Vegetable Conversation

Sunday 24th October

Day 186

I don’t know what I’m going to cook yet. I trust something will happen if I start chopping. Spread out on the kitchen counter is a bright kaleidoscope of produce - most culled from the allotment yesterday - for which I’m deeply grateful - especially to my lovely husband.

I start with a leek and slowly our supper separates out into three different recipes - the nature of the vegetables guiding me, talking to me. The roots want to stick together so carrots, tiny potatoes and a knobbly jerusalem artichoke end up simmering with the leek in one pan.The shiny purple aubergine nudges me towards the last two courgettes and long crisp green peppers ..... of course - ratatouille! And into the pan goes a red onion, soft ripe tomatoes - the bad bits cut off - lots of garlic and chopped parsley. At the last minute I open a tin of butter beans and shoot them in with some fresh chilli. So my ratatouille becomes a spicy vegetable stew.

The third pan is packed with greens - chopped broccoli, cabbage, beans and pak choi ready to be steamed and butter tossed. Now my vegetable conversation is over. I wonder what tomorrow’s topic will be.