Oct 28th, 2007
Autumn Lettuce Harvest
It’s surprising what you can dig out of your garden at this time of year. Here you can see my recent Autumn salad harvest which includes: the blanched Endive, first Corn Salad, the last of the 4 Seasons lettuce and (amazingly) a cucumber! Not bad for a late October day. A couple of weeks ago I tied up some Endive in my first attempt at blanching – wow what a success that was? It not only worked but the plants have produced some of the best tasting Endive I’ve ever had. The shops never sell Endive by itself. Normally, the only place you’ll find it is inside bags of vacuum packed salad leaves. This has been my only experience of Endive and because of that I was under the impression that Endive was half white with green tips and tasted quite bitter. But my Endive is completely white, all the way through (after you have discarded the outer leaves), and it tastes divine! So sweet that you could eat a whole salad of nothing but Endive and not come across one bitter-tasting leaf. I’m so impressed with them that I’ll be growing more next year.
8 Responses to “Autumn Lettuce Harvest”
I might try that. I’m not a massive fan of bitter flavours in salads, so I have never bothered growing endive before. But from what you’ve said, it sounds more appealling.
I must admit that I have always thought of endive as a bit of a bitter/sharp tasting salad item. Now you have me thinking too.
Yes – that’s what I thought! But this is very sweet once it’s blanched. And the best thing about it is that the slugs leave it alone while it’s green because they don’t like the taste (it seems). It could be the perfect salad leaf.
I’m going to join the gang and give Endive another go next year I think. What variety do you have?
One of my favourite salads in endive with chunks of bacon and croutons in a mustardy vinaigrette – it’s often on menus in France, but not something you see much here … and well worth trying, especially with really good endive, which is, as you say, just about impossible to buy in the UK (even if you are prepared to buy pillow packs)
I think I’ll have to grow some next year – cheaper than a trip to France, probably easier, too ;)
Joanna
Nice one, i just planted some Valdor last weekend, a winter lettuce, hopefully it will give us a nice winter supply if the cover holds!
Good stuff (endive)…I’m gutted now..I lifted mine early as I thought they were way too bitter….Must try again.
I’m off to search your archives for those extra early onion sets you raved about!
Rancid
Hey Rancid,
The early onions are called Radar. They worked a treat!