A few weeks ago when I wrote about Victory Gardens, I included a photo of my freshly planted tomato seedlings in my community garden plot. They were so small and cute and I gushed about them, as I imagine a mother would about her children (though clearly tomatoes are a better option since you can a) eat them and b) never have to even consider financing a potentially wasted post-secondary education or, god forbid, a wedding, which may or may not cost more).
If you didn’t read that post, here’s a quick reminder.
Before:
After:
They grow up so fast, don’t they?
I can’t take all the credit. I basically entrusted them to the care of a wet nurse in the form of olla pots strategically placed between the plants.
See my post from last year:
Getting back to my comment about eating your tomato babies, that’s just what I did, along with some red-veined sorrel, lettuce and kale that also boomed in the garden recently.
Since you’re already here, I might as well include a shot of my foster children: a half-plot in the community garden that its renter decided not to take this year because of social distancing/Covid reasons. I lucked into it in a draw.
I stuffed the plot with peppers, one tomato, one melon, four zucchini, four bitter melon seedlings and one swiss chard plant. The plot already had tons of Bangladeshi cilantro growing, plus chives and green onions:
In the meantime, while waiting for that pepper boom (which won’t be quite as dramatic as the tomatoes, I know), here’s what you can do with those garden-fresh greens, herbs and cherry tomatoes (whether they’re from your own garden or not).
Garden Salad with Everyday Balsamic Vinaigrette
The trick to the perfect vinaigrette that’s not too oily is to mince as many herbs into it as possible and don’t forget to salt to taste. Then when you scoop the herbs out, you get a pop of flavour in every bite because the vinaigrette is already coating the herbs. This is as opposed to when you have to coat a whole salad in a dressing and a bunch of the dressing is wasted or you end up using way too much. I’ll also just dip a tender lettuce leaf directly into the dressing before popping it in my mouth. The vinaigrette keeps in the fridge for at least a week. Just don’t double dip if you want it to last.
Salad:
A bunch of lettuce leaves or salad greens, any kind (oak leaf, butter, Boston, bibb, oakheart, kale, arugula, sorrel)
A bunch of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (the slicing helps soak up the vinaigrette)
Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar or any fruit vinegar
1/8 tsp-1/4 tsp salt, to taste
pepper
1 tsp minced chives, tarragon, basil, oregano and/or any green herb each, the more pungent, the better
1/2 tsp Dijon or grainy mustard
1 tbsp olive oil, cold-pressed flax oil, cod liver oil (this is amazing for an anchovy-style dressing), extra-virgin sunflower oil, etc.
Wash and slice the tomatoes and tear the greens into small pieces. Shake the vinaigrette ingredients except for the oil in a leaf-proof jar. Add the oil and shake again for a good 30 seconds to a minute to emulsify. Serve with the salad.
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