January harvesting(!) status

We’ve had terrible gales over the past few months, and the Lidl cloche will limp along till the spring, but will probably need to be replaced. However, the Daikon, Mizuna, Mispoona, Pak Choi and Chinese cabbage are still growing. We have been harvesting Mizuna regularly from both the cloche and the exposed beds, both doing fine, will be planting more of this next year. – it’s a winner. And the slugs don’t seem overly fond of it.

Something that can’t be said of the Chinese cabbage – it’s a lacework of holes. Not sure that it’s going to be able to form a head, but I’ll wait and see. I’d like to be able to spend more time investigating, but it’s so cold outside, and one disadvantage of the cloche is that the plants are not that accessible.

The beet sown in June or thereabouts, continues to produce leaves that are a bit tough for salads, but are excellent cooked. I’m using them a Miso soup, or in quiche. My brother has got a few chickens for the benefit of his kids, and with a production of 4 eggs a day, we’re all benefiting from them. So quiche will be a regular feature of the menu for the foreseeable future.

We bought a few cabbage plants late last year, and while they don't have heads yet, they are most beautiful to look at.

Here's one of our most frequent winter dinners, our kids are mad about it, and it's very easy to make. Thanks to Michiyo for the initial inspiration for this dish.

Chicken and Daikon stew:
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
lump of ginger, grated ot finely chopped
12 chicken wings or drumsticks
.5 lt Chicken stock/white wine/water
soy sauce
One or 2 daikon, peeled and finely sliced.

Fry the onion and garlic in some oil. Add the chicken , and the liquid. You don't have to cover the chicken, just enough water so it doesn't dry out. Add the ginger. Add a little soy sauce, you don't want it to be too strong. Simmer covered on low heat for about an hour, then add the daikon. A little white pepper will do no harm. Cook for anothe 20 mins or so till the daikon is soft.

Serve with steamed rice - preferably Japanese.