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When I was growing up, parsley was the curly stuff that nice restaurants used as a garnish. Everyone left it on the plate. 
Then in the 80s, I started seeing Italian parsley listed in recipes. Thank goodness. Italian or flat leaf parsley is packed with sweet, fresh flavor. These days, it is THE garden crop I am never without. 
A true biennial, Italian parsley winters over in my Wake County garden. I clip, wash, and chop green leaves even on the coldest days–then put them in many of my favorite recipes–like this quick and easy go-to pasta from the food magazine, Cooking Light.
![pasta-peas-ck-226527-l[1]](http://youshouldgrowthat.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/pasta-peas-ck-226527-l1.jpg)
tp://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-with-prosciutto-peas-10000000226527/
My Italian parsley crop is lovely now–but as the weather warms it will bloom, turn leggy and die.
Don’t even try to save it. That’s the life cycle of a biennial plant.
So new parsley plants are the works under grow lights on our dinning room table. This parsley is easy from seed or transplant, and very rewarding. In fact, if you have almost no garden space at all, I would tell you, find space for a few herbs (like my favorite–Italian Parsley).
What herbs do you love and grow?
Got lots of tomatoes? Make this pasta variation of the classic Caprese Salad. My husband Bill asked for this dish not once-but twice last week.
- Cube fresh mozzarella cheese and put in a large bowl.
- Boil water and cook your favorite pasta. Drain. Then pour warm pasta over the cheese and toss.
- Next add 1 or 2 chopped fresh tomatoes and their juices, minced garlic, and capers in salt (rinsed and drained).
- Finish the dish with lots of good olive oil and chopped fresh basil. Serve at room temperature with bread to soak up the juice.
Note: . I’m lucky enough to do some part-time writing for Capri Flavors, the local Italian food importer. They have high-quality olive oil, capers in salt, and real buffalo mozzarella cheese that’s shipped from Italy frozen ( so even retired people lik e me can afford it).
I use all three of those favorite items in this dish. And yes, I would serve this easy, meat less pasta to guests. Is there anything better that fresh home-grown tomatoes? What a delicacy!
Best Classic Tomato Sandwich
Tis the season for tomatoes. Now I hate the heat (shocking thing for a southerner to say, but it is true), but I love tomatoes and you need the heat to produce the best ones.
Here are the 7 things you need to make the perfect tomato sandwich:
My Tomato-Making Still Life
- Tomatoes (this time of year they are abundant and flavorful–check local farmer’s markets or even your grocery store that supplies local produce might be an option)
- Serrated Knife – a serrated knife is best to cut through the tomato skin
- Cutting board – keep your counters intact
- White bread – I cheat and have “white wheat” but for some reason it isn’t a traditional tomato sandwich without it
- Mayonnaise – you know I am partial to Duke’s but you can use your favorite, I will look the other way.
- Salt
- Pepper
That’s it. This time of year, I eat them as much as possible because come fall, tomatoes won’t be worth eating, especially as the featured ingredient in a dish.
Happy Gardening.
m
Homegrown greens at New Years are not unusual at our house. But the mild December weather is giving us a bumper crop this year.
Chard–Kale–Turnip Greens 
Here’s a mess (as my grandmother would say) just cut and ready for Monday night’s dinner.
While grandmother loved to cook her greens a long, LONG time, I approach mine like an Italian–that means with a light hand:
Rinse in a colander and shake off excess water. (Some water will cling to leaves and that’s ok. It helps them cook)
Dump greens into a large, wide skillet and toss with some good olive oil and salt.
Now I add my secret ingredient: Polli Garlic and Spicy Peppers from Capri Flavors, optional–but a great product to have in your frig.
Top with a lid and cook over medium high until greens are just wilted and barely tender.
Dress with a little vinegar if desired (I use white balsamic, another Capri Flavors favorite).
And that’s what’s cooking at my house–How about yours? Is anything from the garden on your table this January?
I don’t know about you, but as I pulled the last of my tommato plants, I was left with lots of green tomatoes on the vine. What do you do with these? Of course the “go to” southern answer is fry them….but we can do better than that… 3 recipes to try with final green tomatoes of the season.
1) Apple Green Tomato Pie—Got this idea from a friend. Tangy, tart, sweet and delicious.
Pastry for 2-crust pie
2 c. green tomatoes, skinned, quartered and thinly sliced
3 c. apples, thinly sliced
2/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 to 3 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
2 c. green tomatoes, skinned, quartered and thinly sliced
3 c. apples, thinly sliced
2/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 to 3 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
Makes 1 (9 inch) pie. To peel green tomatoes; place in boiling water. Let stand 3 minutes. Skins will slip off easily. Combine tomatoes, apples, sugars, flour, cinnamon and place in pastry lined 9-inch pie plate. Dot with butter. Adjust top crust and flute edges. Cut steam vents. Bake in 425 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of Cooks.com– http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1737,153184-247194,00.html
2) Salsa Verde–you can replace tomatillos with free tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound green tomatoes–4-5 medium to small green tomatoes
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 serrano chile peppers, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 2 cups water
Directions
- Place green tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chile pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the green tomatoes are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Using a blender, carefully puree the green tomatoes and water in batches until smooth.
Recipe courtesy of all recipes.com–http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/tomatillo-salsa-verde/detail.aspx
3)Green Tomato & Chicken Soup
- skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – pounded thin
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound chopped green tomatoes
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat oil over high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Saute chicken in oil until both sides are browned, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, and set aside.
- Add onions and garlic to saucepan, and saute until golden. Stir in the green tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Puree vegetables in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot, and reheat. At this point taste the soup; if not piquant enough, add cayenne pepper or pepper sauce.
- Slice the chicken into thin slices, and then shred. Stir into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When ready to serve, stir in the minced cilantro and ladle into bowls. Put a dollop of sour cream on top of each portion, and let it melt a bit. Top each dollop with a single cilantro leaf, and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy allrecipes.com–http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/tomatillo-soup/detail.aspx
So don’t throw the end of season tomatoes away in the compost. Make something to savor the end of the summer and tomato season.
What are your green tomato recipes? Share below.
Happy Gardening!
m
