There is nothing like walking out to my garden with a bowl and a pair of scissors and walking back in with most of that evening's dinner. Lee's out of school for the summer and has actually picked up some landscaping work a few days a week. He's so beat when he comes home that I couldn't possibly expect him to prepare dinner for us, so I've been trying to pick up the slack in the kitchen a little to avoid getting take out all the time. SS2 is being a good soldier and helping me out in the kitchen and hopefully I'm sharing what little expertise I have with him along the way.
After a long hot day of work Lee doesn't want a really heavy meal and we don't want to be in a super hot kitchen either! Last week SS2 and I tried making gnocchi -- SS2 asked for gnocchi and I looked around for a recipe that would include some fresh herbs. I found a recipe that had a butter thyme sauce, so we did it with our lemon thyme. It was okay, but I'm not sure the amount of effort that went into making the gnocchi was equal to the enjoyment level of the dish. But for Tuesday's dinner I had a very specific dish in mind. I love a modified nicoise salad with seared tuna on top, so that's what we did (yes, I know Lee's presentation would be prettier):
From our garden: mesclun mix, dill, red potatoes, and in the red wine vinaigrette: red onion and dill. I wish our beans were ready (currently just starting to flower) because I couldn't find green beans at any local store. One grocer said that there had been a crop burn or something down south so even if I found some they probably wouldn't be the best quality. Oh well, we'll do it again when we have our own green beans, but by then I have a feeling by then all our potatoes will be long gone. This was also my first experience searing tuna which couldn't have been easier.
Could I finally be learning to cook at age 36? I welcome menu suggestions.
I miss my 'edible' garden so much. The long drought really did all us gardeners and farmers a very bad turn - Immokalee growers were just about wiped out. I'll bet that is what your grocer meant.
It is now finally rainy season here but it's almost too little too late. You're so lucky to have a daily harvest, and it looks so yum!
Any chance of a 'hostess' potato gift? Can you carry-on them on a plane?
Posted by: Mummer | July 06, 2011 at 09:51 AM
I think your presentation looks just fine, Heather. And yes.... searing tuna is cake! I'm jealous of your vegetables. I have zilch that I can eat but I'm learning.
Posted by: Wendy | July 06, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Mom -- I don't see why I couldn't carry them on a plane, but whether or not there will be any left to carry is another story.
Wendy -- Thanks! Don't forget we're 5 years in to our gardening adventure already. Just wait until you've been gardening that long! Here's a deal near you today: http://zip06.upickem.net/engine/SplashDetails.aspx?LID=547&contestid=31737&productid=2775185&p=12&p=1
Posted by: Heather's Garden | July 06, 2011 at 02:18 PM
I always enjoy reading your blog, partly becus I live in CT, but also becus you're blog shows all the imperfections and failures as well as your successes. Meaning, I must have about 50 gardening blogs bookmarked, and after a while, you get tired of those that post only picture-perfect photo closeups, an apparent attempt to look "professional." I much prefer a realistic portrayal of gardening.
Posted by: fern | July 09, 2011 at 06:41 AM
Fern -- Thanks! I get bored by blogs about perfect gardens too. That's not a real garden. I got so upset the first time I lost a plant and thought I was a failure. Reading about other gardeners' misses helped me immensely. Plants live and die and if I'm a lazy gardener and don't water reliably my container plantings are going to croak!
Posted by: Heather's Garden | July 09, 2011 at 01:36 PM