Growing Tips and Recipes

How to Care for Your Gourmet Salad Garden

Check your basket daily to see if it needs water; the top should always be slightly moist, but not soggy. In warm weather, it will need a minimum daily watering, sometimes more.

Fertilize at least once a week. Use a dilution of fish fertilizer and liquid seaweed: 2 Tbs fertilizer concentrate to one gallon of water. The easiest thing to do is to save a plastic gallon milk mug, mix up the fertilizer, and use this for your daily watering. In addition, fill a small spray bottle with the fertilizer mix and mist the basket several times a week. This way you're feeding both the roots and also the leaves.

To harvest, gently pinch the outermost leaves at the base of the plant, being careful not to pull the entire plant out by its roots. Choose only the leaves you will eat immediately, leaving the others to grow for your next meal. Gently wash and pat dry before serving.

Your salad garden prefers our Pacific NW morning sun and afternoon shade, but can tolerate more shade if necessary. By all means, keep it out of the hot sun! This usually means that placing it on the west or south side of the house is impractical. Save that space for tomatoes, cucumbers and other heat loving veggies.

The salad greens in your basket have been carefully chosen for flavor, texture and beauty and with proper care and attention, your garden will provide you with fresh and healthy salads throughout the growing season.

Enjoy!

Sesame Ginger Dressing Over Shungiku

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbs soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbs honey or brown sugar

2 Tbs peeled and minced ginger

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in blender and process, adding a small amount of water if needed.

Especially good when tossed lightly over a selection of freshly washed greens that include shungiku (chrysanthemum) greens and flowers.

Grilled Artichokes with Butter

2 large artichokes
1 TBS black peppercorns
4 cloves garlic
1 lemon, halved
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare a grill with hot coals, or turn your gas grill up to high heat.

Cut artichokes into quarters and use scissors to snip the sharp tips of leaves off. Scoop out the prickly center part and throw away, then rub the cut side of the artichoke with a lemon half to prevent yellowing.

Place artichokes in a large pot of cold water. Add peppercorns and garlic, squeeze the juice of the lemon into the water and drop the leftover lemon peel into the water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until leaves pull off easily and the bottoms of the artichokes are tender.

Remove from the pot and drain. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place artichokes on hot grill and cook for 3 minutes each side or until grill marks appear. Remove and serve immediately with garlic lemon butter

Garlic Lemon Butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Leaves from 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Clarify by skimming the fat solids from the clear butter below, then discard the solids. Add lemon zest, garlic cloves, salt and fresh thyme. Cook on low until garlic browns slightly and becomes aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, mix well and drizzle over artichokes or serve on the side as a dipping sauce.

Classic Sorrel Sauce

The light lemony taste of sorrel sauce drizzled over fresh asparagus is a harbinger of spring!

3 cups sorrel, cut into thin strips

3 TBS unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pinch of cayenne, nutmeg (optional)

Wash sorrel and remove stems. Roll leaves into cigar shape and thinly slice. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add sorrel and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it melts into a puree — 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes while adding seasonings. Sauce should thicken. Makes 1 cup.

Our Favorite Salad Dressing

This is a standby at the farm -- we all love the creaminess over freshly picked greens. A little goes a long way, and it's not low-fat, so use in moderation! If you are going to use all of the dressing in one night, try snipping some fresh herbs and mixing them in.

1 C lite sour cream

1 C olive oil mayo

1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic

3 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp dry mustard

5 oz. fresh cheese (try bleu or gorgonzola)

3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Mix thoroughly. Thin to desired consistency with milk, cream or buttermilk. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Shannon's Oil and Vinegar

3/4 C vinegar of choice

3/4 C oil of choice

1/8 C sugar

1/2 clove garlic

Blend all ingredients except oil in the blender. Slowly drizzle oil into running blender to emulsify. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before using, and refrigerate any unused portion for up to 2 days.

Experiment with different vinegars: wine, balsamic, rice, etc., as well as varying your oil choice. (I like to use avocado, walnut, and olive oils.) Snip some fresh herbs, and you can have a different dressing every night.

Sauteed Kale with Garlic

1 bunch Lacinato kale, chopped in large pieces

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

a splash of good olive oil

a dash of white wine or water

salt and pepper

a squeeze of fresh lemon

Heat up your frying pan until quite hot. Add the olive oil and garlic, saute until lightly browned and fragrant. Add the kale, the wine (or water), salt and pepper and coat rapidly. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan and cook lightly for another 10 minutes. Add more seasoning if needed and serve piping hot, with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Huauzontle (Red Aztec Spinach)

This annual herb, which can grow to a height of nearly 4' in the right conditions, is native to Mexico, and has been around since ancient times. Give it moist soil that drains well, and plenty of sunshine.

The leaves, flowers, stalks and seeds are all edible, and very nutritious. As the name suggests, the leaves are mild and can be substituted any time spinach is called for. Because the leaves contain substances called saponins, limit how often you eat them raw, however.

The flower clusters can be cooked like brocolli, and are considered very gourmet.

The seeds were a staple food in ancient cultures and can be ground and used as flour, or mixed with other ground grains in the preparation of bread. The seed heads are also often fried after they are dipped in batter.

Huauzontle is nutritious, but it's important to consume it in moderate quantities because of the small amount of toxic substances called saponins and some oxalic acids. If you have health problems such as arthritis, rheumatism, hyperacidity, gout or kidney problems, be more careful when including this plant in your regular diet.

Huauzontle con Cebollas y Comino

(Huauzontles sauteed with onion, garlic, cumin and vinegar)

1 1/2 TBS olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp cumin seed, lightly pan toasted then ground

1 tsp cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 TBS unsalted butter

1 pound huauzontle

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until lightly carmelized, approx 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook 1 minute. Reserve in the pan off heat.

Bring a large frying pan of water to a boil. Add huauzontle and cook, uncovered, until tender but still bright green, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon the onions over the top.