If you grow flowers, you probably grow vegetables, too. I do. Vegetables from your own garden are the best, but everything ripens at once. Or the zucchini and cucumbers produce 50 pounds a week. You serve to your family, give away to friends, look for new recipes, and when you mention zucchini, your family (my husband) and friends start to roll their eyes. And if you try to grow herbs, which are great fresh, you have some of the same problem. How to preserve the herb crop that could supply your kitchen for 5 years. The picture above shows my success with French tarragon, basil, fennel, parsley, and thyme. In another blog we’ll talk about how to preserve it.

So here I want to share 3 of my recent favorites. If you know me or follow me, you’ll know that one of my great loves in the world is the Great Dixter Garden in East Sussex in southeastern England. My husband and I had plans to travel there in October-November, but just cancelled due to Covid and travel restrictions. Aaron Bertelson, Dixter’s house manager and vegetable gardener, has turned his love of growing vegetables and herbs at Dixter into making fantastic meals, and now he has authored a cookbook that belongs in everyone’s kitchen.

My recipes below may not seem complete. You can get more detail by buying Aaron’s cookbook! Amazon can help with that. I highly recommend it, for the recipes, for inspiration, and for the love of cooking with produce you grow yourself. We’ll start with a plum tart.

My recipes below may not seem complete. You can get more detail by buying Aaron’s cookbook! Amazon can help with that. I highly recommend it, for the recipes, for inspiration, and for the love of cooking with produce you grow yourself. We’ll start with a plum tart.

My husband is not a fan of zucchini, in any form.  But Aaron’s recipe has changed his mind.  I stuck close to Aaron’s recipe (in England zucchini is called courgette), and then experimented with it, adding pepper flakes and sausage.

So here is a short version of the recipe.  Again, The Great Dixter Cookbook can add all the loving detail you’ll want.   By the way I’m not getting a commission for promoting this book.  Your kitchen needs this cookbook.  And if you’re not in the mood for cooking, get a cup of tea or coffee and leaf through the pictures in the book, they are extraordinary.  OK, back to the fritters.  Aaron asks for:

2 zucchini

2 tbsp self-raising flour

1 egg

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Hummus, to serve

Note the recommendation to serve with hummus.  We never eat hummus.  But my husband found it was a nice added flavor.  Next he will try the Dutch gin that Aaron recommends!

And here is the recipe:

“ Grate the zucchini and press between paper towels to remove any excess moisture.  Place in a bowl, add the flour, egg, Parmesan and salt and pepper and mix well.  (Here I modified the recipe with red pepper flakes and a half tube of Jimmy Dean’s regular sausage). Divide into 14 equal pieces and roll into balls.  Gently flatten each ball into a patty about ½ inch thick.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium heat and add the oil.  Pan fry a batch of patties for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm.  “

I have also made the patties up and frozen them to cook later.  Those with sausage are great with eggs for breakfast!

The third recipe added to my kitchen by Aaron is a chickpea and tomato salad.  It doesn’t consume all of the cherry tomatoes coming from the garden but it helps and adds a nice diversity to a meal or to a plate of other salads.  And my husband likes it!

The recipe calls for:

2 14-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 good handful chopped coriander (cilantro) or flat-leaf parsley

3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels.  Put into a bowl, then add all the other ingredients.  Mix well and let sit a while to let the flavors meld.  Mix again before serving.

And there you have it.  I’ve had more fun cooking and baking this summer because of Aaron Bertelsen and his cookbook.  After you try it, I’m betting you will buy more for your friends, like I have.