Our vegetable and herb gardens are not only a joy to tend to and admire, but a true luxury come harvest time. It would be impossible to find a gardener who doesn’t savor “the fruits of their labor” whether it be flowers, fruits or vegetables. We all know the truth; anything you grow smells and tastes better.
A few summers ago, a good friend of mine came out to our farm for the weekend and brought me one of greatest hostess gifts ever – a basket full of herbs and vegetables from her garden! We had so much fun trying out new recipes together with her summer squash and tomatoes and also making delicious vinegar's and oils scented with her just picked rosemary and tarragon.
I have taken my friend’s “fresh hostess gift” and played it forward many times over the years with pickings from my gardens. Why not make an herb basket for a friend that they can keep in their kitchen for months and snip from anytime? Or take herbs from your garden, dry them and either bottle as gifts or make sachets – you can’t go wrong with a lavender sachet! Or write out a favorite recipe of yours and put it in a basket with the fresh ingredients from your garden? To all of my fellow gardeners anticipating all of the peas that will be ready to pick come June (see my St. Patty’s Peas Blog 3/17/2014), I hope you will try my Summer Pea Soup with fresh mint recipe below. And as always, please share any tips and recipes with me. I love hearing from you!
Summer Pea Soup with Fresh Mint – Combine a finely diced large shallot and slivers from a sprig of mint and sauté with a tablespoon of butter until soft. Add 2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Add a pound of fresh peas (because you will be reaping so many from your garden – but you can of course use frozen peas too) and bring back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer – about 3 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Add about ¼ cup heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve this hot or cold with finely sliced mint leaves.
Summer’s Here and Soups On!
- Barbara