Food Archives - Page 9 of 20 - Five Feline Farm

Garlic Scapes

Did you know garlic plants provide much more than just the part that is commonly available in grocery stores? It’s true. There is more to this fragrant plant than what comes in the papery bulb.

What Are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the tender end of the shoot in hard neck garlic varieties. As the plant grows in springtime, it sends up a shoot that is tender at first and later turns into a flower with bulbils. Those tiny bits of the flower are also edible, but the scape is the newly forming flower with it’s white end and the first 5-6 inches of tender shoot.

When To Harvest.

When the shoot has a whitish end that looks like a bloom is starting to form, the scape is ready. The green part may be curled back on itself forming a curly que at the very top of the garlic plant. Snap off the shoot approximately 4-6 inches below the tip just as you would asparagus. The plant will snap off at it’s tender point.

How To Use.

Now that you have these spring delicacies, it’s time to use them in the kitchen. Scapes taste like garlic. The flavor is lighter than garlic cloves but still clearly garlic. One option is to dice and stir into any dish where you would normally use garlic. Scapes may be sautéed as is and eaten as a vegetable. You can chop it for a garnish on lettuce salad, use to flavor pasta salad, fry with potatoes or use in any dish where garlic will add a complementary flavor.

As an added bonus, snapping off the scapes will divert the plant’s energy into bulb development. So not only does the gardener get a fresh taste of garlic in the spring, the fall harvest will be improved.

If you grow your own garlic, give scapes a try. If you don’t and are in the Charleston area, stop by the 18th Street Farmer’s Market this Saturday and pick up some from us.

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Do You Eat Flowers?

Have you ever eaten a flower?

Many flowers are edible and if you are unfamiliar with eating flowers, start with chive blossoms. These light purple flowers are more than just a pretty decoration at the end of an oniony stalk. They are easy to pick and clean, plus beautiful in a salad, on potatoes or even just sprinkled around a plate for garnish.

To use, pick whole blossoms by pulling gently at the base of the flower to pop off the entire bloom. Give them a quick rinse and dry on a paper towel or drying rack. You can even use a salad spinner.

After most of the bloom is dry (don’t worry about every drop of water evaporating), grasp the stem end in one hand and pluck out the tiny blossoms with the other. These individual blooms will pull out several at a time.

Then add to your favorite dish. Like potatoes grilled in foil. With melty cheese.

What flowers do you eat?

Asparagus Quiche

Asparagus is a tender, delicious vegetable and its spring appearance after the long winter makes it a special treat.

One of my favorites ways to use asparagus is in a quiche. The name sounds fancy but it is easy to make. There is no limit to the combinations of vegetables, meats or cheeses that can be used, but this version highlights fresh garden asparagus and chives.

As a bonus it reheats well, so provides lunch for a couple of days.

For a 9 inch quiche

1 pie crust

5 large eggs

1-1/2 cups half and half or milk

1 cup of asparagus, cut into thin rounds

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh chives, plus 3 long pieces for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Pie crust is quickly made by mixing 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1/3 cup shortening. Stir in water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball, cleaning the sides of the bowl. Handle as little as possible, kneading only 2 or 3 times to make a smooth ball. Roll into a circle larger than the pie pan and transfer the crust into the pan. Prick the crust or use pie weights to keep the crust from puffing and pre-bake for 10 minutes in 375º oven. (You can use a pre-made crust, if desired.)

Evenly distribute asparagus, cheese and minced chives over bottom of crust. Mix eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. Pour over the filling being careful not to overflow the crust. Add long pieces of chives in a decorative pattern on top.

Bake at 375º for 30 to 40 minutes until the eggs are set and the top lightly browned. Let cool slightly and cut into wedges for serving.

Pair with a crisp green salad fresh from the garden and a glass of chardonnay.

If this recipe intrigues you, check out my book Simply Delicious. Part memoir and part cooking instruction, this is how I cook.

Planting Tomatoes

Our last two posts discussed choosing determinate or indeterminate and the benefits of heirloom varieties. Now you have chosen your tomato plants and it is time to get them in the ground. If you haven’t read those yet, click here and here.

Or is it?

To ensure the best chance of success follow the following steps:

Harden Off

The first thing to ensure success is the process of “hardening off”. This technique helps acclimate your plant to the world of weather outside. All tomatoes grown in Central Illinois are started by seed early in the year inside a greenhouse or other indoor setting. In these controlled environments, the plant does not have an opportunity to adapt to blowing wind or pounding rain.

Wait until the daytime temperatures are above 60º, then set the plants still in their pots in a semi protected but outdoor area for a short period of time each day. At first, the plant’s adjustment may make you think the plants have wilted or are not going to survive. Trust that they will perk up overnight and be ready for their next excursion outdoors. Increase the time outside daily. During this time, limit watering to bare minimums. The goal is to strengthen the plants but keep them alive.

After a week or so of this increasing exposure to the outdoor weather and when the soil temperature is above 50º at 4 inches (or threat of frost has passed), your tomatoes are ready for the garden or patio pot.

Prepare the Planting Bed

Tomatoes need calcium to protect against blossom end rot. Crushed egg shells work perfectly. Save approximately one egg shell for every tomato plant. When ready to plant, crush the eggshells and add a pinch of epsom salts for each egg shell. The epsom salts add magnesium and sulfur to the soil as a fertilizer and support healthy plant growth.

When ready to plant, dig a hole slightly wider than the pot the tomato is in and twice as deep for each plant. Divide the eggshell mixture among each hole and add water. Allow the water to absorb into the soil to dissolve the epsom salts and you are ready to plant.

Plant Deep

For the best strength and success, bury tomato plant to the first set of leaves. This may feel unusually deep but tomato stalks will grow roots all along the stalk and increase the ability of the plant to take up soil nutrients. Most tomato plants will require some type of staking or cage to ensure they remain upright and the fruit stays off the ground. It is best to add this now while the plant is small instead of struggling to contain a large unruly plant.

That’s it. Ensure adequate water if it does not rain and in about 6 weeks, you will be picking your own fresh, ripe tomatoes.

Stay tuned to our social media for progress on our garden and post pictures of your own. Five Feline Farm is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.