Spring Has Sprung - Early Spring Shoots in South Galway

I have to rake this lot up and stuff em into black bags, so that they rot down and make great mulch/compost additive. This is a tiny fraction of the leaves I have to rake up !!!

A wild primrose

Perennial Alpine Strawberries

A perennial Lupin starting to shoot

Tulip bulbs

A perennial Hollyhock shooting

Grape Hyacinth bulbs shooting

Crocus bulbs peeking through

My New Garden Visitor - A Jay

I have a new daily visitor to my garden - Garrulus glandarius hibernicus - an Irish Jay.

This is the name of the Irish Jay. It is slightly different than the British Jay and the Continental Jay. It is a bit darker in the pink colouring than both, with the Continental Jay being the lightest pink.

He (or she) comes to visit all day every day now. The first visit was about 3 or 4 weeks ago, when I only saw the bird fleetingly maybe once a day. Now he is here almost all the time, either sat in my trees watching me or helping himself to nuts, seeds or scraps from my old wall.

He is becoming more confident every day - I wonder just how tame he will become. It's weird, but the cats seem to ignore him mostly - maybe it's because he is quite big.

Hmmm

This is one set of feeders containing peanuts and seeds.

Kittens Oisín and Meabh at 4 Months Old

I took these kitten photos today - Oisín and Meabh - 4 months old now and so gorgeous

Oisín on the left and Meabh on the right

The one below is Oisín

Redesigning the Polytunnel

I am always keen to recycle anything and everything.

I'm a hoarder.

I collect extremely useful stuff - friends call it junk...

But you see, you never know when you might need something and it would really stick in my gullet to have to pay for something I knew that I had thrown out 3 years before...

I'd be sick and very pissy !

So, when friends need 'something', albeit a screw of a certain size or a piece of wood, or a plant pot - they know where to come.

Needless to say I have barns, stables and bedrooms full of incredibly useful 'stuff'.

My friend John is building these permanent raised beds in my polytunnel, so that I don't have to fill endless pots of compost every spring for my tomatoes, basil and cucumbers etc.

I can't wait, it's going to be wonderful.

Especially as he is building them totally from the useful junk I have been collecting over the last goodness knows how many years.

I rest my case.

Dandelions Are Delicious

One of my real pleasures in life is finding and using free food... for eating, drinking & making remedies.

Just about the most wasted and overlooked plant is the dandelion.

The young leaves are amazing as part of a salad.

The flowers make incredible wine.

The dried roots can be made into a coffee substitute (I'm not fond of it but some people love it).

And they are everywhere !

I am lucky here in that I can pick masses away from car fumes etc. I wouldn't advise picking them on the side of a road unless it is a road that's barely used. And be careful you don't pick ones that have previously been in areas where you have sprayed weedkiller etc.

The dandelion is a hardy perennial plant, taraxacum officinale. So as an added bonus it keeps coming and coming !!!!!! If you are really keen there are several cultivated varieties too, with keen gardeners often covering the leaves from the light for a couple of weeks before picking, to blanch them.

I don't bother with that, I just pick a few young wild plant leaves now and then for a mixed salad.

And sometimes in a stir fry.

Easy.

Healing

Dandelions are good for both the kidneys and the liver.

The leaves have strong diuretic properties acting on the urinary system. They can help reduce water retention and help remove toxins in the body. A tea made from the leaves will do this.

They contain high levels of potassium.

The roots are good for digestive problems. They stimulate bile secretion and are an excellent remedy for liver and gallbladder conditions when prescribed by a professional herbalist or doctor. They stimulate sluggish digestion and are good for indigestion and mild constipation.

The roots are also a good laxative.

You shouldn't use it for more than a salad if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How to Use (for indigestion & mild constipation)

Infuse 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of dried dandelion root in boiling water and drink 3 cups a day. Sweeten with honey if you need to improve the taste, but never use sweeteners as they can weaken the effect of the remedy.

Sunday Lunch - Roast Chicken & Roast Vegetables

How To Make A Delicious Roast Chicken Dinner

in the Easiest Possible Way

Yesterday I roasted a chicken and some vegetables for Sunday lunch. My good friend John was visiting and doing a few jobs for me. In exchange I cook !

The chicken was a free range, almost organic one from The Friendly Farmer who has a farm near Athenry.

I like to sometimes cook the entire roast dinner in the roasting tray - it saves on electric, time and effort !

I pre cook the vegetables in slightly salted water until they are almost cooked. Then drain them well.

I pour plenty of olive oil over the chicken and into the roasting pan. I then sprinkle in quite a lot of Herbs de Provence. I mix the herbs into the olive oil and then baste

both the chicken and all the vegetables well.

This means that they food is cooked in olive oil and is also flavoured with heavenly Provencal herbs.

I also stuffed the chicken with sage and onion stuffing (packet mix from Paxo - very good taste and texture and not expensive).

Needless to say it was delicious and extremely easy to prepare and cook.

Photos of Ice, Kittens, Birds & A Cow

Peek a Boo

A neighbours cow peeking over the hedge at me on a very cold morning.

My friendly robin - sat watching me re-filling the peanuts and hanging up new fat balls. Mr Robin likes scraps best.

I am so lucky - I live in such a beautiful place...

So cold ! It's permafrost !

Woofie looking for mice...

Meabh watching Woofie looking for mice...

I think my hose tap has broken ! I should have remembered to turn the main tap off, not just the hose selector...

