by Graham Kerr
Per serving: 110 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 8 g carbohydrate, 10 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 283 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 Very Lean Meat, 3 Vegetable, 1 Fat
ARTICHOKES, ASPARAGUS, AND PEAS WITH TARRAGON
A most elegant combination side dish that goes very well with either seafood or poultry.
SERVES 4
½ cup low-sodium vegetable stock (see
page 288)
8 ounces frozen or canned artichoke hearts or
6 fresh hearts (as prepared on page 68)
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch mixed
with 1 tablespoon stock (slurry)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the stock in a large skillet. Add the artichoke hearts and simmer 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and peas, and cook 3 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.
Season with the tarragon, salt, and black pepper, and stir in the slurry. Heat until stock is thickened and glossy. Scatter the Parmesan cheese over the top and serve.
Per serving: 89 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g saturated fat (10% calories from saturated fat), 14 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 6 g dietary fiber, 306 mg sodium. Exchanges: ½ Starch, 2 Vegetable
HERB BROILED ARTICHOKES
This recipe can be used as an appetizer or as a main dish (served with couscous or brown rice), but the added carbohydrates will obviously increase calories and carbs.
SERVES 4
8 fresh artichoke hearts, precooked
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 teaspoon
chopped fresh
¼ teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon chopped
fresh
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Extra-virgin olive oil cooking spray
Brown rice or couscous (see page 293)
¼ cup mango chutney2
Turn the broiler on to preheat.
Lay the artichoke hearts on a broiler pan in a single layer. Combine the tarragon, basil, parsley, and chives in a bowl. Coat the artichokes lightly with the cooking spray. Scatter the herbs over the top and spray with oil again.
Broil 4 inches from heat until heated through and slightly browned. Place 2 hearts on top of a small scoop of rice or couscous and garnish with 1 tablespoon of chutney.
Per serving: 111 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 26 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 10 g dietary fiber, 382 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetable
PASTA PRIMAVERA
I always use frozen or canned artichokes for this excellent kitchen-garden pasta dish. My very few experimental fresh ones are always served whole.
SERVES 4
8 ounces penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, bashed and chopped
1 (8-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts,
thawed
8 medium mushrooms, trimmed and cut in
half
3 cups fresh or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen
chopped spinach, thawed and drained
4 Roma tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and
chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Northwest Italy Ethmix
(see page 287)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta according to package directions and set aside.
Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Toss in the artichoke hearts and mushrooms. Cook about 3 minutes until they begin to brown. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, salt, black pepper, spice mix, and reserved pasta. Cook until heated through.
Serve on hot plates. Garnish with the Parmesan cheese.
Per serving: 318 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat (6% calories from saturated fat), 54 g carbohydrate, 13 g protein, 7 g dietary fiber, 151 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat
Arugula
Eruca vesicaria sativa (domestic)
I grew up with watercress salads; therefore, the slightly more peppery taste/texture of arugula was acceptable if not competitive until, like Lawrence of Arabia, I wound up in Akaba. (Surely you must remember Peter O’Toole as Lawrence sitting on a camel and shouting out to his army, “To Akaba”?)
Akaba, a port city of Jordan on the Gulf of Akaba, was amazingly full of arugula on our February visit. I had great local lamb, broiled over branches of dried fennel and served on a plate filled with just-blanched arugula tossed in a goat cheese and yogurt dressing. Wonderful food, and from that somewhat exotic moment onward, watercress dropped into second place.
As it turned out, arugula became one of my first plantings in the new garden, and judging by the speed at which it grew, the old Italian word rochetta, which had been morphed into rocket (arugula’s other common name), became an appropriate description!
As soon as the soil reached 55ºF, I planted the seeds in a 4-inch-wide band, using about 60 seeds for each 12 inches. This was for an early crop to be used in salads (usually when 3 inches tall). When you harvest the greens, leave several plants behind with 4 inches of clear space to grow taller for more spicy leaves to use as a garnish or as a lightly steamed vegetable.
Providing that you stay with smaller portions, as in mixed-green salads, you’ll avoid the oxalate that can be bothersome for people with a history of kidney stones. (I’ve had only one of these, so that’s not regarded as a “history” and hasn’t put me off arugula!)
The Numbers
Per 100 g raw (3.5 oz; 1 cup): 25 calories, 0.66 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 3.7 g carbohydrate, 2.6 g protein, 1.6 g dietary fiber, 27 mg sodium
Arugula
Annual
Water: Light
Sun: Moderate to partial shade
Companion Planting:
PRO: Everything
CON: Nothing
Pests: Flea beetles
Diseases: Very rare
Soil: Humus-rich, moist; compost down to 3 inches below surface
Fertilizer: Single application per growing season
pH: 6.0-7.0
Varieties: Rocket, Italian Wild Rustic, Astro, Runway (early)
Zones: 3-6
Planting: Early spring, seed ¼ inch deep; when seedlings are 3 inches, thin to 6 inches apart
Germinate: 5-7 days
Maturity: 40 days
Harvest: June through December
Rotation: Avoid following cabbage family
Edible: Leaves and flowers
ARUGULA WRAP
A fine side dish for richer Mexican food, such as refried beans.
SERVES 4
FOR TREENA’S VINAIGRETTE
1 garlic clove, bashed and chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
Pinch cayenne (optional)
FOR THE WRAPS
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 large bunch arugula
Whiz the garlic, oil, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, and cayenne in a blender until slightly thickened.
Wrap the tortillas in waxed paper and heat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes or wrap in foil and heat at 350°F in a conventional oven for 5 minutes.
Wash the arugula in cold water and spin or pat dry. Choose 2-3 stems per serving, dip into the vinaigrette, and lay on each of the tortillas. Roll and serve alongside soup or salads.
The remaining arugula will be great as part of a green salad that can be dressed with the remaining vinaigrette.
Per serving: 152 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat (6% calories from saturated fat), 17 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 50 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Starch
&nb
sp; ARUGULA SALAD WITH YOGURT GOAT CHEESE DRESSING
Utter simplicity. Once tasted, you will never need to add one other ingredient! (Although pine nuts are nice.)
SERVES 4
4 cups washed and trimmed tender, new- growth arugula
8 ounces low-fat plain yogurt
1 ounce soft goat cheese
Mound 1 cup arugula on each of 4 salad plates. Combine the yogurt and goat cheese. Divide the dressing among the arugula salads.
Per serving: 60 calories, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat (30% calories from saturated fat), 5 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 71 mg sodium. Exchanges: ½ Fat, ½ Carbohydrate
GRILLED FISH ON A BED OF BITTER GREENS
This was such a good use for the abundant growth I got this year. It helped stop it from bolting during the unusual sunny days!
SERVES 4
4 cups arugula (or radicchio, endive, escarole,
romaine, or a mixture of these)
4 teaspoons Treena’s Vinaigrette (see page 74)
4 (4-ounce) halibut fillets (tilapia does just as well)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Wash the greens and spin dry. Tear into bite-size pieces and toss with the vinaigrette. Divide among 4 dinner plates.
Season the fish with salt and black pepper. Grill, skin side up, over medium heat, uncovered, 3-5 minutes. Turn and grill 3-5 minutes more. (You can gauge the time by measuring the thickness of the fish and cooking 8 minutes per inch.)
Remove the skin as you take the halibut off the grill. Set the fillets on the greens and sprinkle with lemon juice. Tiny new red potatoes go wonderfully with this dish.
Per serving: 147 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat (6% calories from saturated fat), 2 g carbohydrate, 30 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 238 mg sodium. Exchanges: 4 Very Lean Meat
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
Here is another reason why I intend to have gardening as an ongoing passionate pastime . Nothing about growing asparagus is instant. In fact, don’t expect to get any results for two years’ time!
I’ve used the acronym FABIS (fresh and best in season) throughout the book because it highlights the rites of passage for gardeners who love to eat. It draws attention to the prime season for each plant, and it is very useful as a guide to regional cuisines that use plants that complement one another and are harvested at the same time.
Asparagus is a great early-spring favorite. In fact, it can almost lead the field once it’s established. It is a plant that requires your patience, since even a newly purchased 2-year-old root can take 3 years to provide the tender young spears.
In that it only needs about 4+ hours of sun, it is a fine crop to grow in a partially shaded corner of the garden—a little out of the way with perhaps a comfortable planting of parsley alongside it?
Once established—and well fed—it can keep on going for at least 12 years. All you have to do is cut it back when the plant browns, re move all the old leaves (and their beetles), dig in good manured compost, mulch it thickly with straw, and ... wait for spring
I prefer my spears to be very small. (The big varieties like Jersey Giant seem to me to have lost that fine delicate flavor.) I truly dislike using a Hollandaise (butter, eggs, and lemon) sauce because it overwhelms the flavor. Better a little salt and white pepper and a spritz of extra-virgin olive oil.
