Carla Capalbo Archives | Saveur

I (Basically) Stopped Weeding Thanks to This Game-Changing Gardening Method

Carla Capalbo — Fri, 19 May 2023 17:01:16 +0000

Charles Dowding's Homeacres garden in Somerset, England; Photography by Charles Dowding

When I first saw Zara’s garden, it was waist-high in stinging nettles, thistles and other scary weeds. Mallow, bindweed, green alkanet, dock … In the five years the vegetable plot had been uncultivated, an impenetrable thicket had taken over. Zara, a woman from Sarajevo who moved to London in the 1980s, was now in her eighties. She’d been renting this piece of ground in West London for over 30 years but was no longer able to care for it. I asked if she’d let me try to revive it. When she said yes, I was thrilled.

Charles Dowding hoeing in his garden; Photography by Edward Dowding

Little did I imagine that, in just a few months, I’d be growing over 30 kinds of vegetables there—with hardly any weeds in sight, a testament to a method called No Dig that would completely change my perspective on gardening.

The plot was an allotment, a British institution that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times. Allotments took their present form in the 1920s, when the government encouraged city dwellers and servicemen returning from the war to grow food on land owned by local councils and boroughs. To this day, allotments are often found along railway lines, rivers, and in other unused spaces. They’re protected by law and exist in varying forms all over Europe. Ours is in Chiswick, sandwiched between the River Thames and a large sports club.

The allotment when I took it over, smothered by weeds, September 2021; Photography by Carla Capalbo

Once I had the go-ahead from Zara in October 2021, I was eager to get going—but the task was overwhelming. The plot, as big as a doubles tennis court, was thick with weeds (and the millions of weed seeds deposited over the years). I had watched my mother lose her battles with bindweed years before so I knew I wanted to avoid back-breaking weeding. My garden was going to be organic and I would not be using chemical weed killers or fertilizers that do so much damage to the environment. And digging was against my other rule: Don’t disturb the soil.

Writing about soil microbiologists Claude and Lydia Bourguignon in 2003 taught me that soil is home to millions of organisms that maintain its health. Two-thirds of the world’s creatures live underground, from worms and woodlice at the top to invisibly tiny critters deep down. Turning the soil (or, worse, spraying it with a weed killer) disrupts and often kills them. The mycelium—the fungal super-network that exists below ground and helps plants, including trees, grow and communicate with one another—is also damaged by digging the soil.

First steps: covering the weeds with tarpaulins for the winter. September 2021; Photography by Carla Capalbo

I knew what I wanted but wasn’t sure how to achieve it. Then I found Charles Dowding. Dowding, an Englishman based in Somerset, has spent over 40 years growing and selling organic vegetables. Over time he developed No Dig gardening, a method that—I soon discovered—commanded an army of online enthusiasts eager to spread the gospel. No Dig enriches the soil without disturbing it and reduces labor and weeds by using compost spread on top of the soil. You plant into the compost and let the roots find their way down into the soil beneath. From my research, I understood the theory. You simply place a sheet of unglazed cardboard onto the weeds or grass, cover it with four inches of compost, and plant the seeds or seedlings into that. Any weed seeds on the soil’s surface are buried under the cardboard and, deprived of light, can’t germinate. A few resistant weeds do work their way up through the disintegrating cardboard after a few weeks, but they’re easy to spot and remove. Eventually, even bindweed gives up the fight.

It sounded too good to be true, but I couldn’t wait to try it. My No Dig journey began in winter—that’s when I covered most of the allotment with thick black tarpaulins to get a head start on smothering the waist-high weeds. By March I was ready to peel back a small amount of the cloth the size of my first new bed. Most of the weeds had died. Those with bigger roots at risk of restarting, like stinging nettles or alkanet, I eased out with a trowel. I laid a large piece of recycled cardboard over the exposed soil and covered it with four inches of store-bought compost. Then I started planting. As easy as that.

The first beds: potatoes on the left and onions, broad beans, radishes, and spinach on the right. May 2022; Photography by Carla Capalbo

With every sprouting plant, I became more ambitious. The bulk of the weeds were gone, and the bones of the former garden began to appear: paths, borders, walkways. Using more cardboard and compost, I created beds for asparagus, flowers to encourage pollinating insects, and a section for the fruit bushes loved by the British: blackcurrants, redcurrants, and gooseberries, underplanted with strawberries. Everything grew and was full of flavor.

