Gourmet in the Garden

Hello Beautiful!  Who knew you could make such a glorious looking salad with greens harvested mostly from your back yard? Our friend Oliver does! This 7-year-old gourmet garden guru taught our Kid's Cooking class the other day and taught us all a thing or two... or three! 

Just look at that poise! 

Not just delicious, but exceptionally nutritious too, this wild edible salad delights the eyes and taste-buds, and leaves you feeling healthy and fresh!

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Oliver guided us confidently through the salad preparation, teaching appropriate knife skills   (watch those fingers!), and how to safely identify the plants we used.

This vibrant dish included wood sorrel, pink and white clover, dandelion flower, wild onion, violet leaf, lettuce, chickweed, multi-flora rose, and ground ivy! We dressed it with a little salt, pepper, elderberry syrup, and organic sunflower oil. Yum! 

 

Our Kids Cooking classes are an incredible opportunity for kids and adults alike to learn new kitchen skills, taste new foods, and gain confidence. You might be surprised by how much even very young children can absorb just through observation. One of our regulars surprised us the other day by demonstrating how to properly cut a leaf from its spine without even being prompted! It appears that we have an army of new kitchen gurus on the rise! 

A little helper watches attentively in class 

Our little gourmet garden guru helping our two interns use the salad spinner 

Not everyone is accustomed to eating salad, especially ones with such unusual ingredients, but with Oliver's enthusiasm and charm, we got samples out to our pantry patrons, and many were surprised by how much they enjoyed it!

This young man was wary at first, but was surprised and delighted when he finally decided to taste Oliver's wares. Even after several minutes had passed, he was still marveling at the wonderful taste he held in his mouth!

Sound like fun?

Join us Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15-5:00 pm to take part in our next culinary adventure!

See you there!  

Wild Edibles Become Spring Treats for Kids

Early Spring is a great time for harvesting wild edibles. Most of the plants haven't flowered yet, so the flavor and nutrient content is at the peak of perfection! In a recent session of Kids Cook at the Hub, we went to the garden to check out the wild chickweed popping up on paths and in containers. Together we examined the plants for identifying details (fuzzy stem, symmetrical leave pattern, watery, lettuce-like leaves) then harvested a basketful for pesto making in the kitchen.

The Hub just offered our annual Spring Wild Edibles Workshop, but look for another workshop in September to learn more about what you can snack on in your own yard.

A Rose by Any Other Name...

…still tastes as sweet!

Roses have been used as food and medicine for centuries – like at least back to First Century Greece. Rose petals and rose hips were collected and eaten in Britain during WWII because of the food shortages there. The hips especially are high in several vitamins, especially Vitamin C. But the best thing about them is the taste. Different varieties of roses used to have different scents and thus different flavors, but the modern hybridized roses tend to all smell and taste alike and have much less odor and flavor than the old ones. Another example of progress. Sigh.

Whatever roses you use, be sure that they haven’t been sprayed. Most roses have been well doused with pesticides, which you probably don’t want to eat. Wild roses, too, may have been sprayed with various chemicals and may have absorbed gas fumes if they are near a road or highway.

When my family moved to Idaho, our house had lots of roses out back, and I made rose petal jam and jelly the first summer. We didn’t much like the jam; we found the texture of the rose petals unpleasant. But the WILD ROSE PETAL JELLY was good. The recipe called for wild roses, but we just used the ones in the backyard.

ROSE WATER is used in many Middle Eastern and Indian recipes. You can buy it, but it’s easy to make yourself. Rose Water is an ingredient in the following recipes.

HONEY AND ROSE COOLER is a refreshing and cooling drink, perfect for a hot summer day. For an elegant (and yes, definitely girly!) afternoon snack, serve it with ROSEWATER COOKIES and ROSE PETAL SANDWICHES. Maybe for an engagement party or a shower?

The most unusual recipe I found is for ROSE PETAL PESTO. I don’t have a problem with roses and basil, or even with roses and cheese. But roses and garlic? I’ll leave that one to you. Let me know if you try it and what you think.