Quite the ice sculpture eh ?

Carrot and Parsnip Soup Recipe

Carrot and Parsnip Soup

1 lb Carrots
1 lb Parsnips
1.5 Onions
4 Garlic Cloves
2 teaspoons Fresh Ginger
2 teaspoons ground Cumin
1.5 teaspoons ground Coriander
10 cups Chicken Stock (Vegetable stock if you are vegetarian)
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper

1. Finely chop the onions.

2. Place them in a large saucepan with the olive oil. Fry for 3 minutes until they are soft.

3. Mince or very finely chop the garlic and the ginger.

4. Add the garlic and ginger to the saucepan. Cook for another 1 minute.

5. Add the carrots (chopped), parsnips (chopped), cumin, coriander,
salt and pepper.

6. Cook for another minute, stirring the ingredients well.

7. Add the stock to the saucepan. Bring the pan to a steady simmer and cook for about 30 minutes partially covered, or until the veg is soft.

8. Remove it from the heat and blend the soup with a hand blender or a bigger one.

9. Serve with a swirl of cream if you are feeling decadent !

Mashed Swede

Here is a quick post with the recipe for mashed swede (called turnip in Ireland). Sorry, I'm English and my habit is to call it swede - I get very confused !

Here in Ireland a swede (orange flesh, round, root vegetable) is called a turnip and a turnip (white flesh, pointed and like a big carrot, root vegetable) is called a white turnip.... I think I have the hang of it now...

Where I came from in Somerset... swedes are called mangelwurzels (pale yellow flesh, round, root vegetable) by some older folk .... but in fact a mangelwurzel is a slightly different root veg than the swede - and so there is the same confusion in Somerset just with a different slant !

Mangelwurzels were even used in past times in England for a sport called Mangold Hurling (the mind boggles) and the making of hooch (illicit liquor).

Anyway enough rambling - here is the recipe

Mashed Swede

1 whole Swede
Water
Freshly ground black Pepper
Ground Sea Salt
3 ozs Butter

1. Peel and chop the swede into small pieces.

2. Place the pieces into a saucepan, add a large pinch of salt and cover with water. Bring to the boil.

3. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until nice and soft.

4. Drain the swede and return it to the saucepan.

5. Add the butter, together with the pepper and salt to taste.

6. Mash very well until the mixture is consistent. It won't go smooth and some small lumps usually remain.

7. Taste and season with salt and pepper again if required.

8. Ready to serve.

Cottage Pie & Shepherd's Pie

Here is one of my all time favourite lunch or dinner recipes.

My Mother used to make this in the same way, as did my Nan. It's very simple and basic - no fancy unusual ingredients.

Fast n Easy !

Good old fashioned home comfort cooking at its best !

What's the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie ?
The only difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie is that cottage pie is made with minced beef and shepherd's pie is made with minced lamb. Everything else is the same. I'm sure there are many variations - but this is how I make it.
Cottage Pie - Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is for the beef version (Cottage Pie) - if you are making Shepherd's Pie, just substitute minced lamb for the beef.

1.5 lbs (700g) Minced Beef/Lamb
1/2 medium Onion (chopped well)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Bisto Instant Chicken Gravy Mix (the chicken version tastes 100 times better in any recipe than the beef version and you can't taste that it's chicken !)
1.5 tablespoons Lee & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
Water (small amount)
6 medium sized Potatoes
2 ozs Butter
2 tablespoons Milk
Freshly ground black Pepper
Sea Salt
1. Lightly cook the chopped onion in a saucepan in the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.


2. Add the minced beef or lamb and mix it in well - breaking up the mince so that there are no clumps.




3. Cook the meat and onion until it is all brown. Keep the lid on the saucepan as much as possible in between stirring, in order to keep as much liquid as possible (rather than loose it via steam).

5. Add the gravy mix granules and stir in well.

6. Immediately add the worcestershire sauce and a small amount of water. The amount of water added should be just enough to make a moist mix, but not one with runny sauce. Mix it in well while still cooking on the stove top.

7. Spoon the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish.

8. Peel and chop the potatoes into small chunks as below. Cook for about 20 minutes until they are soft.

9. Drain the cooked potatoes and return them to the saucepan (its still warm and will keep the mix warm and soft).

10. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and mash very very well.

11. Add a nice bit of freshly ground black pepper and some ground sea salt, then mash and mix this in well too.

12. Spoon the mash potato onto the top on the meat mix in the dish. If you spoon it in small amounts you can cover the area without having to 'spread' it too much. Spreading it often stirs up the meat underneath and makes a mess.

13. Flatten the top with the back of a fork.

14. Place in the oven at 160C (325F & gas mark 3). Cook until the top is golden all over and the ridges are slightly brown and crispy looking. (Takes about 30-40 mins usually).

15. Serve with something like mashed swede (as below) then eat !

The instructions for making the mashed swede / turnip (called turnip in Ireland - swede in UK) are in the next post (Click Here)

Kittens, Wild Birds and a Sunset

Sunset over Chez Sophii

What can I try and kill now...

Oisín having a snooze after a hard day playing...

Tibbles

Tibbles again

Oisín and Meabh playing in the turf basket

Tibbles again

My fire in my office - warm n cosy

A fluffed up thrush eating the seeds and the fat balls on this birdtable.

A robin eating various seeds I put out.

Note the frozen sprouts in the background !!!

Another wee robin eating a slice of bread