Welcome to Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. The asparagus is coming on strong now that the weather has settled and is seasonably warm. We hauled in 16 ounces one day last week, which was our biggest daily harvest. A few days later we got 21 ounces to add to the totals. We’ve gotten 11 pounds of it so far this year. It is a highlight of seasonal eating for us here, and even though the calendar year starts in January the harvest season starts with the first asparagus.
homegrown asparagus
Much of that in the above photo wound up on the grill. I love it prepared that way, but I have to say I like it most every which way, including raw. Asparagus is a prebiotic food when raw, but I like it mostly just because it tastes good! The grilled asparagus wound up in a meal I’ll talk about later.
grilled asparagus
I also steamed a big bunch of it for a lunch of Asparagus Mimosa. I like to use the bamboo steamer for that, as it can hold more asparagus than our stainless steel steamer.
steamed asparagus
Other than asparagus, I made a cutting from a couple of Wild Garden Kale Mix plants that survived the winter unprotected. One had fairly flat leaves while the other one was more frilly like a Red Russian. Both were tender and sweet tasting.
Wild Garden Mix Kale
Some of the kale wound up in a hash I made with purple fleshed Purple sweet potatoes and the white fleshed Bonita. I think the combo made for a visually appealing dish that was tasty and nutritious as well. Add beans or eggs and you’d have a main dish meal. I used it as a side dish for some fish.
Kale and Sweet Potato Hash
The salad boxes in the greenhouse continue to give us a steady supply of lettuce leaves for salads. It’s been so nice to have while I wait for the plants in the cold frame beds to size up.
mixed lettuce harvest
I used some of my recently prepared Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce to make a batch of bean enchiladas. I made the filling from Black Tepary beans. I have some of these beans I plan on growing this year, and I have to say they seem to be pretty versatile in the kitchen. They hold their shape well for salads or soups, but they also work well when mashed up for refried beans. I made the enchilada sauce from some of our homemade unseasoned tomato sauce and some of my homegrown chile powder.
Black Tepary bean enchiladas
I made a batch of Michelle’s Green Quinoa Pilaf last week. I used green garlic and parsley instead of the scallions and cilantro she used, since that was what I had. I used the overwintered flat-leaf Splendid parsley I have growing in the greenhouse, which is only now starting to bolt but still loaded with lots of leaves.
green garlic with Splendid parsley
After baking I topped the dish with a mix of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Asiago cheeses and put it back in the oven for a minute to melt the cheese. My wife and I both really enjoyed the dish. Lynda even called it “comfort food like macaroni and cheese.” I totally agree, and I can see making this dish again for sure. Since our season for fresh spinach is fairly short here, I may try making it with kale. I will definitely use scallions too when I have them, which should be fairly soon. The pictures don’t really do it justice. I’m always looking for new ways to use quinoa, and thanks to Michelle I have another one!
Green Quinoa Pilaf
Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to share, add your name and blog link to Mr Linky below. And be sure and check out what everyone is harvesting!
You have some luscious asparagus. Never did plant that here.
Don’t think the asparagus roots I planted last year is coming back, guess I should just give up. Wonderful that you still have sweet potatoes from last year, how do you store your harvest? May be this week I will get a lettuce harvest, fingers crossed.
I’ve got the sweet potatoes in our basement ‘cold’ pantry. Sweet potatoes seem to keep better there than regular potatoes!
It looks like you’re eating very well. Your asparagus, kale and lettuce look amazing.
I’m so happy spring is finally here, we’re starting our planting this week.
The green quinoa pliaf looks a flexible recipe for using what’s on hand in the garden. Thanks for the link to the recipe. Seeing all your asparagus makes me sad again that my asparagus bed has succumbed to shade and roots of the apricot tree. Hope we have a good crop of apricots this year to assuage my loss.
Oh wow, lots of good eats at OHA last week. Amazing harvests of asparagus. I do wish I had room for perennial vegetables like asparagus, but fortunately I can get really good locally grown stuff. I’m so glad the Green Quinoa was a hit! It is a preparation that seems to be adaptable to a variety of herbs and greens, kale will be good and I’m going to try it with chard and then maybe broccoli when it starts producing again.
Computer still on the fritz so another Monday with no harvest post.
Oh, how nice it must be to have as much Asparagus as that! We have found that Asparagus goes very well with cheese, just like you have done. Have you tried it with grilled or fried Halloumi? That’s another good combination.
What a great load of ‘gus! Ours is behind, but starting to come in. Some little critter is nipping a few tips. Sigh.
Oh wow, the asparagus keeps on coming! The pilaf looks delish, yum.
Aaahh, I can’t wait for asparagus!! I saw a sprout or two a few days ago so I’d best keep a close eye on the patch. I usually grill asparagus spears, but I like them raw as well – I find they taste a lot like fresh peas.
And the colours in your hash definitely make for an eye-popping meal!
Everything looks delicious! I love asparagus! 🙂
I was at our local Farmer’s Market on Saturday and it was full of asparagus. Peak Season here in Oregon! Your harvest total is really impressive. And I am loving the color combination using the two sweet potatoes in that hash. Beauty for the eye as well as delicious to eat. Thanks again for hosting.
Yum asparagus! All of your dishes look delicious – my kids love enchiladas, although I have to do a spice free batch for them, not that I have my own chipotle in adobo or anything :). Can’t wait for some greens to start coming in…I just planted my kale seedlings outdoors yesterday and almost got frostbite in the process – dang yoyo weather 🙁
Nice haul of asparagus. None showing up around here yet. I buy mine from the local farm stands and let them do the work. Hard to believe but this area in New England used to be a big asparagus producer: http://www.yankeemagazine.com/article/food/asparagus