In no time, I was harvesting. First came the broad beans and peas, followed by onions, leeks, and spinach—including the abundant everlasting spinach-beet whose taste is milder than classic spinach. Then came the potatoes, which are easier to pull up with No Dig. Again, working against conventional wisdom, Dowding doesn’t dig trenches for his potatoes but rather places them on the surface of the soil and mounds them with compost.

Peas, beans, salads, and flowers growing in more beds made with cardboard and compost. June 2022; Photography by Carla Capalbo

By midsummer, I was obsessed with No Dig. Not only was I producing far more vegetables than I could eat myself; I was doing it much more easily than my neighbors who were using more conventional methods. My plants were healthier, less prone to attacks by insects, and abundant. From watching Dowding’s YouTube videos and studying his books (No Dig is my favorite), I learned many tricks. For instance, in damp England, where slugs and snails devour so many crops, Dowding suggests removing the lowest leaves of plants such as cabbage or lettuce once they begin to yellow, as these are the kind the slugs are most interested in. Equally, eliminating any decomposing wooden borders from the beds is another easy way to discourage the slugs. Dowding also advocates leaving the roots of vegetables in the ground after they have finished their growing cycle to create more organic matter in the soil.

Dowding was not the first gardener to experiment with No Dig. Farmers all over the globe have practiced no-till methods for millennia, and there are similar systems such as Masanobu Fukuoka’s One-Straw method and Ruth Stout’s No-Work variant of permaculture, but Dowding’s is the only approach to feature compost as surface mulch. That’s what makes it so approachable and easy for people like me, no matter how challenging the soil conditions are. You feed the soil from above (as happens naturally with falling leaves, etc), and leave the work to the worms and other creatures to carry the nutrients down into the lower ground. I’m making my own compost now and will use that to spread about one inch onto the beds this winter.

Borlotti beans climbing up a frame, corn, and many flowers. August 2022; Photography by Carla Capalbo

By the time September rolled around, No Dig had changed my life. Not only had I produced enough vegetables to last me through the winter—and give lots to friends—but going to the allotment, which is about a mile from my house, had become the most pleasurable part of my daily routine. Instead of dreading the grind of weeding and seeing my plants devoured by pests, it has been a thrill to watch my vegetables grow, and then to cook them.

This growing season, with a year of No Dig gardening under my belt, I’m branching out and planting vegetables I’d never dared to experiment with before. Red-veined spinach, six types of onions, rose-streaked celery, purple string beans, pink fir apple potatoes… The time that was freed up from not having to dig or weed I devoted to tracking down and ordering a wide variety of seeds—which will no doubt make this year’s meals more varied, unusual, and delicious. As we speak, I’m bringing home armfuls of sweet fresh peas, which go into risi e bisi, which is easier than risotto as it requires less stirring; I always add a teaspoon of fennel seeds to mine.

What I picked in August 2022 including purple beans, squashes, zinnias, spinach-beet, and carrots; Photography by Carla Capalbo

Come summer, salads will take center stage in my house again. But this year, I’ll be reaching for bitter radicchio and escarole, peppery nasturtium leaves, wild arugula, and sweet purple lettuces.

Then, as many bemoan the arrival of cold weather, I’ll be content roasting squashes with estate-bottled extra-virgin olive oil and Sicilian capers preserved in salt. And I’ll get through the winter cooking kale, cabbage, and cima di rape (from seeds bought in Italy).

A summer salad: lots of types of leaves, cucumber, and nasturtium leaves and flowers. August 2022; Photography by Carla Capalbo

Because of No Dig, I am now surrounded year round by all the chutneys, jams, soups, and other preserves my garden gave me. I’m blessed with so much produce that I recently bought an enormous freezer to store it all (and a greenhouse for my seedlings)—a small price to pay for all of No Dig’s riches.

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In England, Pudding is the Definition of Dessert

Carla Capalbo — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 15:15:19 +0000

Still-warm fruit crumbles, milky rice puddings, jam tarts—a meal from our English nanny never ended without one of these classic British puddings. That word, while it can mean either sweet or savory in Britain, is used in the U.K. the way “dessert” is in America. There are so many types and recipes that a determined baker could easily serve a new pudding every day for weeks on end. But the most classic are cakes made moist with syrups or jams, steamed and served warm with a decadent custard or toffee sauce for drizzling.

