5 minute read
MIX IT UP
LEAVING LEAVES
Did you grow up with parents who raked up every last leaf every single fall? Mine were obsessed with tidying up our yard, making everything as neat as possible—as if that were the secret to managing the cold weather ahead. These days, however, we know that leaves provide important ecological value to our gardens. We now know that up to 80 percent of the nutrients that trees take up from the soil throughout the season is stored in leaves and that leaf cover provides essential habitat and nutrition for overwintering critters. But as much as we want to live in concert with nature, it’s just not practical for all of us to every leaf where its fallen. Our friend Margaret Roach, who gardens in upstate New York, suggests that we choose to be strategic and thoughtful about our late -season cleanup, especially where leaves are concerned. One of her tips is to plot out which areas you’ll rake and which you’ll keep natural. If you’ve seen signs of disease or pest infestation in a certain section of your garden, make sure to thoroughly remove the debris—as in get it all off your property to minimize its potential to spread. Roach also suggests cleaning out areas where it will be hard for small and delicate bulbs to push up through a dense layer of heavy mulch. Decomposing leaf litter is crazy-nutritious, so when you do rake, why not put those valuable nutrients back to work in the garden by using the raked leaves as mulch? Joe Lamp’l, from the Joe Gardener Show, calls leaves “garden gold.” Instead of relegating them to the landfill, offer them up to your garden instead. A Way to Garden is Margaret Roach’s blog and podcast. Find her at awaytogarden.com The Joe Gardener Show is Joe Lamp’l’s bog and podcast. Find him at joegardener.com
ALISON ROMAN’S WINTER WHITE BEAN STEW
Thanks to my stepdaughter, I have a major obsession with just about anything Alison Roman cooks. Alison has a relaxed, NBD (no big deal) vibe in the kitchen, which I immensely appreciate. Her mantra is a resounding everything will be fine. All of her recipes are epic. Seriously, she never goes wrong, and her version of a white bean stew is SUPER. And what says winter more than a big pot of simmering stew? This is a vegetarian version, so feel free to root around in your kitchen and add whatever calls your name—carrots or potatoes maybe. And you’re of course welcome to add your favorite meat for more texture and flavor (if that’s even possible). Either way, this is a stick-toyour-bones kind of stew—and a flavor party to boot—perfect for the holidays. This batch is enough for four.
1 bunch of kale or spinach (I chop my spinach, but doing so is optional) ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 medium red or yellow onion, sliced Kosher salt and black pepper 2-3 Tbsp. harissa or tomato paste (AR recommends harissa, but if you don’t have it, NBD) Red pepper flakes (optional) 3 (15 oz.) cans large white beans, such as cannellini or great Northern, drained and rinsed 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 preserved lemon, thinly sliced or 1 lemon, halved, for squeezing 2 oz. feta or other salty cheese, such as queso fresco or pecorino, crumbled 1 cup parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped Fried or medium boiled egg (optional)
Chop spinach or tear into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and sizzled at the edges, 5-10 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add harissa (or tomato paste and red pepper flakes), and stir to coat in the oil. Cook so the sugar starts to caramelize and the harissa is the color of red bricks and the oil turns a firey orange—about 2 minutes.
Add beans, and season with salt and pepper. Crush a few beans with a wooden spoon to release their creaminess.
Add the broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until it reaches your preferred consistency. We’re talking 1520 minutes.
Stir in the chopped spinach and preserved lemon or lemon juice so that the greens are incorporated and wilt. Season with salt and pepper and more red pepper flakes.
Serve with feta and parsley and top with an egg if you like.
ROSEMARY CRANBERRYORANGE SHRUB
You may be already on the shrub train and know the term doesn’t always refer to bushy green mounds in your front yard. Shrubs in the cocktail world are a sweetened, vinegar-based syrup usually infused with herbs, fruits, or spices. The equivalent would be an infused-version of simple syrup, using a 1:1:1 ratio of fruit, sugar, and vinegar, then spiking with whatever combination of herbs, spices, and fruits that strike your fancy. Once you’ve brewed the shrub part, it’s easy to convert to a shrub cocktail by using a ratio of 2:1:1 of bourbon, shrub, and seltzer. While it may sound daunting, it’s likely you have most of the ingredients already. What you’ll need and a recipe for this simple bourbon shrub cocktail, perfect for the holidays, follow:
INGREDIENTS:
Cranberries
Orange juice or zest
Apple cider vinegar
Sugar
Cinnamon sticks
Fresh rosemary
Black peppercorns
Bourbon (gin or vodka work well too)
Seltzer
To make the shrub: Combine cranberries, orange juice or zest, sugar, vinegar, rosemary, and black peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add cinnamon stick. Lower heat, let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Cool and then strain into a glass jar. Adjust taste as needed; you may need to fiddle with the tang factor.
To make the shrub cocktail: Using the 2:1:1 ratio, combine the alcohol, shrub, and seltzer. (You can also skip the alcohol to make a mocktail—it’s just as good.) Add ice, then garnish with cranberries, a sprinkle of orange zest, and a sprig of rosemary for a festive touch.
Enjoy! Clockwise from left: Raking leaves should be a thoughtful and strategic fall garden task. Photo by Peggy Choucair from Pixabay
Rosemary cranberry-orange shrub, a cocktail or mocktail, can help ring in the season. Photo from Good Life Eats
White bean stew makes a hearty winter meal. Photo courtesy of Alison Roman’s A Newsletter
Mix It Up is compiled and edited by Madeline Mayhood, Editor, The Real Dirt, James River Garden Club, Zone VII
