Straight From The Kitchen Garden... 

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

There is nothing I love more than being able to pick produce straight from the garden.  Sadly my garden in London is quite small, and although I have managed to squeeze in a couple of tomato plants, some purple runner beans, herbs, hydrangeas and lavender I am pretty pushed for space!

Although my favourite 'Elizabeth & King Deli' on the New Kings road, where I source much of my ingredients has a stunning array of vegetables, unusual heirloom tomatoes, multi coloured radishes, micro herbs and edible flowers, it's not quite the same as going into the garden and pulling your veg out of the soil!  That's why I love going down to my parents in Kent so much! 

My mum Sophia, who writes the popular lifestyle blog 'Sophia Home' www.sophiahomelifestyle.blogspot.co.uk is the 'Queen of Kitchen Gardens'.  Her perfectly laid out kitchen garden with its raised beds are filled with everything from wild alpine strawberries to gorgeous purple artichokes. Anything you can think of.. she grows it! 

Last weekend I was in my element, pottering around collecting early pickings of salad leaves and edible flowers,  to go towards creating gorgeous salads straight from the garden. 

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

How stunning are these Alliums... can you spot the bee? I managed to find some gorgeous chive flowers growing in the herb garden which I thought would look perfect in my summer salad to capture the essence of the photo above.

Cannellini Bean, Feta, Tahini and Chive Summer Salad...

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

Recipe...

serves 2

1 tin cannellini beans washed and drained

1 red onion thinly sliced

1 red chilli finely diced

1/2 bunch coriander roughly chopped

1/2 bunch chives roughly chopped

1/2 pack feta crumbled

Dressing

1 tbsp tahini paste

1 clove garlic crushed

1/2 lemon juiced 

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp greek yoghurt

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

Place the salad ingredients into a bowl and in a separate bowl mix the dressing ingredients together and then toss with the salad. 

Garnish with edible flowers and chive flowers.

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

These radishes came straight out of the ground ten minutes before I served them up with drinks! I mixed ground cumin with salt and served it along side to dip the radishes into it... so tasty!

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

These roasted asparagus with lemon, green harissa dressing and almonds were to die for...

Green Harissa Dressing...

Recipe

1 green chilli

1/2 bunch parsley

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cardamom

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp sugar

200ml avocado oil

Pinch of salt

Wizz up all the ingredients in a food processor and massage onto the asparagus. Roast for 5-6 mins and serve sprinkled with almonds.

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

I am looking forward to being back home in my Mum's kitchen garden before too long, to pick the 'Baby Kale' that we planted together...

Photo credit: 'G's Kitchen'

I hope you're having a lovely weekend,

Georgie xxx