vegetables - any uses for the leaves?

ladygrey_2

Aril wrote:

Could you possibly shred them very finely then fry with some smoked bacon. Add carraway seeds and nutmeg and if you have any mix it with either cream or creme fraiche. That's what I always do with the festive sprouts for those who are not keen on them in their unadulterated state. Just a thought!
Regards
Aril

did anybody ever try this and did it taste good?

suziewuzie

I add the thin inner ones to the water with the cauli - supposed to help keep it white, but maybe that's an Old Wives Tale. I add all other bits to soups, unless they're really tough. I bet the leafy bits would be great in a stir fry, or shredded, steamed and added to almost anything - esp fish? I like the middle bit (and the centre of cabbage as well) raw when I'm chopping it all up. Probably goes back to my '50s childhood, standing on a chair next to mum helping clean and chop veg - this centre bit was given to me as a treat!! OOh - gone all nostalgic for a minute. Must come back to reality and leave this site and do some work....

magpie

I have just purchased two celeriacs with their leaves attached. I intend to make potato, garlic and celeriac mash with them. However I have two bunches of leaves that look just like celery and am loath to throw them away. Can I make soup with them or can anybody give me any other ideas for their use.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

trixietoes

I've just got back from the market with all my veggies for the week and I now have loads of parsnip leaves. Feel silly asking this but they smell like parsley.. are they

Any ideas what I can do with them, if anything - I usually throw them away, but it seems a waste as they smell so nice.

Thanks xx

star2007

Plants for a future

Good 'ol wikipedia

The first says they may be cooked with other greens/ soup etc. The latter they may cause irritation of the skin in susceptible people.

As long as they're the cultivated kind, I'd say use a small bit & give it a go!

jorichste

is is possible to create anything from the leaves from celery, carrots or brocolli? I don't have anywhere for composting so if I can't find a way to use them up they will be going in the bin.

HariboJunkie

Not sure about the carrots but celery leaves make a perfectly respectable celery soup or are fine in a mixed salad or for garnish. I often make broccoli and stilton soup with the stalks and leaves left over from a meal. Cauliflower leaves work just the same way.

Is there any way you could fit in a small composter if you are very opposed to waste?

on_a_money_mission

Celery leaves are useful - simply chop them and use as you would celery ie in cooking, to add flavour. In fact I would say they taste better than celery, without the stringiness. The other greens could make a stock.

Caterina

Celery leaves are great in salad, raw. Also you could add them to tomato sauces (chop finely together with onion and carrot and sautee in a little olive oil before adding tomatoes).

Broccoli and cauliflower greens, chopped finely, can be sauteed in a little oil with garlic and chilli and used to dress pasta. Or they can be used as greens steamed and dressed with oil and lemon, or butter and lemon. Or used (cooked) as the green bit for bubble and squeak/colcannon.

I read somewhere a long time ago that Russians use carrot tops in soup, but I have never tried. Any Russian here that can say whether this is true?

HTH

Primrose

If you can't use them up in cooking, it's a shame to throw them in the waste bin. If you don't have space for a compost bin, just chop them up very finely and fork them into your garden borders directly. They will rot down, the worms will pull them into the soil and they will improve the moisture retention abilities of your soil and eventually turn into compost anyway.