A couple of leafy questions

Does anybody know what this is.
My Bangladeshi neighbour grew it before he left 10 yrs ago and its still self seeding all over the place.
Tastes a bit like chlorophyll, and thats all.
Guess it needs a bit of curry.:D





The other question is about Rocket, like what are you supposed to do with it. I've grown some expecting it to be a real alternative to lettuce but its tough and tastes like dandelion.

Are you supposed to blanch it or something?

 

I can't answer the first question, but I'll have a go at the second one.

As far as I can tell, it is only the seed retailers who would have us believe that Rocket is an alternative to Lettuce. Rocket is nothing like Lettuce in any way, except that they are both green leafy veg. As you said, Rocket tastes (and looks) a bit like dandelion leaves, and indeed dandelion leaves are a perfectly valid addition to salads. Unlike dandelions though, the flavour is not as bitter. Rocket is best eaten when the leaves are still immature, because only then are they tender and not too bitter. Rocket is, in my opinion at least, very overrated. It does have the advantage that it goes from seed to mature plant very quickly, then self seeds the whole patch, all within a couple of months or so, but to harvest them at the right time it is really tedious picking enough small leaves off to make it worthwhile, and even when you do, you still need to add some lettuce anyway otherwise you end up with a limp, bitter salad.

 

Perpetual spinach, leaf beet or chard are all names for the plant in the pic. It will have a tap root and will run to seed this year. The seeds look like beetroot seed. Cook it just like 'proper' spinach. I grow loads of it as greens to give to our hens. Feeding with some nettle water will produce bigger, greener leaves.

 

Ok thanks, so I think I'll just carry on trying to eradicate the spinach, I dont think its my kind of thing really.

As to the rocket, yep I agree Clueless very overrated, think I'll stick with lettuce.

 

I do NOT like rocket. It's the one thing I have to pick out of my salad. I just don't like it at all, and I don't know why anyone would put it in a perfectly good salad.

 

While we are on the subject of designer green stuff, what's the general opinion of coriander.
The TV chefs seem to be unable to make anything that doesn't contain it.

I'm wondering how they managed before without it.

 

Coriander is brilliant. Very small quantities can be added to salad, too much and the flavour gets too strong. Coriander comes into its own when added in the last few minutes to curry dishes, when it adds a 'fresh' flavour to compliment the spices. It also works well with carrots, in carrot and coriander soup for example.

When it goes to seed, its not finished. Just harvest the seeds and add them early to stir fries and curries, where the heat of cooking will make them crack, and then when you eat the finished dish, you get the occassional sudden burst of really fresh flavour.

 

Oh right so coriander gets a thumbs up. clueless.

Is it worth me getting any seeds, I mean, I dont eat curry.

I tend to be a bit English when it comes to food.:D

 

It forms lovely flower heads, lots of tiny white flowers that really catch the sun, and as the plants are about to finish sometimes the whole plant turns a really striking shade of red before it finally surrenders to its fate.

So I think its worth growing just for its ornamental value, even if you never use it.

 

Ok thanks mate

Might try coriander sandwiches

 

Rocket is great!
Planted some 2 years ago and we pick it to add to othet salad leaves. They should be peppery tasting, not bitter.

Each to their own.

D

 

Thanks X lab, I've just noticed its now going to seed and seems to have a stronger taste.
I think your right I was thinking of it as an alternative to lettuce, perhaps I should use it as an addition?

 

I love rocket! It has a spicy, oily flavour to my tastebuds. I can eat it straight off the plant, flea beetle holes and all, but if I have to be proper it only requires the lightest suggestion of fine olive oil, with some sea salt and lemon juice to make a fab salad.

I really, really love coriander! It is essential to Indian cuisine and also Thai and Latin American food. I add it, chopped, to avocados with some lime juice, sea salt, spring onion and fresh green chili. (I loathe bland food!) It is magic added to Thai coconut milk-based dishes, with fish sauce. Or a prawn broth, it brightens and freshens the flavour. Or chopped with yoghurt for a curry accompaniment. Brilliant as a garnish for anything.

It's probably tying for first place with parsley, which I also adore. It is probably even more indispensible than parsley as lots of dishes just wouldn't taste right without it.

However, I think it's a bit of a dead loss from a decorative point of view. It just goes straight to seed when I grow it. I buy the supermarket pots, and keep cropping, chopping and watering until there's no nourishment left in that pathetic bit of peat. You can eat the roots as well when it gets to that stage.