Dead rats and garden tidy

I've been quite busy today. Instead of going to the allotment as planned yesterday, and plant potatoes, I decided to work on the home plot. It's looking rather neglected.
I pulled out the decaying Swiss chard and the last of the perpetual spinach, which has been growing in abundance over the winter season. D has gently requested Spanakopita. So that will be a dinner for later in the week.

D also turned over the contents in the compost bin. Look - doesn't all that homemade compost look good, and no rotting smell at all. D shovelled the compost soil onto the home plot, and turned the rest over. While I dug it and then raked it well into the ground.
I've written before about living near a rail track and how our garden bird feeders can sometimes attract vermin: rats to be more precise. Well while tiding up the garden, we found not one dead rat, but two dead rats. Eek. Both drowned in a large pot that had collected a lot of rainwater over the past few weeks, maybe even months. Oh the stench.
Anyway, after disposing the dead rats bodies and the digging and weeding, which wasn't really that bad. I put in our long overdue garlic, Red Baron onion sets, as well as Golden Gourmet shallots. In a small pot I also planted some Bright Light radish seeds. D also tidied up the border and transplanted some flower bulbs we got from the allotment. The names of the flowering bulbs have gone out of my head. When I remember, I promise to let you know.

For now here is a peek of my forced Rhubarb. Naughty me, I couldn't resist a peek
Lime green leaves and soft pink stems. These colours remind me of sweets from my childhood. Rhubarb and custard, and those green lime ones with chocolate inside - what were they called again? Oh I can't remember, but they were delicious.

First of the tomato seedlings

This time last year, I was failing to raise tomato seedlings, but this year, well look at them.

I only planted them in seed trays a week ago and put them in the windowsill, and they are already beginning to emerge. The only tomato seeds that are a little behind are the Golden Sunrise. But this time I am optimistic that they will come up.

I spent most of the morning pottering about at the allotment. I am so glad all the digging is done. I got all the seeds listed in my allotment diary planted into seed pots, as well as the carrot seeds: purple haze and resistafly in these large plastic containers I managed to rescue the works skip and recycled. These plastic containers are both large and high enough hopefully to keep the carrotfly away.

The only seeds to come up from last fortnights planting are the Purple top milan turnips. The seedlings are purple too. No sign of the broad beans yet.

I have yet to put my potatoes in. I am hoping I will do this tomorrow morning. Otherwise the deadline is next weekend.

Now with the rest of the evening to myself, and with there not being much on TV, I think I am going to reacquaint myself with McNulty, Bubbles and the delightful Omar. Indeed, I am talking about The Wire. For those who have not seen it I highly recommend it!

Tofu with Satay sauce

The weather forecast for tomorrow and the rest of the weekend is rain, and more rain - but I cannot be a wimp and use that as an excuse to stay away from the allotment tomorrow. I did that lat week, shamefully. I have so many seeds to get into pots, if I don't start now I will be so far behind. So that's the plan for tomorrow morning.

Now back to tonight, there were no fresh vegetables in this evenings meal. Today food is about whats in the store cupboard and fridge, and that exactly what went into our bellies a couple of hours ago. This satay sauce is so rich, I would use it as a dip.

Tofu Served with Satay sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 packet of tofu I used Cauldron
50g cornflour
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil

Drain and rinse tofu under fresh water, then pat dry.

First cut it in half as cutting into two sandwich slices, then with one piece still on top of the other cut both into 4 quarters, then cut the quarters into triangles. So that you have 16 pieces. Mix the cornflour with salt and pepper.

Put the tofu pieces gently into the bowl and cover with cornflour mixture.

Heat the oil in a large pan, then over medium heat fry tofu on both sides until golden and crispy. Drain.
It’s the first time I have had tofu like, lightly coated in cornflour then fried. It’s alright and a good vegan substitute, but as a vegetarian I normally do this with Quorn pieces, in which case add the Quorn pieces to the pot when adding the water.

Satay sauce
Ingredients
4 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
250 ml water
2 – 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon or tamarind paste or Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons of Tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Thai green or red curry paste
150ml coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Mix the peanut butter and water together and bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until well combined. Add Quorn pieces if using here instead of tofu and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.

Remove from the heat and add the garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce and curry paste. Add the coconut milk to obtain a coating consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add more water. Add seasoning.

Serve with plain boiled rice