Tags
There must be an allium that would suit pretty much everyone’s garden. Everyone likes at least one allium really, don’t they?
If flowers are your thing, then there are the ornamentals with showy purple globes in early summer…
Or, for the kitchen, you could grow the herbs, with tasty leaves and edible blooms…
And they’re some of the best additions to a vegetable patch – easy to grow, lots of flavour.
Over the years, I’ve planted a whole range of alliums in the garden here. There’s Allium cristophii, A. sphaerocephalon, A. neopolitanum and other ornamental alliums, all doing a grand job of attracting bees with their nectar-rich flowers. In pots and in the ground, I’m growing chives and garlic chives for leafy flavour from spring onwards (and these too have flowers that attract insects into the garden). And then there is plenty of garlic and lots of shallots in the veg patch.
Way back in the early days of The Garden Deli, getting on for two years ago now, I wrote about shallots. It was a late spring planting – late as usual in this garden. Despite the shortened growing season, the shallots produced a fine summer harvest. This year I’m venturing out into new territory with shallots, and planting them in autumn. I’ve not grown shallots over winter before – the garlic always gets planted in autumn, and I grew some Japanese onions one year at the allotment, but never shallots. It wasn’t really planned that way – I bought them because they were on the rack right next to the garlic at the garden centre. But, it’s always good to try something new, isn’t it? I’ve planted some in pots on the patio to see how they do. They were planted in October and now have a few first leaves looking healthy and green. The rest, planted into a raised bed in November, aren’t showing any signs of growth. But I’m hoping that underground they’re getting established and producing strong roots. Then, come the warm days of spring, there will be no stopping them.
While these shallots are growing, there’s a seed tray full of this summer’s harvest waiting to be used. Prompted by this December’s Cheese, Please! challenge over at Fromage Homage – a cheesy festive nibble was called for. That would, of course, be a festive nibble involving cheese… as opposed to a festive nibble that is low quality and cheap. So, shallots and that most festive of cheeses, Stilton, are paired to make a luxurious dip. Perfect for parties, lunches or a tasty, rich snack to keep in the fridge just in case hunger strikes at some point between all the Christmas eating.
The dip goes very well with carrot and celery sticks if you’re looking for a healthy treat, but is just as good with breadsticks or tortilla chips… we’ve tried them all, just to be sure.
Shallot & Stilton dip
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, peeled, halved and finely sliced
few drops balsamic vinegar
pinch of sugar
½ cup soured cream
½ cup Greek yoghurt
75g Stilton, crumbled into small pieces
pinch of celery salt
freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium to high heat. When the oil is good and hot, add the sliced shallots, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Stir and leave to cook, stirring again once in a while, for 5 minutes or so – until the shallots are starting to brown. Remove from the heat, tip the cooked shallots onto a plate and leave to cool.
Meantime, mix the soured cream, Greek yoghurt and Stilton in a bowl. Season to taste with celery salt (or fine sea salt if you prefer), and black pepper. Stir in the cooled shallots, keeping back about a teaspoonful to sprinkle artistically on the top of the dip when you serve it. Serve immediately (garnished with those extra shallots), or keep the dip in the fridge until you need it.
I adore the architectural style of alliums especially the ornamental ones. I’ve never actually grown any as yet….I do let my chives go to seed because I love their little purple lolly pop heads too!
Have you tried eating chive flowers? I keep meaning to try them – they’re supposed to be good.
I’ve heard that too but, like you, haven’t tried it yet!
We could both add it to our resolution list for the new year… and compare notes!
An excellent idea Sarah – I have ordered some Stilton from the British Cheese Emporium and as I’m the only one who likes it I am glad of a recipe that can be adapted for one person!
Enjoy your Stilton for one Cathy! Did you order many other cheeses too?
A few 😉 – Wensleydale, Caerphilly, Cheddar of course, and some Cheshire! I shall be doing some cooking this week, and then there’ll be a Christmas cheese platter with some German cheeses too. 😀
German cheeses… that’s a whole new region to explore!
Wonderful spread recipe…how long do you suppose it will keep in the fridge? Trying to get as much as possible done before the Big Day, you know 😉
I’m heavy on the culinary alliums here, but I’ve always wanted to plant some of those Giant Drumstick ornamentals…the kids would love them…
I don’t think I’d be eating the dip after more than two or three days in the fridge – but I’m always extra cautious with dairy when I’ve opened them and mixed them together. Maybe you could fry up the shallots in advance and season them, then just mix everything together when you need it?
Alliums are so beautiful…chives are the most we manage here 😉 This sounds lovely – and very festive with the Stilton. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t last long around here if there were some tortilla chips about. Thanks for sharing it with this month’s Cheese, Please! Challenge.
Chives are a very good place to start with alliums! I’ve enjoyed your cheese challenges over the past few months – looking forward to more next year… I should perhaps say that I was, of course, wearing a reindeer outfit when I took the photos for this post!
Of course you were 😉
Oh yes, red nose and all…
Pingback: December’s Cheese, Please! Recipe Blog Challenge – Festive Nibbles | Fromage Homage
Love the dip, but also really enjoying the lovely pics of gorgeous alliums. Perfect for now, when all I have to remember my favourite purple globes are the seedheads on top of the dresser in the hall.
You’re very organised Andrea – I never remember to collect the seedheads for decorations until it’s too late and they’re brown and soggy!
I love Alliums, all of them but I do have to plant every year as it is too dry for them to reflower for me, the exception are the drumsticks, they go on and on.
I didn’t realise they wouldn’t go from year to year if the conditions are too dry… not a problem in Yorkshire! They are worth replanting though, aren’t they?
I love the chives on our allotment, which like you say, the bees love. I have also planted some seed this year – allium christophii – which my sister collected from plants in her garden. Fingers crossed!
Good luck with the seeds! They make beautiful flowers, and it’s nice that the seed came from your sister’s garden.
I have had really mixed results from my alliums this year. My bulb onions and garlic pretty much failed completely. I forgot to plant shallots. But my spring onions and garlic chives have been sensational. I don’t let the garlic chives flower very often – I eat all the flower heads but I do enjoy it when I do.
I had almost exactly the opposite with alliums this year – the garlic and shallots were good, but I don’t think I harvested a single spring onion.
Your dip sounds delicious. Your post reminds me that I should grow some shallots again next year…I enjoy them so much in cooking.
Thanks Karen – hope your shallots do well!
I’ve grown them in New Hampshire but haven’t grown them at our summer cottage in Maine. They may not get as big before I will have to pull them before we have to close the cottage but I know they will still be good.
they are very architectural, arent they? my father has some magnificant leeks goign to flower at the moment, and the heads remind me – of course – of russian ‘onion dome’ churches. you have a magnificent range – i really need to expand my allium repertoire!
I hadn’t thought of them looking like Russian churches, but you’re absolutely right. You could create a Russian skyline with a selection of alliums!
Pingback: December’s Cheese, Please! Recipe Round Up – Festive Nibbles | Fromage Homage