Note: To go the extra mile in understanding how to grow asparagus, please see Stephen Albert’s Kitchen Garden Grower’s Guide. And for an excellent booklet on the subject, nobody has done it better than Michael Higgins in Grow the Best Asparagus, which is available from Territorial Seed Company (see References and Resources).
The Numbers
Asparagus has moderate amounts of purines that may be troublesome for people with gout. It is, however, a good source of niacin and iron.
Per 100 g steamed (3.5 oz): 20 calories, 0.12 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 mg sodium
Asparagus
Perennial
Water: Heavy but not waterlogged
Sun: 4 hours minimum
Companion Planting:
PRO: Tomato, parsley, basil CON: Carrots, onions, chives, garlic, leeks, potatoes
Pests/Diseases: Aphids, asparagus beetles, slugs, snails, spider mites, asparagus rust
Soil: Deep, loose, well-drained soil in raised beds—well composted
Fertilizer: Heavy feeder, fish emulsion pH: 6.5-7.0
Varieties: Jersey Knight (smaller), Jersey Giant, Greenwich, Mild Winter UC 157
Zones: 3-6
Planting: Seed ¼ inch deep, 3 weeks before last frost
Germinate: 14-18 days
Harvest: Early spring in second year
Rotation: Avoid following onion plants
Edible: Young tender shoots (spears)
CHILLED STEAMED ASPARAGUS
This basic preparation method features three alternative endings. It’s your choice!
SERVES 4
1 pound (or more) fresh asparagus
TOPPINGS
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
or
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and
a sprinkling of fresh dill or tarragon
or
2 tablespoons Treena’s Vinaigrette (see page 74) or other low-fat salad dressing
Pop the bottom ends off the asparagus stems. They will snap at the point the stalk gets tough, so you won’t have any stringy ends. Place in a steamer over boiling water and steam 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender and still beautifully green.
Place in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and chill.
Dust with Parmesan cheese and eat whole as finger food; cut on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces and toss with lemon juice and fresh herbs; or cut on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces, toss with the vinaigrette, and serve as a side salad on a leaf of butter lettuce garnished with a couple of cherry tomatoes.
With Parmesan cheese: Per serving: 31 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 35 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
With lemon and fresh herbs: Per serving: 26 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 12 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
With vinaigrette: Per serving: 48 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 60 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, ½ Fat
SESAME GRILLED ASPARAGUS
For very little bother you can get a truly different vegetable.
SERVES 4
32 stalks fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Pinch dried crushed chiles or Shanghai
Coastline Ethmix (see page 288)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Preheat the broiler to about 400ºF.
Wash the asparagus and snap off the tough ends.
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chiles. Brush the mixture on the asparagus and let marinate at least 15 minutes. Lay the spears under the broiler and cook, turning once, until tender (up to 8 minutes depending on size).
Serve sprinkled lightly with the sesame seeds.
Per serving: 46 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 350 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
COLD ASPARAGUS SALAD
A fine side dish for cold poached salmon.
SERVES 4
2 pounds fresh asparagus
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Wash and snap th
e ends off the asparagus. Cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Steam in a basket over boiling water 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking. Drain and lay on a platter.
Drizzle with oil and vinegar, and scatter salt, black pepper, and dill over the top. Toss gently and let sit for ½ hour. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Per serving: 32 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 150 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
Beans
Phaseolus spp.
Where in the earth shall we begin with a vegetable that boasts more than 13,000 species? To start, beans come in two types: in the pod and horticultural, or shell, beans.
In the pod describes beans such as bush and pole green beans, snap, French, wax, Romano, and stringless. They are mostly green but can be yellow or purple and are always eaten fresh in their pod.
Horticultural beans include flageolet, borlotti, and cranberry. Usually all are dried, but some are eaten fresh, directly from the pod, such as fava and lima. Almost all of these came from southern Mexico and Central America and Peru, where they have been cultivated for more than 7,000 years, but they didn’t make an appearance in Europe until the 15th century.
I planted both types: an in-the-pod runner called Blue Lake and a fava. They both did well, with the fava coming in at a close second. I think it could have won if I’d known to harvest the beans earlier than I did. I waited until midsummer, when the pods had swollen magnificently, but the beans inside had developed a typical blue-gray leathery jacket, which can be cut at the flecked end and squeezed out (to reveal a bean looking like a large lima). But this is really too much fuss by far, so it is better to take them young and tender (see “Fava Beans” on page 144.)
