A very fragrant bloom

The air is rife with scent of spring’s rebounding life. Hidden bulbs have revealed themselves from the heady seduction of hyacinth to the aggressive assault of alliums; wild onions populate the fields all around me. Then there is the spotting of the cultish ramp.  This wild onion has achieved very little commercial production but demands the attention of all who have eaten them. Grilled, sauté and pickled are part of my personal applications for them. I am dreaming of starting a patch by the stream under the protective canopy of the oak trees, and I guess, while I am dreaming the dream, I should put in ostrich ferns and some watercress to flush my woodland tableau. For now, I am free to leave my front door to pull a clump wild onion that has more a chive-like leaf, and small bulbs that thrive in our open fields. It is safe to say, if it smells like garlic or onion then it is probably a wild variety and edible. The farmer’s market the past weekend gave me but a mere handful of ramps; five feet from the house, and I am hauling back a small basket full. So, I am on alert, knowing that the ramp season is ramping up, which means putting up the first pickles of the New Year and anticipating a distinctive oniony moment to the coming weeks meals.

Vegetable Burgers – yeilds 12 patties

2-cups cooked quinoa

8-ounces tempeh - shredded

½-pound carrot – shredded

¾-pound zucchini – shredded

3-celery stalks – shredded

½-cup minced spring onion greens

2-whole black cardamon

1-½ teaspoon whole coriander seed

1-teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1-tablespoon salt

2-egg whites

¾-cup chickpea flour

In a spice grinder place the cardamon, coriander, black peppercorns and process to a fine powder.

In a large bowl combine the ingredients to thoroughly combine.

Form into 10 patties about 3-inches across. Place in the refrigerator, and rest the burgers for at least an hour.

Heat an eight-inch sauté pan over a high heat, and add 2-tablespoons of canola oil. Brown the burgers on both sides. Keep warm in 300-dgree oven. 

Setting the bell curve

The curve I am taking is sharp, and without those black and yellow chevron 

caution signs I am not completely sure how to proceed. I have very successfully germinated two-thirds of the seeds I want to eventually relocate to the earth. My tomato seeds erupted within six days very aggressively, which means the seeds I collected from last year’s bounty have taken along with the black eye peas I chose not to eat and the watermelon seeds that sat out the spitting contest. The husk tomatoes and peppers, both sweet and hot, are slowly but surely peaking through their soft, moist incubator. I am in no rush just anxious to get the confirmation that they have taken root. With the tomatoes and peppers I planted 18 rolls of each with no idea what variety went in each spot. I had quite the array of seeds – I figure the surprise will be in July when everything starts to put forth fruits. I just hope the chocolate habanero seeds I scored will be one of the ones is sending up a seedling. I am obsessively checking the little peat cups that house cumin seeds. My latest preoccupation is what plants can I grow for their spices. If they would along with the poppy seeds and dill I think next year I will have to expand my selection and build another raised bed.

 

As I take this bank I realize that the spot I have house my seed tray for the past 10 days was probably not ideal. Yes, it was warm and light came in but the light was not direct enough, and I now find myself with slightly spindly seedlings. The cucumbers have achieved at least a length of 5 plus inches and they have not even set a pair of mature leaves. I am not sure what effect it will have on the final outcome, and I am just glad that the weather has warmed to the 70/80’s allowing my tray to spend the day on the porch where light floods it evenly, and more importantly directly. If the weather takes a cool turn this tray will find a new spot by the French doors in the bedroom with good western exposure – I have quickly come to learn that the light must go to them.  

Marinated Red Onions Relish – yeilds approx.1 cup

1-large red onion – thinly sliced

2-garlic cloves – thinly sliced

1/4-cup fresh lime juice

¼-teaspoon ground cumin

1/4-teaspoon salt

In a small work bowl toss all the ingredients together. Let the onions sit for 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature.