Highlights for March

               

Spring flourish

 Finally days of blue skies and sunshine, warm weather wakes sleepy bulbs to lift their heads and don hats that make the garden come alive as if a carnival is coming.

 I am very happy with the pots at the front of the house last year we made the layered pots   and im surprised the pansies are still going strong with no sighs of stopping as the tulips crocus and iris barge their way up through soil.

 We saw our first buzzy bumbler today probably very hungry after sleeping all winter

 I love these polyantha victoriana gold lace they are so pretty i will grow more next year from seed

 lovely delicate woodland cyclamen

 Mean while down in the meadow the Phesants seem to also be feeling the effects of the spring weather and are starting to stalk the ladies.

We have been hard at it rolling the mud into paths carving up the mud square into plots  

Smoked haddock tower

Mid week meals can sometime get a bit repetitive and i like to get fish into my family every week and here is one of our new favorites, a kind of deconstructed fish pie i guess, Smoked haddock is a fish i enjoy it is meatier than cod and the smoked flavours lend well to this recipe.

The tower starts with a mash potato usually when we have had mash a day or two before i make a bigger batch if i know we are having this a few days later its still good an extra dollup of butte and a quick blast in the microwave sorts it out, followed up with a handful of spring onions.

The spinach is wilted last minuet seasoned with nutmeg salt and pepper and laid on top of the mash potato, followed by the smoked haddock and a lovely soft poached eggs and a generous helping of hollandaise sauce

Pop the yolk and enjoy

Hollandaise Sauce recipe 

125g butter
2 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp of white wine vinegar
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
splash of cold water if needed

This is an easy recipe to do and versatile for egg Benedict as well.  Melting the butter in a microwave in a jug for about a minuet making sure to remove the white solids and set aside.

I use a glass bowl heated over a saucepan of gently bubbling water and add the whisked egg yolks salt and vinegar and whisk constantly add a little cool water if need be until the mixture thickens about 4-5 minuets.

Once thickened removed from the heat and gently add the butter slowly stirring all the time until you get a silky sauce if it becomes to thick add a splash more cold water and whisk again.

Season with a good squish of fresh lemon juice and fresh ground black pepper.