As a New York–born girl growing up in London, I was amazed at the many ways the key question—to me—of whether we were having dessert could be asked. “What’s for afters?” was one, along with “What’s for pud?” My younger, London-raised half-brother came up with my favorite: “Is there an OP [official pudding] today?”

Lynne Mallinson runs a company called Country Puddings in Cumbria, northern England, where she makes 300,000 puddings per year, supplying farm stores and specialty food shops and markets throughout the British Isles with various options, including tart lemon sponge and fudgy chocolate. “I was a farmer’s wife with small children, wanting to work from home,” she says about getting her start. (For four years, she baked sticky toffee pudding every night at home until her company took off.) Sponges are easy to whip up with simple cupboard staples such as jams and preserves, fruit syrups, or dried fruit—classic ingredients in the category.

This version from Mallinson, in which bittersweet marmalade blends with orange-flavored liqueur, strikes all the springy, syrupy notes of the puds we begged for in our youth.

Recipe

Steamed Marmalade Pudding with Toffee Sauce

Get the recipe >

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Meat-Filled Khinkali Dumplings

Carla Capalbo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:36:22 +0000

Spiced khinkali, or pork and beef dumplings, from Tasting Georgia. Kat Craddock

Khinkali are Georgian soup dumplings. In the high Caucasus mountains of Kazbegi, the khinkali are usually stuffed with lightly spiced meat.

This filling can be made of ground beef, pork, or a mixture of both. Make sure there is some fat in the filling; if the meat is very lean, add an extra 2 tablespoons of butter or oil to the mixture. Meat khinkali are supposed to be juicy and your aim is to trap some of the rich broth inside the dumplings.

(Adapted from Tasting Georgia; A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus by Carla Capalbo)

What You Will Need

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 cups (9 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. kosher salt
Olive or canola oil for greasing

For the Filling:

3 ¹⁄₂ oz. ground beef
3 ¹⁄₂ oz. ground pork
¹⁄₂ cup beef or pork stock
¹⁄₃ cup (1½ oz.) white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
¹⁄₄ tsp. medium-hot fresh chili, such as Fresno, finely chopped
¹⁄₄ tsp. dried kondari (summer savory) or thyme
¹⁄₄ tsp. coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
¹⁄₄ tsp. caraway seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
¹⁄₈ tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

First, make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, egg, salt, and ½ cup water. Pulse until the mixture forms a ball of dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 4-5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap while you prepare the filling.
In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef and pork, stock, onion cilantro, butter, garlic, chili, kondari or thyme, coriander, caraway, cumin, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Use a fork or your hands to mix the filling until thoroughly combined, then set aside.
Divide the dough roughly into thirds and keep ⅔ of the dough covered while you roll out the first piece. Sprinkle a your work surface lightly with flour then use a rolling pin to roll one piece of dough out to a thickness of about ¼-inch inch. Use a thin glass or circular cookie cutter 2½ inches in diameter to punch out as many circles as possible. Peel off the scraps of excess dough, make it into a ball, and add it to the remaining dough. Roll each circle out into a large, thin circle of about 4 inches in diameter. Place a packed tablespoon of filling into the center of one circle and begin pleating the edges together, gathering the dough at the top like a cloth pouch to trap the filling in the centre. When you have pleated all the way around, pinch the top knot together firmly and give it a little twist to make sure the khinkali is well sealed. Set the finished khinkali on a lightly floured baking sheet or platter. Continue making dumplings with the remaining dough and filling.
Bring a large pot of salted water with two bay leaves in it to a rolling boil. Lower the khinkali into the water and stir gently with a wooden spoon to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Boil until the dumplings float and the dough is tender, about 9 minutes. Drain and serve immediately, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.

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Red Ajika

Carla Capalbo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:37:18 +0000

Georgian Ajika Paste. Kat Craddock

Megrelian ajika – like intense salsas – are best made in summer. Serve as a condiment at a large meal like a Georgian supra, or swirl it into marinades for fish or poultry. Stored in clean, airtight jars in the fridge, it will keep for up to 2 weeks.

