what to do with all this bounty

From nascent seedlings sprouting two, three, four leaves before they found the earth. Initially sitting there, being kept moist, almost lost in the expanse of unoccupied land around them. I am always of dubious belief that I what have planted will fill the space I gave it – even with enough experience to know better.

Now, almost three months into this year’s growing season and I am once again revealed of any apprehensions. My tomatoes have completely over grown their cages requiring additional support in order to prevent their weight from toppling over. The pinto and black eyed-peas are climbing the ropes I strung so I can easily harvest their pods. And, I am still a few weeks away, boy I am going to be melon for I counted nine ripening ones and numerous little, fussy orbs just starting to develop. I am so glad to see that plenty of bees have found the garden, and are getting drunk on a cocktail of different nectars. Without their thirst I would be eating just greens. Cucumbers always start one or two as a tease then bam – six, seven, eight per day. So, hard to keep up with eating them all, and you can have any so many jars of pickles. Any gardener who has put in a cucumber, or two, freely offers them to any and everyone. Still, you plant them for the garden would not be complete without that creeping vine.   

Cucumber-Lemon Basil Smoothie – yeilds 8 cups

2½ pounds cucumbers – peeled

⅓-cup fresh lemon jice

⅓-cup lemon basil lemons

¼-cup mint leaves

⅛-teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in the blender, and process until smooth. Refrigerate to chill thorough.

Feeding All

These days I welcome a release from the sky for I know no matter how rich the soil and weed free the ground nothing fully activates without water. So essential is this simple compound. I am always dumbfounded by the burst of growth that a gentle, soaking rain produces. I live fear of a wind swept torrent that will most likely topple my corn and those sunflowers that have survived the munching of the deer. Personally, I need the water not just for explosion of growth it facilitates but I need to keep hydrated, if not a bit over. In order to save what remains of the sunflowers and protect the adjacent corn I am peeing around the plants. I know you can buy Coyote urine as a deterrent though that seems a bit extreme, even for me. I am already relieving myself on fire ant mounds I will just add the sunflower/corn as one of my spots. I don’t think I can cajole Hokan in marking the spot, but as always I am hopeful. Pray I smell alpha enough to scare off that ravenous vegetarian.

I cannot seem to keep on top of the aerial beetle that just loves its daily nibbles of amaranth. However, I have so much of it that I am willing to share. I grew a couple of Red Hopi varieties last year that with the first frost immediately died off. And there I thought it would end. No, as spring returned so did those original two plus its progeny. I have never seen a plant want to flower and seed so quickly, and I thought I did a good job dead-heading it. Maybe I did, for instead of a shy dozen I would have a grove. Eating the leaves, and still plucking flowers as best as I can, but I think I will resign myself to be winnowing amaranth seeds come September.

Rolled Chicken Breast – yields 4 servings

4 boneless-skinless chicken breasts

8 large spinach, amaranth or mustard leaves (center rib removed)

4-ounces goat cheese

½-cup basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1-tablespoon olive oil

Cut each chicken breast in half along its outside edge, so you have the look of an opened book you don’t want them to separate. If the breasts seem still very thick lightly pound them down – ideally the halves will be about ¼-inch thick.

Lay the breasts cut side up. Season the breasts with salt and pepper. Place to leaves on each breast and along the lower third divide the goat cheese each breast. Then divide the basil as well placing it on top of the goat cheese.

Roll the chicken breasts up making sure to tuck the breast in to make sure the goat cheese is securely in place. Put the breast, seam-side down, on a cast iron skillet. Drizzle the olive oil over the breasts.

Pre-heat the oven to 475-degrees.

Place the chicken in the oven, and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Dear old new friend

Ever since last spring I have been dedicated to three new but old pans. Last winter a cousin passed on, after a long-lived life and assisting in cleaning out the house I salvaged from the trash heap a trio of well-seasoned, family worked cast iron pans. My cousin and their family lived in the same house for the about 60 years, and I can only imagine how old the skillet, dutch oven and grill pan were. They are a testament to fact that cast iron, for me, are heirlooms to be cherished and passed along. They are so well seasoned, with a layer of carbon so set that I fear not it rusting, though I still never use more then a soft sponge and always dry it over a flame for there would be no greater loss than those years of dutifully preparing the family meals that are deeply enbedded within.

My cousin who onced owned these pans was one of the first foodie I had ever known. I remember back when I was in my late teens she came into New York from Atlanta for a culinary run. I was a bureougning foodie myself, and spent the day running around Manhattan with her on the hunt. I totally recall a small, floor to ceiling crammed stored in Chinatown where she was told a dragon and butterfly cookie-cutter could be found. In cleaning out the kitchen I was hoping to come across those detailed, delicate cutters perhaps her daughter found them and took them home with her. A cookbook collection spanned 5 decades and was rife with local self-published “Junior League” style contibutions that represents the anthropological development of the area and time – I scooped those up; even though I know I was never going to make a 7-up  Cake or Coca Cola Chicken.

I would never have thought that I would have ended up a chef, a hoarder of pre-loved rolling pins, apothecary jars and cast iron skillets. The history of food and cooking inspires, informs and releases me to create for future accumulators of the past.

Sautéed Radish, Turnip and Beets – yeilds 4 servings

2-shallots – thinly sliced

2-tablespoons olive oil

6 baby Japanese turnips - halved

4 radishes - halved

3 baby beets (preferably golden or candy stripped) - halved

2-garlic cloves – thinly sliced

¼-cup basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat an eight-inch cast iron skillet over a high heat, then add the shallots and olive oil. Cook the shallots until golden brown, then mix in the turnips, radishes, beets and garlic.

Sauté the vegeables for about 5 minutes, until just tender then lower the heat, and mix in the basil, salt and pepper.

Serve warm.