Roses can be used in other ways, too. Rose Hip Tea can be made by pouring boiling water over crushed rose hips and letting it steep. A few rose petals can be added to lemonade or to salads. Rose petals can be added to honey or to butter or can be crystalized and used to decorate cakes, cookies, etc. You can find recipes for these and other delicacies online by googling rose recipes.

Don't forget to take time to smell - and taste! - the roses!

Mary Anne

Rose Petal Sandwiches

(from theprairiestar.com)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 Tablespoons rose water

12 thin slices bread

6 unsprayed fragrant roses

Mix cream cheese and rose water. Spread over bread slices. Cover each slice with rose petals. Place slices together to form a sandwich. Refrigerate. Remove and remove crusts, if desired. Cut sandwich into halves then fourths. Serve.

Rose Petal Pesto

(from chickensintheroad.com)

2 cups Fresh Basil
1 cup Rose Petals
4 large Garlic Cloves
1 cup Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Rosewater
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano Cheese
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste

Rinse Rose Petals and Basil thoroughly and pat dry. Cup up Rose Petals with sharp scissors. Peel and chop garlic. Combine the basil, garlic and Pine nuts, chop in either a food processor or blender. While still processing add olive oil and rose water slowly. Add the Parmesan and Romano, salt and pepper, blend lightly.

Rose Water Cookies

(from a recipe at theprairiestar.com)

8 oz. butter, softened

6 Tablespoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar, sifted – divided

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1/4 cup blanched almonds

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 to 3 tablespoons rose water

Whole cloves

Sifted confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Cream the butter and 2 Tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and mix well. In a blender grind the almonds and remaining sugar until very fine. In a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Stir in almonds. Add to butter mixture and mix in rose water. Form mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least one hour. Pinch off small pieces of dough and form into a crescent shape. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and insert a clove in each cookie. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from sheet and place on rack. Dust with remaining confectioners’ sugar.

Honey and Rose Cooler

(from tarladalal.com)

4 c water

2 c fresh rose petals

2 T honey

½ t rose water

A few petals for garnishing (optional)

A few ice cubes with rose petals frozen inside (optional)

Boil the water in a small pan and add the petals. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the petals discolor. Cool and strain. Combine the cooled water, honey, and rose water in a shaker and shake vigorously. Pour into tall glasses and top with rose ice cubes. Garnish with fresh petals and serve.

Rose ice cubes – Fill ice cube trays half full with water and freeze. Place a clean rose petal on each ice cube and fill with water, leaving the petal in the middle of the cube.

Rose Water

(from theprairiestar.com)

Pick rose petals (from roses that haven’t been sprayed) in the morning when they are freshest and the scent is strongest. Remove the white tip, if any, which may be bitter. Rinse the petals and drain them. Fill a container with petals and pour boiling water over them. Cover with a lid and steep. Strain, then refrigerate for up to several days or freeze. To freeze, pour the rose water into ice cube trays and freeze. Put the frozen ice cubes in a plastic bag and label the bag.

Wild Rose Petal Jelly

(the recipe was copied many years ago from an unknown book)

1 qt (4 cups) rose petals - unsprayed

4 c water

1/2 c strained strawberry juice

3-1/2 lbs sugar (7 and 7/8 c)

1 c liquid pectin

Gather a quart of rose petals. Be sure that they haven’t been sprayed. Wash gently. If there are white tips to the petals, cut them off as they may be bitter. Cover the petals with water, bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag, add strawberry juice, and measure the liquid. Add enough water to make 1 quart. Return liquid to kettle, stir in sugar and bring back to boil. Still stirring, pour in pectin and boil 1 minute. Pour into sterilized jelly glasses and seal.

Note – best with wild rose petals and wild strawberries, but roses and strawberries from your garden will work. Food coloring may be added.

