Garden Fresh…..
This is the time of the year when our spring garden ambitions are bound to
catch up with us. The call of freshly turned soil and those packets of seeds
with names to conjure garden bounty were easy enough to indulge on sunny cool
days of spring, with just enough rain in the forecast to assure that all those
seeds are going to grow. So, like most gardeners I followed the Pied Piper
temptations. The mid to late summer price is having to spend hours in the
harvest mode.
The shelling peas are almost finished, lettuce and endive are still thriving,
baby- cucumbers make a tempting snack right from the garden, green
peppers and the first cherry tomatoes are starting to color, the French
Fingerlings are blooming and yielding the first small rosy potatoes and yes,
the first zucchini has made it’s appearance. This year even my erratic
raspberry patch is producing a crop.
Harvesting in July heat is less than pleasant, but the product means enjoyable
garden-fresh produce for everyday meals. Many of the vegetables can grace the
table as appetizers in raw form with an herbed dip or need only to be cooked to
tender crisp. Others are combined to produce everything from salads to sides to
deserts.
Herbed cream cheese dip
With a mixer blend 3 oz. room temperature cream cheese with 2 tblsp. each mayonnaise
and sour cream. Stir in 1 minced clove garlic (optional), 2 tsp. minced onion,
¼ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. dry mustard, 1 tblsp. lemon juice, ¼ tsp. thyme, dash of
Tabasco and 2 tblsp. minced parsley or chives. Allow flavors to blend for a
couple of hours in the refrigerator and serve in a shallow bowl surrounded by a
variety of vegetable spears.
Cherry or grape tomatoes make a wonderful addition to many salads, but also can
be effectively used in cooked dishes.
Roasted tomatoes with shrimp and Feta
In an 8x8 inch baking dish mix 1 ½ pints cherry or grape tomatoes (slice larger
ones in half), 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tblsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. red pepper
flakes and 1 tsp. coarse salt. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 15
minutes. Stir in 1 lb. peeled, deveined fresh medium shrimp and ½ cup chopped
jarred roasted peppers and continue to bake 10-15 minutes until the shrimp turn
pink. Remove from oven and toss with 3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese and 2 tbsp.
fresh lemon juice. Serve on boiled rice, noodles or with crisp French bread.
A very versatile staple for deserts this time of the year is berry coulis.
Coulis is a thick rich sauce made of vegetables or fruit to give flavor to either
meats or deserts. Sorrel coulis with it’s tart flavor goes well with seafoods
and roasted tomato-red pepper coulis can accompany a variety of dishes. This
time of the year blueberry-raspberry coulis is great on everything from ice
cream to puddings to poached pears and even tapioca.
Blueberry-raspberry coulis
In a 4 quart pot combine 2 cups rinsed fresh Maine blueberries, 2 cups fresh
raspberries, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 ½ cups sugar and ¼ tsp. ground
cloves. Bring to boil and stirring occasionally cook on low heat for
about 15 minutes, until berries are falling apart and the mix starts to
thicken. Press mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds and
the skins. Press with a spoon or spatula to extract as much liquid as possible.
The coulis is ready to serve or will keep refrigerated for a couple of weeks
for multiple uses.
The joys of eating garden-fresh in the summer can not be overestimated.
Fortunately for those who do not have their own productive gardens, Farmers
Markets, roadside stands and even the supermarket allows one to participate in
this seasonal pleasure. In fact, there are times in this gardener’s summer when
all that wonderful bounty might be more welcome in absence of the backache and
the company of too many friendly horseflies.
(I. Winicov Harrington
lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less
than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment