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Second(ary) crop is not necessarily second best
Latest post from MARKSVEGPLOT – a blog about food and gardening in England”
I have used all the sprouts on the first of my (4) Brussels Sprout plants now, and there are only a few little ones left on the second plant, huddled up under the leaves at the top.
But now the Top itself is beckoning. The cluster of leaves at the growing tip of the plant, traditionally known as the Top, is really good to eat – just like a Cabbage.
On the first plant to be cropped there was one “blown” sprout, which I left behind when I took the main crop. It now looks like a little Cabbage in its own right, and I shall pick it and use it when I use the Top.
The Brokali plant whose main head I cut two days ago is already showing signs of producing a good set of side-shoots:
I’ll be using the leaves as well as the spears of this Brokali. I’m sure they will be just as good as any Cavolo Nero – and probably more tender too.
The “Rudolph” PSB which also gave up its main head a few days ago is now producing a fair few side-shoots:
I know that most people don’t eat the leaves of PSB, but I don’t see why not. The small ones look eminently suitable for using as general-purpose greens. I think maybe I’ll try them…
I haven’t grown any Cauliflowers, but while I’m on this present subject I just want to say that whenever we buy a Cauliflower I always like to eat the little leaves around the “curds”, which often get discarded. Like the one pictured here in a photo from Jane’s recent post about Egg and Cauliflower Cheese
When you come to think about it, many of us are guilty of throwing away perfectly useable food simply because we grow / buy vegetables solely for their main crop, and often overlook some of the secondary features of the plant, which are frequently just as good as (or better than?) the main part.
To read more articles like this, on Gardening and Gastronomy, please visit * http://marksvegplot.blogspot.com/ *
Source: http://marksvegplot.blogspot.com/2015/12/secondary-crop-is-not-necessarily.html
