Early Summer Eats from the Garden 2022

Despite planting fewer vegetables this summer to conserve water, we're not going entirely without. 

Let the summer eating begin ... or continue!

Here's a quick run down of our edible garden and some photos - 

• We've been enjoying a lettuce salad with dinner just about every night for several weeks. I seeded a handful or two of "Flashy Trout Back" babyleaf lettuce in early spring and not only is this selection delicious, but the leaves are a beautiful shade of green with heavy freckles. When plants look this good, they truly taste better. 
  

• Yellow and red onion sets were planted the same time as the lettuce. A few were harvested early as green onions. The remaining onions are growing nicely into fuller sized onions which can be harvested just about any time. I like to let them grow well into fall to enjoy over the fall and winter. 

• Garlic scapes were harvested a few weeks ago and made into pesto and used in recipes or as snacks spread over crackers. 

• The fall planted garlic is harvested and drying (curing) in the basement.

• The seeded Smart Pots® of basil are hitting their stride and added to salads and made into pesto. We'll process and freeze batches of chopped leaves with olive oil soon.  
  

• The tomato plants (just three) have small fruit, or as my Mom used to say - the first noticeable tomatoes are "setting on."

• Martini cucumbers were seeded a couple of weeks ago. I intentionally waited to direct seed so they'll hopefully be ready to harvest about the same time the "Early Girl" tomatoes start ripening. The combination of olive oil drizzled cucumbers and tomatoes (with a touch of salt) has become our afternoon fresh vegetable happy hour. 

 

The lasagna dish to the right came out a tad runny, but it just "ran" with outstanding flavor. The main ingredients included spicy Italian sausage, last summer's thawed, previously frozen tomatoes, 3/4 cup of fresh garlic scape pesto and young basil greens on top. The secret ingredient replacing the ricotta cheese was creme fraiche.

 

Summer lasagna isn't very refreshing on hot summer days, so I prepared this dish on one of the rainy, cooler days a few weeks ago. 

 

Newly harvested garlic tastes very mild, it heats up as it cures. One of our favorite meals is garlic infused olive oil* on low heat drizzled over pasta topped with shrimp or chicken. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, crumbled prosciutto and basil and you'll instantly become the family chef.

 

*Please pay heed and when making garlic infused oil, use it same day or within a few days (stored in the refrigerator at forty degrees). There is a possible risk of botulism with homemade infused oil not stored properly. Read more here. 

 

Basil is growing in Smart Pots® covered with bridal tulle to prevent Japanese beetles from eating (yes, they have officially arrived to our yard).

I hope you're also enjoying your homegrown fruits and vegetables. 

 

Happy Summer Dear Reader!