Pesto Recipes

Pesto is a delicious and versatile way to pack in tons of greens in one meal. You can make it with all kinds of greens and fresh herbs, you can use pine nuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts or no nuts. You can go vegan, and omit the cheese. Make a big batch during the summer, and freeze it for a lovely hit of green in the dead of winter.  Here are some recipes, but feel free to experiment

Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems), packed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds)

½ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

This can be made quickly with a blender or food processor, and it can also be made into a chunky pesto by hand with a lot of chopping.  Combine basil, nuts and garlic in the blender.  Add the olive oil until blended and then add the romano cheese in small pieces.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serving: Add this pesto to cooked pasta, cooked potatoes, spread it on a sandwich, or use it on pizza. 

Freezing: If you want to freeze the pesto you make, omit the cheese (it doesn't freeze well). Line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap, and fill each pocket with the pesto. Freeze and then remove from the ice tray and store in a freezer bag. When you want to use, defrost and add in grated Parmesan or Romano.

Kale Pesto

1 cup fresh kale leaves, chopped

2 garlic cloves

2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup sunflower seeds

¾ cup olive oil

salt

freshly ground pepper

Combine kale, garlic, cheese and sunflower seeds in a blender or food processor, and blend. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt an pepper, process to desired texture. Enjoy over pasta, on toast, in scrambled eggs…etc.

Arugula Pesto

2 cups of packed arugula leaves, stems removed

1/2 cup of shelled walnuts

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave it takes 2 minutes.

 Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, salt, walnuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts, salt and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.

Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.

Serve with pasta, over freshly roasted potatoes, or as a sauce for pizza.

Yield: Makes 1 heaping cup.

Dandelion Pesto

Yield: 3-1/2 cups

2 cups tightly packed dandelion leaves, well-rinsed and dried (harvest the small, young leaves, before the plant flowers)

1 dozen large basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

1 cup lightly toasted hazelnuts (skins removed), or toasted almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse together dandelion leaves, basil, garlic, and nuts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the motor running, add olive oil and process until a smooth paste forms. Pulse in cheese if you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chickweed & Arugula Pesto

A variation on basic pesto, this sauce is perfect in late winter/early spring when chickweed is one of the few fresh greens available in the garden.

1 cup of packed arugula leaves, stems removed

1 cup packed chickweed leaves

1/2 cup of toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced (or a few garlic cloves un peeled, if you have time to roast them)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown.

Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, chickweed, salt, sunflowers, roasted garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl.

Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts, salt and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.

Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.

Serve with pasta, over freshly roasted potatoes, or as a sauce for pizza. 

Yield: Makes 1 heaping cup.

Other Types of Dishes and Main Ingredients

Flowers and Wild Edibles:

     Honey and Rose Cooler

     Rose Petal Pesto

     Rose Petal Sandwiches

     Rose Water

     Rose Water Cookies

     Wild Rose Petal Jelly

Garnish:

     Tortilla Chips and Strips

     Baked Crispy Won Ton Strips

     Red Hot Cucumbers

     Whipped Cream

Other:

     Baked Crispy Won Ton Strips

     Breadcrumbs

     Buttermilk Substitute

     Cauli-Rice

     Corn Cob Jelly

     Cucumber Ice Pops with Lime and Chile

     Cucumber Water

     Easy Pickled Watermelon Rind

     French Bread Chips

     Frozen Diced Peppers

     Frozen Diced Tomatoes

     Frozen Whole Tomatoes

     Garlic Bread Snacks

     Ham and Cheese Sandwiches on the Cheap

     Homemade "Maple" Syrup

     Honey and Rose Cooler

     Oven Dried Tomatoes

     Pita Chips

     Pumpkin Puree

     Pumpkin Seeds

     Quick Pickles

     Red Hot Cucumbers

     Roasted Peppers

     Roasted Watermelon Seeds

     Rose Petal Sandwiches

     Rose Water

     Tortilla Chips

     Tortilla Chips and Strips

     Watermelon Pickles

     Whipped Cream

     Wild Rose Petal Jelly