Salads & Scapes

Sheep's Sorrel

The time has finally come when I get to begin enjoying fresh veggies straight from the garden. Going out with a basket, picking, and shaking the dirt from vegetables that are still holding the warmth of the sun or still speckled with morning dew is remarkably satisfying. Today's harvest mostly included garlic scapes, piles of lettuce, radishes, and a few wild edibles that I like to add to summer salads. Dandelion greens are great in the spring, but have turned bitter by now, so I stuck with sheep's sorrel and plantain, both of which grow wild in and around the yard. They are loaded with iron and boast nutrient profiles that will make your garden plants jealous. Sorrel is especially known as an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, immune-boosting powerhouse with a nice lemon-pepper zing that makes it a flavorful addition to many recipes. Plantain tastes a bit like spinach and also has a reputation as a healing plant, full of calcium, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, and Vitamin K. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and detoxifying qualities. When added to skin salves, it promotes wound healing, softens skin, and stimulates cellular regeneration.  And to think, most consider these plants to be weeds! 

Plantain

Cherry Belle radishes

  

After tossing together a fresh salad, I love topping it with a homemade dressing and homemade croutons. Both offer inexpensive, healthy, delicious alternatives to picking up the same items processed for supermarket shelves. For the croutons, simply cube any stale bread you might have on hand, toast it lightly, then toss it with fresh garden herbs, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, grated parmesan, or any other flavoring that suits your tastes.  Toast it once more after you toss it with herbs and spices and they are ready to top your salad. Store any extras in an airtight container. They will remain good for a week or two.

 My two favorite homemade salad dressings are a creamy buttermilk ranch and a tangy maple-balsamic vinaigrette. The buttermilk ranch recipe comes from a new cookbook I picked up recently from Diane St. Clair of The Animal Farm in Orwell, VT. I mentioned my obsession with her buttermilk in two previous posts, one involving buttermilk bread, and another featuring my buttermilk birthday cake. Thanks to her new Buttermilk Cookbook I am armed with pages and pages of tasty new ways to use it. 

Classic Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
 
1/3 C buttermilk
1/4 C good-quality mayonnaise
3 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt & fresh ground pepper 

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and feel free to get creative with it. Diane suggests experimenting with flavor variations on this simple base recipe with things like chipotle chiles, parmesan, or roasted garlic. Today I added fresh chives and a bit of sheep's sorrel. 

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 C balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C maple Syrup
1 C olive oil
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
salt & pepper

Combine all but the oil in a blender or food processor, pulse until combined, then add the oil in a steady stream while the processor is still running until the mixture is completely emulsified.  

Both dressings can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The ranch will last about a week, and the vinaigrette will last much longer, but is best when pulled from the fridge an hour or so from when you want to use it, then shaken vigorously to allow the oil and vinegar to re-blend.

 

Scapes are the graceful, curling shoots that come from the garlic plant and, if left on the plant, they will flower, but will also divert energy that could otherwise go toward developing a larger garlic bulb below ground. As a result, I like to snip mine off as soon as they appear and begin curling, which usually happens about a month after the garlic first develops leaves. Leaving them longer will result in tougher, woodier scapes which are not as desirable to eat. When harvested at the right time, scapes are delicious in a pesto or can be used to add a fresh, pungent kick to any recipe where you might otherwise use garlic or onions. 

Garlic Scape Pesto

10-12 garlic scapes
1/3 C unsalted, roasted pistachios
1/3 C finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C olive oil

Blend all but the olive oil in a blender or food processor, then drizzle the olive oil in a steady stream while the processor is running until well blended. Pesto can be used as a dip, as a spread on crackers or crusty bread, or tossed with pasta for a quick meal. If you don't use it all right away, it freezes beautifully.