Now is a time of transition in the garden. Leafy plants have largely come and gone and fruits are on their way to being ripe.
Conner and I have been doing our best to plan for succession. It has worked very well with the lettuce and peas. Rather than eat 5lbs of peas in a week, we have been able to spread out the bounty for a longer period of time. Basically you just spread out your planting but weather and pests can largely effect the success of this planning. We are at the tail end of lettuce and it looks like the peas are over. The first flush of summer squash has come on and cucumbers and green beans will shortly follow. We are excited as these new groups of plants mature and whole new dimensions of texture and flavor enter into our diet. We definitely know that greens do get old after a while.
It takes a lot of patience to watch all these fruits mature but we can tell you, that there is a lot to look forward too.
This week’s share:
Zucchini or Yellow Crookneck Squash- I would recommend chopping these up and sauteing with a little butter, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle some chopped basil on top and you’ve got a perfect early summer side dish.
Basil- We put basil in salads, on sandwiches, in sautes, soups, and sauces. If you have run out of idea just make pesto and store it in your freezer for the winter. I like to put some in an ice cube tray and then I can add the perfect amount to my winter cooking.
Choice of Brassica (romanesco/broccoli/rapini)- This could very well be the last broccoli until fall. We roasted our from last week and put it over pasta with basil. Yum!
Italian Parsley- Much like basil, parsley is a very complimentary herb. I can’t say it’s my favorite but some dishes are 10x better with just a tablespoon. Fresh herbs are just such a great gourmet touch to add to a dish. We sprinkle this in almost all pastas we make, add it to rice dishes, almost every saute, and even pesto.
Garlic- This garlic is in the process of being cured. After harvest, curing allows the garlic to concentrate its flavors and develop a protective outer layer for storage. This should be used relatively soon but does not need to be stored in the fridge. A cool dry dark place would be a perfect place to keep it.
Rainbow Chard- Probably our favorite green. I think I’ve shared all my chard secrets already but Google brings up great fuel for creative cooking.
Lacinato Kale- Try Basil and Kale Goat Cheese Pesto. It sounds like a great appetizer to eat out on the grass before dinner. A combination of my favorite things!
