what does this taste like?

valk_scot

Yolina wrote: »

I'm French, we use endive mostly in salads (great mixed with red apples and/or walnut pieces) or in a gratin (with a sauce Mornay... Yum) The really bitter part is mostly the inner bottom part (hope that makes sense), so I usually dig out out that bit with a sharp knife, you also need to rinse them quickly under water - if they're left to soak they become very bitter.

I put a broad earthenware plant pot over the centre of each endive plant and it blanches the middle, making it less bitter.

The leaves make a great salad with hot fried bacon bits poured over it, and a shake of balsamic vinegar.

BitterAndTwisted

It's true that Germans go mad for Kohlrabi. My German Mum always grew it in the garden wherever we lived (Forces) and we ate it regularly but that did not include as far north as Scottishland.

Mardatha are you sure all of those will happily grow in a cooler climate with shorter days than we soft southerners enjoy down here?

Of all four items on your list only the kohlrabi would be worth the time and effort imo

Swan_2

hi Mardatha

if you're going to grow sorrel, consider the Buckler Leaved variety, it produces lots of lovely small tender shield-shaped leaves & it's very tasty, we used to eat it right off the plant, delicious in salads too for a tangy lemony 'bite'

it grows well once established & should be fine where you are, I grew it at the top of a glen in the Sidlaws & it not only survived there, it thrived

I've not had a garden for years now but have just been given a bit of a friend's allotment & it's one of the first things I'll be planting, kohlrabis too

ninnoodle

Kohlrabi grows just fine in Scotland (I get it in my veg box) - it is lovely in salads with goats cheese and nuts, and also in soups, or grated. Love it!

mardatha

My neighbour grew kholrabi ( always makes me think of edible eyeliner) for her rabbit last summer. In the end it got covered with caterpillars and she threw the whole lot to my hens, who loved it. (and the caterpillars). So I thought I would grow some this year - but it feels daft to grow it and not eat it ourselves
I havent a clue what will grow here and what won't, but according to the OS maps the Sidlaws are 280m, so about the same as me. Yaaay .
Last year I did chard and kale (for the hens. poor wee sods). The kale is indestructible and the chard vanished without a trace lol.

VJsmum

Yolina wrote: »

I'm French, we use endive mostly in salads (great mixed with red apples and/or walnut pieces) or in a gratin (with a sauce Mornay... Yum) The really bitter part is mostly the inner bottom part (hope that makes sense), so I usually dig out out that bit with a sharp knife, you also need to rinse them quickly under water - if they're left to soak they become very bitter.

When in France I like to buy "Celeri remoulade" from supermarkets. I thought that was kohlrabi? it's delicious.

In any case kohlrabi is delicious grated with carrot and mayonnaise as coleslaw (didn't know if it was Kohl / cole slaw?) - nicer than cabbage IMO

mardatha

You lot are brilliant for broadening the mind . Yer very exotic

Yolina

VJsmum wrote: »

When in France I like to buy "Celeri remoulade" from supermarkets. I thought that was kohlrabi? it's delicious.

It's "celeri-rave" which I think is celeriac over here. It's very easy to make so let me know if you want the recipe

thenanny2die4

Roasted kohl rabi is really lovely.

Sorrel - do you like fried fish? You can make a fabulous sauce to go with fish using sorrel. When the fish is done, pop it on a warm plate then add a bit of butter to the pan. Once it's frothing, chuck in a couple of handfuls of chopped sorrel leaves and stir for a few secs till it wilts (don't be alarmed at the colour - reminiscent of cow pats ) then take it off the heat for a minute. Beat in an egg yolk to thicken then add a couple of tablespoons of cream (or you can use mascarpone) and a bit of seasoning. Serve with the fish. It's lush.

Swan_2

mardatha wrote: »

I havent a clue what will grow here and what won't, but according to the OS maps the Sidlaws are 280m, so about the same as me. Yaaay .

we were around 900' up in a very exposed & windy spot, but with a bit of tlc were able to grow just about anything growable in the UK apart from the likes of outdoor tomatoes & sweetcorn

that said, the growing season was shorter but we managed decent crops of most things, we even had gluts of courgettes & mangetouts & a radish pod plant that instead of being 18" high, grew taller than me! :eek: