Ginger Lavender Cucumber Martini

Recreated this one from a cocktail at the League in Lakeway -  this is a great drink if you have extra cucumbers.

Cucumber
2 oz Gin -Hendricks is best
1/2 oz Lavendar syrup -  you can buy this at liquor stored like specs or make your onw
1/2 ozGinger Liquor
Juice of 1 lime - or more is you like it tarter
Lavendar Bitters -  also available at specs -  several good shakes but do not overdo


Peel and chop one medium cucumber - remove seeds.  Add to a blender with 1/2 cup water.  Puree ( you can strain or use as it)  -  combine with rest of the ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice.  Garnish with lime and Cucumber peels or slices.

Summer Eggs

 

Summer Eggs

Ok the tomatoes and pepper and onions are in so one of my favorite weekend breakfasts are what I call Summer Eggs.  Basically go out to the garden and pick what I have.  Chop it up saute in some olive oil.  Scramble some eggs with a little milk or half and half.  Add some cheese ( I like feta or cheddar).  Cook until set.  I added some squash blossoms to this because I had some and I also added a Mexican herb called popalova to the top which gives the dish a very unique flavor.

Swiss Chard Soup

Swiss Chard and Squash Blossom Soup

This is a recipe I just made up because I happen to have these two ingredients.  You can substitute spinach or Swiss Chard and leave out the Squash Blossoms if you don't have any.

1 large bunch of Swiss Chard or other greens ( or combination of greens) remove the thick spines on the chard and chop into thin slivers

2-3 squash blossoms sliced into thin strips

5-6 large garlic cloves sliced

1 onion chopped

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

juice of half a  lemon

Gremolata -  see recipe  below

Lemon Creme sauce - see recipe below

Heat oil in large soup pot and add onion and cooks several minutes until soft.  Add Garlic cook 1 minute.  Add greens and broth and cook until chard is tender about 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the lemon juice and squash blossoms -  serve with Gremolata and Lemon Creme Sauce

Gremolata

1/4 cup spinach or chard sliced very thin

2 squash blossoms (if you have them sliced very thin)

1/4 cup roasted pine nuts

1-2 garlic cloves pressed or minced

zest of one lemon

juice of half of the lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Lemon Creme sauce

1/4 cup of goat cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp of lemon zest

Carrots

Well it is March already and John just harvested about 17 pound of carrots. That is alot of carrots. So what to do???

Here is a recipe for Carrot Soup that I put together as one solution.

Carrot Leek Soup

1 large Leek - sliced
5-6 large carrots - peeled and sliced
2-3 tablespoons olive or cocunut oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp powered ginger
1 tsp garan masala
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pot using med high heat. Add the leeks and carrots and cooks for about 5 minutes, add the ginger and garlic and other spices and cook a few minutes more. Add the broth and simmer until vegetable are VERY tender about 30 -45 minutes. Using an imersion blender if you have one puree the soup. If you do not have one just use a blender and puree in batches. You can add 1/2 of cream if you want a creamier version or eat as is.


Carrot Daikon vegetables with Miso

4 cups grated carrots
2 cups grated daikon radish
2-3 tables red miso paste (look in you refrigerator section)
2-3 tablespoons black sesame sees
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil.

Heat the oil in large saute pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and saute until tender about 10 minutes.

Cucumber Beverages

If you happen to end up with way more cucumbers than you can consume try some of these recipes

Cucumber Aqua Fresca

1 Cucumber
2 limes
1 tblspoon of agave nectar
sparkling water

Peel, chop and puree cucumber. Strain the liquids using a fine mesh strainer. Add the juice from the two limes and the agave nectar. Add sparking water.

Cucumber and Gin Gimlets
Same as above but add a jigger of Gin to the drink.

Cucumber Mint Water.

Peel and slice cucumber and add to a pitcher. Add a handful of mint leaves. Fill Pitcher with water. Refrigerate. You can refill the pitcher with water a couple of times before you need to refresh the cucumber and mint.

Beet Salad with goat cheese

Beet Salad with goat cheese


2 red beets
2 golden beets ( I used some striped ones)
avocado diced
white balsamic vinegar
olive oil
mixed greens
2 tbsps goat cheese

Boil the Beets for about 30 minutes, cool,peel and cut them into cubes. Keep the different colors separate.

Combine vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add a half of the vinaigrette to the the beets.
Add the rest to the greens. Place greens on the plate and arrange the beets and avocado and top with the goat cheese.

Caramalized Onion Pie

Caramalized Onion Pie

This is a recipe I adapted. You can make the basic recipe but add any number of variations such as sauteed greens of any kind, sauteed zucchini or sauteed radishes. Sun-dried tomatoes would also work.

2 large onions julienned
puff pastry dough (how much depends on how many people you need to feed)
(one Pepperidge farm is enough for 2 people use 2 for 4 people)
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
olive oil ( 2 tbsp)
pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp thyme
1 egg

Caramelize the onions by heat a large saute pan - add the onion and 1/2 boiling water. Cook until water evaporate and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, sugar and thyme. Stir until the onion are nicely browned.

Preheat oven to 425

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry sheet on the parchment. Crimp up the edges. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly on the pastry. Then add the onion and and extras you want to add. Brush the pastry edges with egg wash. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are golden.