head over our plain salad for some onion-y spice. Yum.

I spotted this salad… Carrot, Harissa and Feta Salad…

over at the Wednesday Chef, which was originally seen here, which was adapted from someone’s aunties, uncles cousin’s brother twice removed, or something, who originally got the recipe from the pages of New Zealand’s one and only foodie magazine, Cuisine, so I HAD to make it.  Next time hopefully I’ll make it with my own garden carrots.

Carrot Salad

3/4 pd carrots, peel and coarsely grated

4 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic crushed

1/2 tsp caraway seeds, 3/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp harissa

1/2 tsp sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

2 tbsp each of chopped mint and parsley

3 oz feta crumbled

In a small skillet over medium heat add oil, garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa, and sugar until fragrant, about 2 mins.  Remove from heat stir in lemon juice and pinch of salt.  Pour over carrots and mix.  Add herbs and refrigerate for about an hour.  Add feta and toss before serving.