Stephanie Hafferty shares more recipes and recommendations from the autumn veg plot
In the homestead kitchen garden, all the garlic has been planted both inside the polytunnel and out into the veg beds, and I’m now planting winter hardy broad beans and field beans. Both grow well from a direct sowing, but are susceptible to being munched by rodents. This is why I also sow some legume seed into modules to grow on out of their reach, and plant out when they are about 20cm (7.8 in) tall in any gaps.
Field beans are an excellent green manure, feeding the soil below the surface with their nitrogen rich roots and also providing fantastic extra bulk for the compost heap when cut down in the spring. Green manures help to protect the soil from the worst of the winter weather, especially useful if we have another wet winter. It’s a bit late now for most green manures, but perfect timing for this relative of broad beans. In addition to providing pollen-rich forage for bees in the spring, field beans have edible young pods, beans and shoots, just like broad beans.
Leaves and lovely autumn harvests
I’m continuing to rake leaves up from paths and the grassy areas, not to keep things super-tidy but to help prevent anyone slipping over on the wet leaves. These are a fantastic addition to compost heaps, a valuable source of “browns” in the mix. To boost compost supplies I pile leaves into old compost sacks, or a frame made from metal mesh, to create leaf mould. Although this takes two years to fully break down, leaf mould is a fantastic ingredient in homemade potting compost mixes, so well worth using this free resource.
Leaves are a useful mulch for wild areas and under perennials such as fruit bushes, trees and herbaceous borders. Slowly breaking down, they feed the soil life and plants, whilst also protecting the soil, reducing weed growth and creating a habitat for all kinds of wildlife.
Autumn frosts help to sweeten the flavour of winter brassicas and parsnips, converting the starches into sugar. Leeks are really coming into their own now, so full of flavour. I love to make this comforting, flavourful savoury crumble using homegrown czar beans and leeks.
Czar beans are a kind of white runner bean, easy to grow in our climate and well worth adding to your seed list for next year. For ease, or if you don’t have any czar beans, this recipe works just as well with cans of beans from the shops.
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Leek and czar bean savoury crumble
Serves 4
This is a warm, filling and nurturing dish, ideal for cold days. I like to serve it with seasonal vegetables – Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots or kale. To make the most of the oven, I cook the veg alongside the crumble in an oven dish, drizzled with oil, salt and pepper. Sprouts taste amazing cooked this way.
In the summer when leeks are not in season, replace them with 500g of diced summer vegetables – eg: courgettes, sweet peppers, aubergine and summer squash.
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For the filling
200g onion, diced
500g leeks, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm/1” slices (3 or 4 leeks)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
460g cooked weight of czar beans (or two 400g cans of butter or cannellini beans, drained*)
250g chopped leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach, cabbage)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or French tarragon
1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage
750 ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp sunflower oil or butter
salt and pepper to taste
* a 400g tin of beans when drained contains approx 230g of beans
For the crumble topping
100g plain flour (wholemeal or white)
100g oats
100g cold butter (or vegan alternative) diced
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
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Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C
In an oven and hob proof dish, soften the onion, garlic and leeks in the oil until soft and transparent. Add the greens and stir, then add the beans, stock and herbs. Cook for five minutes.
Remove approx a 1/3 of the beans and some of the stock. Transfer to a food processor and blend into a creamy sauce, then stir back into the leek mixture. Taste and season.
Meanwhile, place the oats, flour, seasoning and herbs in a bowl. Add the butter and miix with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs, adding a little more butter if it feels too dry.
Pour the crumble over the leek mixture and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or so, until the top is golden. Add the extra veg at the same time as the crumble (if using).
Remove from the oven and serve.
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Variations
To make the crumble gluten free, replace the flour with chickpea flour.
For extra flavour, replace 250 ml of the stock with white wine. For extra creaminess, replace 250ml of the stock with double cream.
Add 50g grated hard cheese to the crumble topping for extra cheesiness.
This goes beautifully with sausages too – meat or vegetarian varieties. Cook in the oven at the same time as the crumble.
Blended in a food processor, with a little extra stock added, the filling makes a creamy and warming winter soup.
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