It’s undeniable, the cold weather is here and the garden is about finished.
We’ve been cleaning up like mad and preparing most of the garden beds for winter. That involves pulling up the old plants, collecting leaves from the yard and using the lawn mower to chop them up, then spreading the chopped leaves on the garden beds. As the season goes on and the trees provide more falling leaves, those piles of leaves get higher.  Remarkably, they all break down and disappear by planting time in the spring making the soil rich and easy to work.  With a spade Reyn gently turns over the areas as he plants his seedlings.  No rototilling is ever necessary.

 

We’ve been having spectacular fall weather with cool mornings followed by warm sunny afternoons.  The kind of days that are perfect for working outside.  Nothing makes me happier than a day putzing around the yard. I no longer put in long arduous days of physical labor.  I work at a slower pace, taking breaks whenever I choose, and simply enjoying  my ever changing environment. 

After pulling out the annuals, and cutting back the perennials I’m looking ahead to spring. My order of bulbs arrived just in time and I have been busy getting them in the ground - 100 white tulips, along with 25 snow drops and 25 anemones. The planting went easily, but I followed that by covering the planted area with chicken wire in an attempt to keep the resident squirrels from feasting on and moving my bulbs. Cutting and anchoring the wire turned out to be more of a job than I expected.  Now I just wait.

Still there are tomatoes ripening on the counter, zucchini in the fridge, and one lovely cucumber left to be eaten. The weather has changed and it seems like summer is long gone,  but the sunny days - and abundance of tomatoes -  have inspired me to make one of my favorite summer pasta dishes. This is one that I make only when there are plenty of fresh vine ripened tomatoes, best when they are still warm from the garden.  I think you’ll like it too.

Susan’s Fresh Tomato Pasta

Plenty of tomatoes(4-5), vine ripened if possible

2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

2 TBS capers

¼ cup chopped kalamata olives

½ tsp salt, or to taste - I like Maldon salt for this

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

¼ cup of olive oil

Basil, fresh is best, I used dried this time, ¾ tsp

So simple.  Just core and chop the tomatoes, then stir all ingredients together and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the meal.  I recommend at least 30 minutes, however, the longer the better. There is no cooking for this sauce.  It has the beautiful rich flavor that can only be achieved with fresh tomatoes.  Toss with cooked pasta - I like casarecce or gemelli which hold the sauce nicely. I sprinkled a bit of goat cheese in top and some pine nuts, but neither is necessary.  I hope you like it.

The way I cook now:  Covid related, just the two of us, plant based, and dairy free (mostly).  When I began this blog, many years ago, I was concerned about things like cholesterol and fat intake.  We were eating then, as now, a mostly plant based diet with fish and occasionally some animal protein. My attitude for decades now has been that I would prefer not to eat animals, out of  personal, health, and global concerns, but I have consciously decided not to be too rigid about it. I think that about 99.8% of our diet is vegetarian, but I will happily eat what is offered to me, and believe that every time I eat only plants I am doing myself and the world a favor.

Inflammation has become our newest concern, due to some serious and potentially debilitating health issues.  I did some research on inflammation and set us on the journey of finding which foods, if any, might be contributing to the constant swelling and pain.  We set off on a three month cleanse following the plan of Kathy Abascal, author of The Abascal Way  Initially the plan drastically limited the foods we could eat, then gradually added things back as tolerated.  It was an amazing and enlightening experience.  The most valuable takeaway for us was that Reyn, who consumed cottage cheese nearly every day of his life, is highly intolerant of dairy, and somewhat sensitive to gluten.  We have adjusted and adapted and changed our way of eating. The swelling is gone, the pain is reduced, and life goes on. We continue to eat delicious food.  I plan to write a bit more about the other food issues mentioned above, but for now we must make use of those last things harvested from the garden.

Zucchini - I have learned to love zucchini in all it's forms.  Our plants this year were stellar.  We had lovely small to medium squash daily until a few days ago and, for a time, we really were eating zucchini every day.  Here is one of my favorite summer squash recipes.

Zucchini Fritters

2 medium zucchinis

1 onion

Maybe some sliced scallions or chopped red pepper

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp roasted coriander pepper

Olive oil for frying

Grate zucchinis and onion together.  Add scallions or red pepper, if desired.  Stir in egg, then add dry ingredients. Consistency should be moist, but not too thin.  Add oil to a skillet heated over medium heat, then add spoonfuls of the batter.   I pat it gently to neaten the edges and shape into patties.  Saute 2 - 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.

Roasted Coriander Pepper - This is an incredible seasoning that I found in a very esoteric cookbook by Martin Nordin entitled, Green Burgers.  I highly recommend the seasoning and the book.

Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Toast 2 TBS of coriander seeds

and 2 TBS black peppercorns until they begin to brown and are very fragrant. Use a mortar or spice grinder to make a fine powder.  Store in a jar.  The original recipe also calls for 2 TBS of Sichuan peppers, but I've never had them when making this.  It's fabulous without them.

In the photo above, I served the fritters with a warm salad of lentils, tricolor quinoa, sauteed onions and sweet peppers, tossed with baby arugula and a mild vinaigrette with just a touch of sesame oil.

Looking forward to more zucchini tonight.

 The end of the Summer Garden - It's happened.  The first hard freeze.  Life in the garden has drastically changed in just a few short hours.  We knew it was coming, but it is always a shock; ever so final.  Before the freeze we were still harvesting fresh zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, and cucumbers daily; along with salad greens, onions, beets, watermelon radishes, and strawberries. Sadly, the squash, tomatoes, and cucumber plants have now turned to mush.

Throughout the summer our garden produces much more than we can eat.  In previous years we have taken the extra to the Senior Center for distribution.  This year however, due to the Corona Virus they were not accepting donations of backyard produce. Our solution was a box of the day's excess harvest set out on the curb for neighbors.  It never failed to be empty by the end of the day. 

The last hurrah -Since we knew when the cold weather would arrive, the day before the freeze we picked everything we suspected wouldn't survive. We found an abundance of nearly ripe tomatoes, 4 crisp cucumbers, three eggplants, and many very nice zucchini hiding among the giant leaves.

 We eat a truly plant based diet, mostly from our garden, and while there is no expectation that every bit of produce will be used, I do accept it as a challenge. Especially when it's the final pick. 

These vegetables provided the inspiration for a delicious dinner of  Roasted Eggplant with a lentil salad on the first night followed the next evening with a revised Quinoa, Lentil, and Arugula Salad paired with Zucchini fritters. Recipes to follow (tomorrow).   The addition of a fresh tomato salsa rounded out the dinner and also made use of some of those final tomatoes.

Ah, those tomatoes.  We do love our summer tomatoes,  Reyn usually plants a baker's dozen - which is really way too many for us. But, who can say no to homegrown, vine ripened tomatoes.  At this point my freezer is full. Completely.  I've made roasted tomatoes, marinara sauce, tomato paste, just plain frozen tomatoes, and canned tomato juice.  But, still there are more. the final solution: Salsa!

My Salsa recipe is quick, easy, very fluid (meaning that I use what I have on hand - ingredients vary somewhat). It's always delicious. In a food processor combine washed and quartered tomatoes, one quartered onion, a fresh jalapeno pepper, a few slices of pickled jalapenos, chopped cilantro, juice from 1/2 to 1 lime, and plenty of salt (to taste).  Depending on what your taste is, use more or fewer peppers.  I also sometimes add a chipolte pepper, some cumin, or chile powder. Process to your desired consistency.   So good!  I must admit that I have several containers of salsa stored in my freezer.  I have yet to try one, but expect the flavor to be great, the texture ??

Zucchini Fritters and Salad recipes coming soon.

 The Gardener and the Cook: Ten years later.  It's hard to believe that so many seasons, so many meals, so many adventures have passed since I last posted.  Although much has occurred in the intervening years, it is comforting to know that the essential ebb and flow of life remains a constant.  The gardener is still gardening, and the cook is still cooking - every day.

Since my last post we have moved to a new home and created a garden from scratch. 

Marathons have been run, an aging parent has been cared for and ushered into the beyond. Children have become middle aged, grandchildren have morphed into accomplished adults, and a new one has come our way.  Although I have not added to this blog in years, from time to time I have searched previous posts for recipes, or to answer the gardener's questions about what may have been happening in the garden at a particular time.  It has still been a part of my life.

2020 has been a year of unanticipated challenges and disappointments for all of us.  It has finally brought me back to this blog.  I've become more of a homebody, having given up many of the activities that filled my days before Covid. I realized that this could be a very long, lonely, dark and dreary winter unless I made an effort to pursue things that I enjoy.  Wandering in the garden, creating interesting food, and sharing ideas all bring me pleasure.  I'm hoping that my blogging, like untilled garden soil, will have benefited from lying fallow.   I've been thinking about this for quite a while, but it took a rainy day at the coast to actually put pen to paper, but here we go.  Welcome to The Gardener and the Cook + Ten.

Transitioning to winter meals

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get. I now know exactly what that means.  Lately I've been too busy to sit down at my computer to write my regular posts, and I do have some things to write about.  In the meantime the weather has changed drastically, making all that I have to tell you about the garden old news. But, I'm just not ready to give it up.  Some things you have to do in order, so I will continue to tell the of the aging of our garden and our transition to a winter diet.