(Adapted from Tasting Georgia; A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus by Carla Capalbo)

Yield: makes 3 Cups

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 cups (9 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. kosher salt
Olive or canola oil for greasing

For the Filling:

3 ¹⁄₂ oz. ground beef
3 ¹⁄₂ oz. ground pork
¹⁄₂ cup beef or pork stock
¹⁄₃ cup (1½ oz.) white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
¹⁄₄ tsp. medium-hot fresh chili, such as Fresno, finely chopped
¹⁄₄ tsp. dried kondari (summer savory) or thyme
¹⁄₄ tsp. coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
¹⁄₄ tsp. caraway seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
¹⁄₈ tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

First, make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, egg, salt, and ½ cup water. Pulse until the mixture forms a ball of dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 4-5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap while you prepare the filling.
In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef and pork, stock, onion cilantro, butter, garlic, chili, kondari or thyme, coriander, caraway, cumin, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Use a fork or your hands to mix the filling until thoroughly combined, then set aside.
Divide the dough roughly into thirds and keep ⅔ of the dough covered while you roll out the first piece. Sprinkle a your work surface lightly with flour then use a rolling pin to roll one piece of dough out to a thickness of about ¼-inch inch. Use a thin glass or circular cookie cutter 2½ inches in diameter to punch out as many circles as possible. Peel off the scraps of excess dough, make it into a ball, and add it to the remaining dough. Roll each circle out into a large, thin circle of about 4 inches in diameter. Place a packed tablespoon of filling into the center of one circle and begin pleating the edges together, gathering the dough at the top like a cloth pouch to trap the filling in the centre. When you have pleated all the way around, pinch the top knot together firmly and give it a little twist to make sure the khinkali is well sealed. Set the finished khinkali on a lightly floured baking sheet or platter. Continue making dumplings with the remaining dough and filling.
Bring a large pot of salted water with two bay leaves in it to a rolling boil. Lower the khinkali into the water and stir gently with a wooden spoon to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Boil until the dumplings float and the dough is tender, about 9 minutes. Drain and serve immediately, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.

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Spicy Ribs (Tskhare Neknebi)

Carla Capalbo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:20:52 +0000

Photography by Kat Craddock

Diaroni, a restaurant in western Georgia, is famous for its delicate veal ribs. Since this cut can be hard to find outside of the country, cookbook author Carla Capalbo recommends substituting baby back pork ribs. For added flavor, marinate the meat several hours before cooking.

Ajika is a spicy chile paste that is very popular in western Georgia; make your own, or buy dried red ajika at well-stocked Eastern European markets.

This recipe is adapted from Tasting Georgia: A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus by Carla Capalbo.

Yield: serves 4-6

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

¹⁄₃ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. dry ajika or 2 Tbsp. wet ajika, store-bought or homemade (see following recipe)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced medium-hot fresh chile, such as Fresno, to taste
2 lb. small veal ribs or baby back pork ribs, cut into 2-rib pieces
Thinly sliced red or white onion, to garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, oil, ajika, garlic, and chile. Add the ribs and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
An hour before cooking, remove the ribs from the refrigerator, set a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 325°F. Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet and roast, flipping once halfway through, until the meat is nicely browned and tender, 60–70 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the onion, and serve immediately.

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Beans with Walnuts and Spices

Carla Capalbo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:36:46 +0000

This wonderfully complex bean recipe is thickened and seasoned with a paste of pounded walnuts and the dried petals and fresh leaves of the orange French marigold plant. The leaves are pungent, with a distinct, vegetal note that gives the stew extra dimension. The best texture is achieved by working all the flavorings in a mortar and pestle, however a food processor also produces great results.

It also gets its kick of acidity from tkemali, a traditional Georgian condiment made from unripe green plums, herbs, and spices. Tkemali can be found bottled in some Eastern European markets, but if you have trouble finding it, a splash of lemon juice is a fine substitute.

