Harvesting and Eating

 The following are currently being harvested from my garden:

Finger Limes A really great crop of finger limes this year. Have two varieties, one that has yellow /pale green juice vesicles and the skin turns very dark green, almost black, when ripe and the other has red vesicles and
the skin turns from green to almost black and finally to red when ripe. if the ripe fruit is  left too long on the tree it will eventually split open exposing the flesh and then drop off the tree.

Pears
The pear also did very well this year, it is still fairly young and in the past has only had 3 or 4 fruit each year, but this year there were about twenty fruit, that I have just picked  and put in storage and bring out enough to ripen as needed.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
For breakfast I am having pears sprinkled with finger lime 'caviar', which really compliment each other. Am also using the lime vesicles on fish, on lamb chops, in salads as well as on and in desserts. Something that is really simple and extra wonderful is combining the vesicles with vanilla ice cream, the pop of the frozen globules and the flash of citrus is sensational.
A pear, rocket, macadamia nut, finger lime (all from the garden) salad, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and shaved Parmesan, is also something that is difficult to go past.

KarkallaThis indigenous plant commonly called 'pig-face', normally grows on sandy coastal areas and does OK in my garden but, understandably does not have the salty taste of the plants that grow near the sea. Being a low growing plant it also tends to get smothered by the wild excesses of the rocket, mustard greens , rapini, etc unless I am there to rescue it.
I use it fresh in salads and in sandwiches and with grilled meat, the Karkalla is quickly braised in a pan while the meat is resting.

Scarlet RunnerThis is a great bean as it flowers proflically making an attractive addition to the garden, crops well and will re-shoot the next year from a fairly large tuber / root after it dies down in winter.
The beans have a furry skin which does not affect the eating once they are cooked. These beans also have a reputation for being excellent for freezing, though I have always eaten all of my crop rather than freezing any excess.
I use the beans as per normal plus I delight in pasta with beans, tinned tuna, a touch of chilli, garlic, lemon or finger lime dressed with extra virgin olive oil.

Max Dingle                                                           5 March 2014
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