  Any of you who have been regular readers know by now that my M.O. is to wander through my garden until I receive divine inspiration regarding what to cook for dinner. That approach has worked so well for me this summer, although in recent weeks the pickings have been slim, indeed.  I have fought many an internal battle about food planning.  For months I have made trips to the grocer only when milk, flour, or some other essential was needed. Now I'm facing the need to plan and shop.  What a drag. Well, only if that's what I tell myself.  Finally I have taken on the challenge.  And, really, once I got started, it wasn't so bad.  It's true that we can still eat well in the winter.

Last week I finally spent a day drinking tea and pouring over some of my favorite cookbooks.  I organized myself, made a list of about 25 meals I wanted to make, sorted out some for the first week, and made a shopping list.  The following day I shopped.  Since then we have been eating, mostly according to plan, vegetables still provided by the garden, but supplanted by the grocer.

We still have very nice salad greens, carrots, leeks, and a few tomatoes that were picked when still green and have been slowly ripening in the house.  We also have cabbage and brussels sprouts.  For this meal I combined our lovely greens with gently blanched carrots from the garden, our tomatoes, hard cooked eggs from a friend, and Oregon-caught tuna for a  Salad Nicoise.  I tossed the greens with a vinaigrette and topped the tuna with a dab of dilled mayonnaise.  A few slices of fresh bread and a glass of red wine made a very nice meal.  November 11th, our very last summer-like dinner.

Great Recipes Soon

The November rush is on.  You may not have missed me, but then again, maybe you did notice that I've not been keeping up with my regular postings. November is always a complicated month for me. We have 4 birthdays this month, exactly 1 week apart.  In addition, I've been preparing for my annual Holiday sale, which has taken up most of my time.  I've still been cooking some tasty meals and have a few outstanding things to share with you, but it will have to wait one or two more days.  In the meantime you're invited to join me and my two cohorts  for our annual Artists' Holiday Sale this weekend. I'll also be teaching a free jewelry making class on Sunday, November 21st between 10 am & 2 pm.  Stop by if you'd like to design some jewelry for yourself or, perhaps get the start on your Holiday crafting.  Here's the skinny:

The Best Chanterelle Risotto



Risotto with Roasted Chanterelles

 In a Funk -I have to admit that I'm not doing very well on the Fall to Winter transition.  I have relied so heavily on my garden for so many months that I have gotten out of the habit of shopping, or even planning ahead so that I can have the necessary ingredients on hand to prepare a meal.  Until now I have embraced the idea of roaming around the garden looking inspiration for our evening meal.  I found it a challenge and a delight.  I never knew what would come out of my kitchen until I discovered what was available and abundant in the garden. But now things have changed. It's a little bleak out there - cabbage, Swiss chard, carrots, leeks and greens.  Not only that, it's dark, cold, and wet. The move out of Daylight Savings has also thrown me for a loop. It's no fun to be out there in the dark and rain trying to find greens for a salad.  I'm going to have to work this out.  My goal for this week is to face my dilemma head-on and get back in the groove.  We do have to eat, after all. 

In the meantime I thought you might like to hear about my best-ever recipe for Mushroom Risotto - it involves Chanterelles.  By this time all of our Chanterelle harvest has been prepared and frozen.  I'm missing those fresh mushrooms and am looking forward to another romp in the forest this weekend.  But first, I must document this recipe before I forget.  The Risotto is pretty straight forward with one exception, at the very end of the cooking process I added mushrooms that  had been roasted with garlic.  The flavor was spectacular.  The roasted Chanterelles were tender with a rich caramelized flavor; the tidbits of roasted garlic were divine. Well worth repeating.  Here's how I made it:

Risotto with Roasted Chanterelles

2 cups of medium sized Chanterelles, whole or cut in half
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, slivered
pinch of salt

1 leek, white part only, sliced
1 1/2 cups Chanterelles, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

To roast the mushrooms:  toss mushrooms and garlic with olive oil and spread on cookie sheet or roasting pan.  Roast in 425F oven until the mushrooms are golden, have released their liquid and it has evaporated -about 20 minutes.  Any accumulated juice may be added to the risotto for flavor.

For Risotto:  Bring chicken stock to a simmer.  Keep at a low simmer while making the risotto.  heat olive oil in a  sauce pan over medium heat, add leeks and chopped mushrooms.  Saute until the leeks are limp and mushrooms begin to give up their liquid.  Add the rice and stir to coat.  Begin adding the simmering stock one cup at a time, stirring until the liquid has been absorbed each time. Add the wine and continue stirring and adding stock until the rice is opaque and tender, but still somewhat firm in the center. This should take about 20 minutes.  Adjust seasoning, adding salt to taste.  Stir in cheese and roasted mushrooms, reserving a few mushrooms for garnish.  Serve right away.