My partner grows – apart from a fabulous summer crop of garlic and tomatoes, amongst other veggies – a years supply of shallots. We have enough to see us through a year. Here is the chimichurri I made a couple of weeks ago with the scapes he harvested. We’re still eating it. It’s sort of a pesto sauce consistency without the pine nuts. Spring onions will work just as well, I guess you’d need about 6 large bunches of spring onions.

*scapes are the flower buds of garlic, onions, shallots etc, snipped off early before they begin to swell or flower about 10 cm from the tip of the bud while the stalks are still tender; they are also delicious in stir fries.

• About 40 scapes
• 1 heaped cup fresh mint leaves, use 2 cups for extra minty zing
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 3 shallots or 1 small onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 cup olive oil, or enough for a thick pouring paste
• Ground pepper
• Ground Himalayan salt
• 3 Fresh or dried chillies
• 3 tblsp sherry vinegar

Blend the scapes with the olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients and blend for at least 3 minutes. Pour into sterilised jars and use within a month. Keep refrigerated.

It’s delicious served over any meat, with cheese on radish “crackers”, stirred into mayo or drizzled over salad or boiled eggs.

On my way back from taking a photo of the newly lifted harvested shallots which are now drying on the fence, I met Little Miss Fluffypants, aka, Felicity.

Oh, hi!

Aren’t these beautiful?! After a busy day cleaning and cooking, time for some vidya gaming with my sweetie! Today he is trying his hand at making kimchi with the daikon radish greens harvested today as well. I’m intrigued and watching his progress in awe!