The cows crossed the driveway today and are grazing in the flats again. Even though it is still a little damp, we will move them through quickly to reduce any compaction. Stella and the sheep are starting to have plenty of areas to graze in the barnyard; we are on the verge of having plenty of grass but we are not quite there.
In the greenhouse we are seeding perennial flowers. We are also weeding the greenhouse itself and hoping to dry it out some; it is too humid and causing some disease to occur. If the warm continues, we hope to mow the herb garden and to clean up the beds; many of the plants have reappeared after their short winter rest.
This week's pick list:
- Celery
- Fennel
- Radish
- Beets
- Turnips
- Potatoes
- Celeriac
- Chard
- Parsley
Check out the sorrel in the herb garden!
Jane Grigson's Celery Soup, adapted from food52.com
Serves 4, 6 if the rest of the meal is fairly copious
- 1/2pound celery, chopped (outside stalks or celeriac -- about 2 cups)
- 1/2cup chopped onion
- 1/2cup diced potato
- 6tablespoons butter
- 4cups turkey, chicken, or vegetable stock
- 1/2 to 1cups milk (optional)
- Large handful of parsley, finely chopped
- 2 1/2tablespoons cream
- Stew celery, onion, and potato gently in the butter in a covered pan for 10 minutes. Don't let the vegetables brown. Add stock or water. Simmer for 20 minutes if you have a blender, 40 minutes if you use a food mill.
Blend or purée the soup. Pour through a strainer into a clean pan (to remove the last few threads of celery), adding a little milk if too thick. Bring slowly to just under the boil, seasoning with salt, pepper, and parsley.
Put the cream into the soup dish, and pour the soup in on top. Swirl round with the ladle before serving, to mix in the cream.