I have set up camp in the greenhouse. There’s so much to do in here at the height of spring that I wonder if I might move a kettle in so I at least have tea whilst I’m sowing seeds.
It’s no chore though. The greenhouse is warm and cosy and watching the seeds as they grow is such a joy that I’d happily spend all day here. Sowing veg seeds is a pleasure too – a little act of hope and the promise of a meal to come. As I sow beetroot, I ponder a parsley, feta and beetroot salad; the newly germinated Little Gem lettuces make me think about summer BBQs and how brilliantly hearted lettuce chars on a hot grill. I plant more peas in module trays (the first were a little slow and one crop is never enough), imagining the salty butter I’ll melt over them as I serve them up with a Sunday roast in a few weeks.
Pea sowing also reminds me that peas would be a good addition to the herby frittata I have planned - a little pop of sweetness amidst the savoury, fragrant egg. Leafy green herbs love springtime, so my little herb bed is livid green with juicy new shoots of parsley, tarragon, chives, sorrel, hyssop and mint. The woodland near my cottage is similarly carpeted with new wild garlic, which I think will go nicely here too…
Pea, herb and wild garlic frittata recipe
Serves 2
3 large whole eggs
3 large egg yolks
50g full fat crème fraîche
50ml double cream
2 tbsp finely chopped wild garlic
4 tbsp finely chopped herbs (parsley, chives, chervil, tarragon… the lot)
200g peas, podded weight (or if frozen, defrosted)
60g cheddar, grated
15g parmesan, grated
1 tbsp pine nuts
Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, crème fraîche, cream and a generous pinch of salt, then beat until smooth. Add the wild garlic, herbs, peas and cheddar.
Pour into a small non-stick oven-friendly frying pan, then scatter over the parmesan and pine nuts. Cook for 300 minutes or until the top is nicely browned, the centre is set and the whole thing has fluffed up.
Slice into wedges and serve.