Monday, August 8, 2011

Update from Zia:
The garden is thriving!  Thanks to some awesome work done by the best faculty advisor, Ms. Basdekis, some tremendous faculty, and some dedicated students.  
There are three kinds of peppers in the garden, Chile, Jalapeno, and Bell that have never looked more delicious.  I threw a chili pepper in with some rice last night and it turned out tres bien as the French say.  
It doesn't stop there either.  If you'd read my last blog post you may know that I truly believe a fresh off the vine snap pea is almost the best thing in this world.  A carrot that was just pulled out of the ground poses some fierce competition.  Now, don't be alarmed when you pull one of the carrots out of the ground and it doesn't look quite right.  When ordering seeds we had a choice, traditional carrots or Purple Haze carrots; who were we kidding, we had to grow purple carrots.
The tomatoes are also doing well (and in great quantity).  Thanks to a greenhouse and Dr. Nix's ESL class, we planted a lot of healthy tomato plants at the end of the school year.  As a result we know have a large tomato patch with handfuls of tomatoes ready to be eaten (by you, not by animals... we hope)
The beets and garlic have been successfully harvested and are awaiting their introduction to the MHS student body.  Right now, the garlic is hanging beautifully in my kitchen, due to my newly acquired braiding skills. 

Ms. PT and her garlic harvest!!

Garlic, Chili and Jalapeno Peppers, and Green Beans.
If you happen to still be able to grab a few green beans, here is a quick recipe that my sister and I made with my green bean harvest. (you can use feta or blue cheese instead, but I highly recommend using goat cheese)


Dining... : Recipes

Green Bean, Chevre And Pignoli Nut Salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound firm, crisp green beans, stems trimmed
  • 1/4 pound chevre (goat cheese), preferably aged domestic
  • 1/4 cup pignoli nuts, lightly toasted

VINAIGRETTE

  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons light, fruity olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

1.
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, add salt, then beans. Cover and cook in briskly simmering water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a collander and quickly refresh under cold running water. Pat dry, place in a mixing bowl and set aside.
2.
In a small bowl, combine the shallot, mustard and vinegar. Whisk in the oil in a thin, steady stream until mixture is thoroughly blended. Season to taste with pepper.
3.
Pour the vinaigrette over the beans and toss to mix. Transfer green beans to a salad bowl, crumble the chevre into bite-size pieces and scatter over the beans. Top with a sprinkle of toasted pignoli nuts and serve.

YIELD
4 - 6 Servings
  • Originally published with 5 NEW WORKS JOIN COOKING BOOKSHELF
  • By ANNE SEMMES, December 15, 1985
http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/1011/1985/12/15/Green-Bean-Chevre-And-Pignoli-Nut-Salad/recipe.html?scp=9&sq=green%20bean%20salad&st=cse

p.s. When I go to the MHS garden I always bring my sister to provide good company and fun.  It's also our way of making things fair, she helps me out with the MHS garden, I pick the blueberries for her blueberry pie.  So team up with another MHS student, sibling, friend, or advisor and have a good time in the garden!
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