Winter Greens

[buckabucka]

I just covered my greens in the hoop house yesterday. We're supposed to get single digits Monday night and I'm hoping to keep them alive. It is mostly "coarse" greens: kale, over-grown arugula, and some kind of mild mustard (it was in a mix), but I am enjoying them.

Last year the rodents had eaten them all by now. It just started to snow, so maybe the rodents will soon be moving in. We grow great rodents here .

 

[digitS']

Since this is the first day in awhile of some warmth and sunshine, I pulled off the low tunnel in the greenhouse so the greens could get some sun and fresh air. There was ice in the folds of plastic.

I expect the plants to begin growing again near the end of the month. Maybe even the lettuce - but, it's having an especially tough time.

The Asian greens looked a little worse for a having been covered up so much lately and for the nights in single digitS', but they were okay for a stir fry with a roasted Cornish game hen!

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Steve, those greens don't look too shabby. I would be happy with those. As long as they're edible, you're having fresh greens in winter!

Mary

 

[digitS']

I am! er ... I did!

There were some damaged lower leaves but those leaves are months old and likely damaged when the greens were transplanted to the beds. They would have been taken off, anyway.

There hasn't been any growth in a month. The covered bed just amounts to a storage system. Eliot Coleman wrote "4 Season Harvest" but these varieties will both grow and be harvested through about the last half of winter.

So as to have something to transplant into the hoop house next door, I'll get more seed into the starter mix, soon. Except for a January Starvation Time, Asian greens (& others) should be available for harvest in all but the hottest weeks of summer.

It doesn't feel like summer today but with a little sunshine and above freezing temperatures, almost spring! It was a little strange to find so much ice just from condensation in the greenhouse but it is gone now. 70% chance of snow tomorrow so there goes the sunshine.

Steve

 

[kenneth Power]

Since this is the first day in awhile of some warmth and sunshine, I pulled off the low tunnel in the greenhouse so the greens could get some sun and fresh air. There was ice in the folds of plastic.

I expect the plants to begin growing again near the end of the month. Maybe even the lettuce - but, it's having an especially tough time.

The Asian greens looked a little worse for a having been covered up so much lately and for the nights in single digitS', but they were okay for a stir fry with a roasted Cornish game hen!

View attachment 10588

Steve

Good job Steve any fresh greens this time of year puts you ahead of the game. Makes me want to rip out the shrubs on my south side foundation and put in a bed like yours. I will be visiting your area next summer. Going to the Kootanai River area and up to Glacier. Looking forward to the northwest.

 

[digitS']

Thank you! I hope the greens look okay out there this afternoon.

I'm trying that smoked paprika marinade on some boneless chicken thighs.

Maybe we will learn today if they can serve as a substitute for bacon in a stir fry .

Steve

 

[buckabucka]

My greens are still alive, but we've only had two quick dips below zero this winter (so far).

I've used pimenton in chicken recipes before. Somewhere, I also have a simple pimenton soup recipe, that is served with an egg poached in the broth. Not exactly bacon flavor, but I imagine it is healthier.

 

[digitS']

That sounds good, @buckabucka ! I was just looking at a picture of corned beef stew with several poached eggs in the cast iron pan ...

Oh! You see how difficult this will be? Corned Beef! ... Of course, my perspective on corned beef changed about 20 years ago when I wanted to try making my own corned beef but opted for pastrami. I'd learned what I'd have to put in beef brisket to maintain that pink color!

Anyway! The chicken thighs came out of the oven delicious but decidedly less smoky than what I'd hoped. I shoulda dun what Martha Stewart told me!

She has a recipe online for chicken breast with smoked paprika. She has 8 hours minimum or overnight in the marinade.

Shoot. I went for 4 hours. It could also have used more than 1 tablespoon of pepper for 3/4# of meat. Martha used 2 T for 1#. I'm thinking that it may need more than that to carry as much smoke flavor as bacon. I wonder if Spanish pimenton would be cheaper than McCormick's, given Spain's current economic difficulties .

Maybe the price of tea in China ...

Delicious, the chicken was! Marinated meats (& mushrooms!) are simple and, mostly, just a matter of timing. If you like barbecue sauce on meat, as I do, you may be already on the road to Marinade. Essentially, no beef goes in my stir-fry unless it comes out of a marinade. I'm not as committed with chicken. Quite a lot of the time, the chicken is leftover from roasting. Really, my little marinade is called for there but a sprinkle of Mrs Dash and garlic salt is what the bird usually gets before going in the oven.

BTW: the marinade yesterday was 1 T smoked paprika, 1 T Worcestershire sauce, 2T soy sauce, & 3 T apple cider vinegar and 4 hours in a glass container.

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Steve, I'm always amazed at your cooking skills. I need to try more marinades.

Mary

 

[digitS']

My skills are simple/dimple, Mary!

Maybe a wrinkle or two . Thank You.

At the library the other day, I found myself staring at a cookbook and thumbing my way slowly thru. This one was titled something about "5-ingredients." "I got this," I thought to myself. Maybe 4 ingredients ... 3! My digitS' begin to shake when I think of 6, or more!

Steve