Memorial day weekend…. long weekend and beginning of beach season. I know we all called Mother Nature nasty names this winter, but its time to kiss and make up and enjoy the glorious Hamptons summer season. I have been coming out to the house every weekend, so it’s no difference for me, but other people will start driving every weekend to escape the steamy, sticky and dusty city. I love summers out here and just wish other people didn’t like it as much as I do. I also enjoy the off-season time when towns are not so busy, beaches are empty and quiet and I have the ocean to ourselves.
Warm season is also time for me to get out and plant the garden, decorate with farm stand flowers and grow some vegetables. As a child I never like to work in the garden, endless hours of turning the soil, planting seeds (that part I liked a little bit) and weeding brrrr. Now I don’t mind it as much. I can even say I like it. I have a small garden behind the shed, protected from each side by walls, a fence and bushes that help keep out our best friends… the deer and rabbits. As much as I admire these beautiful and graceful animals, I don’t like to see my flowers and plants eaten by them. It’s frustrating to work hard all weekend, and come back the next day to see everything shredded to the ground. That was last year, this year I got smarter, and built more obstacles around the garden I also use some deer and rabbit repellent spray, which smells horribly, but it works quite well. I can finally enjoy my vegetables.
This long weekend I spent between socializing with friends and working in my garden. I went a little bit over board with seeding vegetables that grew so thick, that I had to thin them out. Growing up we threw out the extra plants, but this year I decided to make use of them. They are excellent source of vitamins, nutrition etc. You can use whatever grows in your garden. I had kale, broccoli rabe, beets, carrots, radishes, arugula and other lettuces. The little plants need to be washed really well, otherwise the sand and dirt will spoil your dish. The best way to get rid of dirt is to cut the roots and submerge the stems in water, after while pick them up on a strainer. Repeat this few times until the water is clear. You can use the greens as if you use lettuce, as a base, or add them to your salad. I made a quinoa salad with greens and still have full bag leftovers for another salad. I will have to use them quick because they don't preserve well.
On this special Memorial Day Weekend a not of thanks to all those who have bravely served this proud country. With gratitude and appreciation for the great life we have here in one of the most beautiful places in America.
Recipe
1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of water
1 cup of English peas
1 cup of garden greens or any other greens (arugula, watercress, freeze)
1/4 cup of olive oil (I used pistachio, but you can use hazelnut or any other nut oil)
1/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup of crumble feta cheese
2 spoons of lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup of fiddleheads fern or asparagus
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse quinoa in cold water. Heat a drizzle of oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, and add drained quinoa, cook stirring for about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to rolling boil, turn heat down, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with fork.
Preheat oven to 425 F and spread nuts on the baking sheet. toast them for about 6 minutes. Watch the nuts during roasting, because they can go from almost done to overdone in less than a minute. It is important to check them frequently and stir them often. Peeled off the dry skin.
In a meantime boil some water and cook English peas with 1/4 teaspoon of salt for about 1 minute, drain and put it in an ice bath for few minutes, this will stop the cooking process and the peas will have nice green color.
Clean fiddleheads, wash them and drain. Boil water and add fiddleheads, cook until tender about 3 minutes. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, add fiddleheads and cook 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. season with salt and pepper.
Add all the ingredients together, toss and serve.
Przepis
1 szklanka komosy ryzowej
2 szklanki wody
1 szklanka zielonego groszku
1 szklanka zieleniny z ogrodu ( ja uzylam warzywa ktore przerywalam na grzadkach, - marchewka, jarmuz, buraki, roszponka, rzodkiewka, mozna zastapic innymi salatami)
1/4 szklanki oleju z oliwek , mozna uzyc oleju z orzechow
1/4 orzechow laskowych
2 lyzki soku z cytryny
2 lyzeczki tartej skorki z cytryny
1/2 szklanki zarodnikow paproci (mozna uzyc szparagi)
sol, pieprz
Przeplukac komose pod zimna woda, ugotowac wedlug instrukcji na opakowaniu lub podgrzac odrobine oleju w sredniej wilelkosci rondlu, dodac komose i gotowac ciagle mieszajac przez 1 minute. Dodac 2 szklanki wody, zagotowac i zmniejszyc ogien do minimum, gotowac okolo 15 min. Zdjac z ognia, przykryc przykrywka i odczekac okolo 5 min.
W piekarniku rozgrzanym do 200C upiec orzechy laskowe, okolo 6 minut, sprawdzajac i mieszajac aby sie nie przypalily.
W miedzyczasie ugotowac wode w srednim garnku i dodac groszek, gotowac okolo 1 minuty, odcedzic i zanurzyc w zimnej wodzie z lodem, aby zatrzymac proces gotowania i zachowac ladny zielony kolor.
Oczyscic zarodniki ( mozna nazbierac w lesie ) lub szparagi , ugotowac w osolonej wodzie okolo 4 min. odcedzic i podsmazyc na masle okolo 2 minut na kazdej stronie na zloty kolor, wymieszac wszystkie skladniki dodac sol, pieprz i podawac w temperaturze pokojowej lub schlodzona.