Garlic Scape Chard Pesto

I had some (more) fresh-picked garlic scapes and I needed to do something with them. I had procured some gorgeous, organic chard from Dineberg's Farm, and figured I'd make a chard-scape pesto. This way I could use some with dinner and freeze the rest in little dollops to use in the days ahead. So that's what I did.

I stripped the washed chard leaves from the stems and set them aside. I placed rough-chopped scapes in the food processor, a handful at a time, and processed them fine with a little salt. Then I added the chard leaves, also rough-chopped, a handful at a time, and processed it all together, adding a little salt with each addition and then drizzling in some fresh-squeezed lemon juice, organic extra virgin olive oil. I tasted it, added a little more salt, to taste and that was it.

Oh, sure, you can add roasted pignoli (pine) nuts (or walnuts, or sunflower seeds, or any nut/seed that you like) and a parmesan cheese (I'm fond of pecorino) at this point, but I prefer to add those things later if I feel they belong in whatever I'm serving.

After all, pesto just means paste and has nothing to do with the ingredients. And it's not just for pasta.

In fact, tonight I took some of my spouse's homemade, organic, wholewheat flatbreads, sliced them and and slathered on some of this pesto, topped them with a nice slice local cheddar, and popped them under the broiler 'til the cheese was warm and melty. It was quite tasty.

As for those chard stems, I sautéed them with snow peas, green ones from Dineberg's Farm and golden ones from my own little garden.

That's what I made today.

Peace.

Delicious Greens

So today I heated a little olive oil in a large-ish pot and added a handful or two of chopped garlic scapes. I grated a bit of fresh ginger into the pot, added the chopped stems of some beautiful, organic asian greens from Dineberg's Farm and stirred it around. I forget the name of the green, I'll have to check with Farmer Karl, but this would be delicious with any Brassicaceae family green). Anyhoo ... When the stems started to show the slightest bit of translucency (mere minutes) I tossed in some sesame seeds, sliced radishes and then the rough-chopped leaves of the mystery greens, added a bit more ginger, gave it another stir, and placed the lid on it for a few minutes before taking it from heat.

This took less than 15 minutes, including the time to wash and cut the greens.

I let it sit, covered, until it cooled to a mild-warm while I cleaned up the cutting board, knife and prep bowls, and then stirred in a splash of fish sauce and some unpasteurized shoyo sauce (any true soy sauce will do).

I ate some on the spot. How could I not? De-freakin'-licious! The rest is tucked in the refrigerator to enjoy with a "cold" dinner on this upcoming hot summer evening, when I might garnish it with some chopped roasted peanuts.

Yeah. That's what I made today. Thanks to Dineberg's Farm.

Peace.

An eScape to the Oregano Patch

Today was one of those mostly-at-home productive days, the kind that feel good, you know? I did laundry, vacuumed and dusted, tidied and re-messed. I redesigned some labels, drafted my June-to-July flyer, took photos of new Spirit Pouches which now need to be edited so I can begin listing. I planted more seeds and seedlings in the gardens. And I harvested the garlic scapes and the small patch of oregano.

Some of the scapes will make it into this evening's dinner, some will become pesto and some infused in vinegar. The bunches of oregano are hanging to dry in my living space, next to the motherwort, where I can enjoy their transformation ... and gift.

That's what I made today.

Peace.

Time and Space for Beauty

That is all.

Peace.