Tatsoi with Garam Masala

When we planted tatsoi last October, I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t sprout until spring. I had heard it would even grow in the snow, so I impatiently drummed my fingers while checking the garden daily, waiting for signs of life. I had planted the seeds under a cold frame and thought for sure we would have greens in December. When the seeds finally sprouted in March, they grew slowly at first, then as spring went on the leaves suddenly jumped from just four or five centimeters long to as much as 15 centimeters. We will continue to plant tatsoi as a cool weather green because we like the flavor and it grew very well in our garden, much better than the spinach which never grew any taller than a few centimeters. Read more

Spinach Arugula Pesto

This is our first year growing arugula, and I have to say I’m impressed with how easy it is to grow. We planted it a box in early September, and within three days we had sprouts. It required little maintenance, just watering. One thing we’ve learned in the process is that arugula gets more peppery as it matures. The leaves had a mild peppery flavor early on, but now some of the larger leaves are downright bitter, so balancing the feisty flavor with spinach seemed the way to go for this pesto. The original recipe at Epicurious.com calls for serving on top of grilled hamburgers, which we did, and the combination of the peppery arugula, garlic, and crushed red pepper makes a great topping for hamburgers or vegan burgers paired with grilled onions and Swiss cheese.

The original recipe calls for quickly wilting the spinach in the microwave, though you could do it in a steamer basket, too. For a time saver, I think the recipe still tastes good when using raw baby spinach.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. Submissions for this round are due on October 30, and you can send your information and photo to me at andreasrecipesgyo AT gmail DOT com. Read more

Creamed Turnip Greens

When I was growing up, turnip greens were regularly included in our meals, and I always remember the bowl of greens on the table with a vinegar cruet nearby. A typical Southern preparation includes bacon, onions, and some type of vinegar, and we would drizzle a little more vinegar on top when serving. Now that I have children of my own, I’ve discovered this is one green that I can actually get them to eat. Sometimes.

This particular dish is a variation on creamed spinach, a comfort food for an autumn day. The primary difference between the spinach and turnip greens version is the sauteing time. I can usually saute spinach for just a few minutes before baking, but even young turnip greens take up to 30 minutes before they are tender enough for baking. If your greens are fully grown and on the tough side, you may need to saute them longer before baking.

Turnip greens can be downright chewy and bitter if harvested late, so choose young tender leaves for the best texture and flavor. Some varieties are grown specifically for the tender greens, such as Seven Top and Topper. You can plant turnip greens twice a year, in early spring and late summer, and we have some growing in the garden now. Next spring we plan to have more raised beds so we can grow more of our own greens. Read more