Valentines Day/ St Pat's Day/NCAA/ Easter
check/check/check & check.
The outdoor season has officially begun and it is time to
get out side and get dirty.
Even though we have a view that stretches for miles,
and a yard that is very manageable with perennials,
evergreen shrubs, lavender and roses, my favorite
allotment is our potager.
We have one raised bed for herbs and vegetables and one for flowers.
This year was my first attempt at winter vegetables...
which is still going as seen in the purple cauliflower above and the
celery and collard greens below.
And the Arugula which we grow summer and winter
And while that was fun, it is time to think about the ever important
spring summer growing season.
I don't seem to have the courage or patience to grow many
things from seeds so I pretty much use trasplants
which I pick up at farmer's markets and my favorite organic nursery.
In my new favorite gardening blog Diggin food,
Willi Galloway discusses seeds vs transplants
as a master gardener and accomplished cook,
she offers up wonderful advice and tips and fantastic
healthy recipes, such as arugula pesto :
Arugula Pesto
Leaves from younger plants work best in the pesto because arugula gets increasingly spicy, and develops a more pungent flavor, as it matures. If you only have older leaves on hand, not to worry. Just blanch them in hot water first to knock the spiciness down a level or two. To prevent the pesto from turning an unattractive greenish black color, load it into a glass or plastic container. Then, smoosh a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pesto and cover the container with a tight fitting lid. The pesto keeps in the fridge for a week or more.
Leaves from younger plants work best in the pesto because arugula gets increasingly spicy, and develops a more pungent flavor, as it matures. If you only have older leaves on hand, not to worry. Just blanch them in hot water first to knock the spiciness down a level or two. To prevent the pesto from turning an unattractive greenish black color, load it into a glass or plastic container. Then, smoosh a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pesto and cover the container with a tight fitting lid. The pesto keeps in the fridge for a week or more.
Follow here.
xo