Adapted from Tasting Georgia; A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus

2 cups (12 oz.) dried Borlotti, cranberry, pinto, or other fine-skinned beans
1 tsp. ground marigold petals
¹⁄₂ tsp. dried kondari (summer savory) or ¼ tsp. thyme
¹⁄₄ tsp. cayenne pepper
³⁄₄ cup cilantro, finely chopped, divided
1 ¹⁄₂ cups onion, finely chopped, divided
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. dried whole marigold petals
¹⁄₂ tsp. coriander seed
3 whole garlic cloves (½ oz.)
2 tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped celery leaves
1 cup (4 oz) ground walnuts
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground fenugreek
2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. Georgian sour plum sauce (tkemali) or lemon juice
French marigold leaves, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

12 hours before you plan to cook the dish, soak the beans: In a large pot, cover the beans with several inches of cold water and refrigerate overnight.
The following day, drain the beans, discarding the soaking liquid. Rinse well and return the beans to the large pot. Cover them with an inch of fresh water, set over medium-high heat, and bring to the boil. Boil until a cap of foam forms over the beans, about 15 minutes, then drain the beans through a colander and rinse again. Return the beans to the pot, cover them with another inch of fresh water, and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil and cook, skimming off any foam that appears, for 45 minutes. Add the ground marigold, kondari or thyme, cayenne, half of the chopped cilantro, and half of the onions. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 45–50 minutes, adding more water as necessary to keep the beans covered by an inch of liquid.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. As the foam begins to subside, add the remaining onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and light golden, 12–15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound or pulse together the whole marigold petals and the coriander seed. Add the garlic and pound or pulse to break up the garlic. Add the parsley, celery leaf, and remaining remaining cilantro, pounding or pulsing until the mixture is a coarse paste. Pound or pulse in the ground walnuts, fenugreek, and salt until well-combined and set aside.
When the beans are tender, reduce to medium-low heat and stir the paste into the pot. Add the sautéed onions and the sour plum sauce or lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes more. Taste for seasoning, divide into serving bowls, garnish with marigold leaves (if using) and serve immediately, either hot or at room temperature.

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Eggplant Rolls (Nigvziani Badrijani)

Carla Capalbo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:43:18 +0000

This classic recipe is found throughout Georgia as part of the vegetable starters for a supra, but they're great with drinks before dinner too. Small eggplants are sliced lengthwise, salted, rinsed, and lightly fried, before being spread with garlicy walnut paste and rolled up. Get the recipe for Eggplant Rolls (Nigvziani Badrijani) ». Kat Craddock

This classic recipe is found throughout Georgia as part of the vegetable starters for a supra, but they’re great with drinks before dinner too. Small eggplants are sliced lengthwise, salted, rinsed, and lightly fried, before being spread with garlicy walnut paste and rolled up. Make the walnut paste while the eggplants are being salted. The main reason to salt them is to reduce the amount of oil they absorb during frying; the bitterness has been bred out of most eggplants nowadays.

(Adapted from Tasting Georgia; A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus by Carla Capalbo)

1 ¹⁄₂ cups (7 oz.) walnuts
2-3 small garlic cloves (¼ oz.)
¹⁄₂ tsp. coriander seeds
¹⁄₄ tsp. ground fenugreek
1-1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. plus 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided
3 tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped
3 tbsp. fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 tsp. fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. medium-hot red chili pepper, such as Fresno, finely chopped (optional)
6-7 small or 3–4 medium eggplants (about 1¼ lb.), stemmed and cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices
Canola or vegetable oil for frying
2 tbsp. pomegranate seeds and/or additional chopped herbs for topping

Instructions

Combine the walnuts, garlic, coriander seed, fenugreek, 1 teaspoon salt, cilantro, basil, mint, dill, chilli (if using), ¼ cup of water in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have an even, spreadable paste. If the mixture seems too dry, thin with up to 3 additional tablespoons of water.
Sprinkle each eggplant slice with a little salt on both sides and place in a large bowl for 30 minutes to draw out some of the water. Drain the slices in a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Squeeze each slice carefully to remove excess liquid, then pat dry with paper towels.
Line a baking sheet with several layers of dry paper towels and set by the stove. In a large, deep skillet, add enough oil to come up ½ inch and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (350°F on a deep-fry thermometer), add a single layer of eggplant slices to the pan. Don’t crowd them or the oil temperature will drop and the eggplant will become greasy. Fry until golden, 3–4 minutes per side, then use tongs or a slotted metal spoon to transfer them to the lined baking sheet. Continue frying the rest of the slices in batches.
When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, spread a tablespoon of the walnut paste onto each slice, then roll them up up and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs, and additional salt if you like.

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