Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Shop or grow, keep and eat.

The New Zealand Vegetable Book
Glenda Gourley for Horticlture New Zealand
Hyndman Publishing - $24.99


Top tips from NZ market gardeners.
A new book from Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ), gives top vegetable tips from this country’s market gardeners.

It’s a book that promises and delivers by the bunch, spelling out ways the reader can get the most out of vegetables, eat better and feel healthier.
From artichokes to yams, beetroot to sweetcorn, chilli peppers to leeks, herbs, garnishes and edible flowers – they’re all covered in this comprehensive book. For beginners and experts alike, gardeners and cooks, there’s something inside these pages to enlighten and inspire.

Eat right:
New Zealand nutritional guidelines recommend that we all eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day. The New Zealand Vegetable Book covers the wide range of vegetables available to us in NZ. It gives the nutritional benefits of each vegetable, how to prepare and ways to eat it. A delicious recipe for every vegetable plus tips on how to grow for the gardeners amongst us, make this an indispensable book! Remember eating across the rainbow of colours of vegetables available will help keep you healthy.

Fresh really is best:
Basil, beans, beetroot and eggplant all come into their own at this time of the year but broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, garlic, ginger, kumara, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, radishes, silver beet, spinach, spring onions, tomatoes… are grown here all year round.
Choosing a reputable supplier, shopping every two to three days, buying smaller quantities and storing your vegetables correctly will all help keep that quality produce fresher, and for longer. You’ll always know that you’re buying the best quality produce if you follow the guidelines in this book.

Know your julienne from your chiffonade:
The way a vegetable is chopped, diced or sliced needs to complement the style of dish it is being used for, for example a robust casserole requires larger pieces than a light consommé. The New Zealand Vegetable Book will show you how.

And here is a recipe example from the book:

Tomato couscous salad

So quick and delicious. Great with any meal – any season!

1 cup couscous
1 cup boiling water
5 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 cloves crushed garlic
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp light olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Soak the couscous in the water until the water is completely absorbed, about
5 minutes. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently. Serves 4–6.

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