Cooking with Fresh Herbs and Vegetables
Posted: 3/23/2009 12:53 AM
This past week, I harvested butter lettuce, spinach, radishes, chives, cilantro and flat leaf parsley. The garden is growing so quickly now that you can't tell I've picked anything from it. Each time I've cut any cilantro, lettuce or spinach, the plants seem to have quickly replaced what was removed.
I'm always looking for new recipes. So, I went online to figure out what to make with my homegrown veggies and herbs. The recipes I selected all came from www.epicurious.com. Using the search bar, I searched for each of the vegetables and herbs that I had harvested. I baked Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Yukon Gold Potatoes, which called for fresh chives. My whole family loved it! I served it with Butter Lettuce and Radish Salad with Fresh Spring Herbs (cilantro and parsley). My husband and I enjoyed it, but my kids found it a bit strange to have fresh herbs in their salad. But, at least they tried it. On another night, I served burritos with cilantro as a garnish. I also sautéed spinach in olive oil and butter with a bit of salt and pepper. It was very simple, but wonderful. Last night, I brought a Spinach Salad with Pear and Avocado to a dinner party. The dressing calls for fresh minced cilantro--so I got to use two things from the garden. It was absolutely delicious! I love sharing with good friends a tasty dish made from homegrown vegetables, picked only a few hours before they're served.
