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Get Growing: Brighten your Space with Cyclamen!

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Now that the holidays are over and the decorations are packed away, the house always seems a little less exciting. That said, last weekend I decided to take a lead from my mom and spruce up the space with some indoor flowering plants.

When I was growing up my mom always had amaryllis blooming in the house after the holidays and well into January. I missed the boat on planting amaryllis and narcissus this holiday season so on Saturday I strolled over to Seattle’s Swanson’s Nursery and was cheerfully greeted at the entrance with a sea of cyclamen! Small in size and featuring bright pink, red or white flowers, these little plants are the perfect antidote to the dreary weather we have been having here in the Emerald City. Priced at about $8 and long blooming, I figured they were a thrifty way to satisfy my antsy green thumb and bring cheer to the kitchen table!

A sea of cyclamen at Swanson’s Nursery

I bought two pink ones. At home I removed them from the four inch pots and nestled them in a small brass planter purchased the day before at the thrift store. My little flowering composition now sits at the breakfast table and indeed brightens the room. Easy to care for, they only require water every few days and a pinching off of any dead blooms. With a little TLC they will continue to bloom, and apparently, they will die off in spring but they will come back to life next year!

For me, this “kitchen garden” keeps my itchy thumb active until the seed packets come out…

Lamb burger with Mint, Coriander and Cumin

Washington Lamb Burger with a Moroccan Twist

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Inspired by the cuisine of Morocco, these savory lamb burgers feature mint, coriander (fresh and dried), garlic, and cumin which results in a delicate yet intensely flavored burger that can be served over a salad, with a pita or in a traditional bun.

Back in September my husband, daughter and I took a day trip up to Christianson’s Nursery in the scenic Skagit Valley. The nursery is one of my favorite sources for unique plants but on this sunny Sunday our destination was The Skagit Valley Farmers Market held in The Vinery, a recently restored 6000 square foot historic pea vining site. This was the inaugural year for the market, which ran from May to September and on this Sunday the local artisans, farmers, ranchers, beekeepers and bakers offered an array of lovely items.

After poking around the simply stunning Vinery with my daughter, I started to hunt down my husband and eventually found him talking to Mike Donnelly of Martiny Livestock LLC, a small family ranch located in Birdsview, WA. Mike was enthusiastically showing my husband the cuts of processed and vacuum-packed lamb he had on hand. I then saw a sign on the table indicating we could purchase a whole lamb as opposed to cuts.

In short order, we arranged for pickup, and I now have an array of different lamb cuts at the ready-steaks, chops, ribs, and about 15 one pound packages of ground lamb. I’ve always loved a good lamb burger so I started to mentally fabricate flavor profiles that could work with such a treasure trove in the freezer.

Last week during a cold and dark rainy afternoon I decided to get adventurous and developed a Moroccan-inspired lamb burger. I basically added diced onion, fresh mint, and coriander, plus garlic, cumin and ground coriander with some panko and an egg. My husband formed the mixture into three five-ounce patties using a hamburger ring. Grilled outside during that horrific rain, served on a toasted brioche bun with homemade chimichurri and just picked winter lettuces, it was delicious, warming, restorative, and uplifting in each savory bite.

Here’s the recipe, which features a stovetop cooking technique on a ridged grill pan or cast iron frying pan but also offers tips for grilling outside…if you care to brave the elements!

Lamb burger with Mint, Coriander and Cumin
Print Recipe

Lamb Burger with Mint, Coriander and Cumin

A juicy savory grilled lamb burger with fresh mint, coriander, and cumin
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: burger
Servings: 3

Equipment

  • ridged grill pan or cast iron frying pan
  • Pyrex bowl
  • spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1/4 small onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • in a medium bowl combine the lamb, onion, panko, egg, fresh mint, fresh coriander, garlic, cumin, ground coriander and salt. With a spoon or very clean hands, combine the mixture thoroughly and divide into three even patties.
  • Spray the patties lightly with oil on both sides. Preheat a Le Creuset ridged grill pan or cast iron frying pan over high heat. Sear the lamb burgers one minute on each side. Then reduce the heat to moderately high and cook the lamb burgers for about five minutes on each side for medium doneness. (Alternatively cook the burgers on a grill, searing them for about a minute on each side and then moving them to moderately high heat on the grill and cook for about five minutes on each side as well.)
  • Serve the lamb burgers with traditional buns, brioche, pita bread or on a lightly dressed salad of seasonal greens.
Leaf, Sweet and Genovese Basil for Pesto, June 2021

My Organic Kitchen Garden Year in Review 2021

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As a gardener I am constantly reminded that life can often be mysterious but it always comes full circle! Now that the leaves are falling here in Seattle and the winds are howling around the neighborhood, it’s always fun to do a Garden Year in Review!

Throughout the gardening season, which starts in January for me, I take photos and try to document what I did and when I did it! This proves helpful on many levels as it acts as a prompt for the next year. While perusing my photos this morning, I was reminded how this was a particularly busy (and beautiful!) year for us in the garden!

This year we added a flock of hens, a custom chicken coop, raised beds, an herb garden, multiple miniature David Austin roses, scented geraniums from Christianson’s Nursery, and an array of trellises to grow beans. I also kept my 200 square foot community garden plot and the food bank bed going at the Haller Lake P Patch near my home.

In review, the rewards were huge both in terms of produce, herbs, and flowers harvested as well as in the personal rewards of starting many things from seed and seeing them come to maturity, both in the garden and on the dinner table!

Tulips with Spode Milk Jug and Chinese Porcelain Bowl

For me, gardening isn’t a chore, it’s a creative outlet that lets me experiment and dabble, hoping it all comes to some form of fruition! Some things did great. My herb garden is booming. I harvested a ton of tomatoes, cabbage, chards, kales, and lettuces.

That said, our pole beans were more challenging and I had to replant one plot three times as some evasive and annoying critter was devouring the tendrils before they could get a grasp on life. I never solved that problem in that corner of the yard, gave up on the bean plot right there and decided to plant something else. In the end the pole beans planted elsewhere in the yard did ok so that one corner of my garden world remains a mystery!

I could certainly say a lot more about all this but for now, here’s a photo tour from my Kitchen Garden 2021!

Now, it’s time to spring ahead to 2022!

  • Eggs with tulips
  • David Austin rose
  • Parris Island Romaine
  • Roses, Royal Copenhagen and Antique copper mold
  • Backyard Plums
  • Beat the Bolt Basil Pesto with Sunflower Seeds
    Basil and Pesto
  • Sweet Peas in Spode Larder Jug, June 2021
    Sweet Peas-A Kitchen Garden classic!
  • Nasturtiums-a peppery edible flower
  • Plums and Polish Pottery
  • A lone radish
Yellow chard starts
Lavender drying in a willow basket
Costata Romanesco zucchini-a fabulous Italian heirloom
Chard with eggs
Sweet peas, mint and lavender

Laura Bush Petunias

Winter Chard and Kales

Tips for Starting a Winter Kitchen Garden

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Winter? Seriously? Who’s ready to think about THAT when we are celebrating Labor Day this weekend?

Well, here in Emerald City, I’m springing ahead to winter because now is the time to plant cold-hardy greens such as kale, chard, lettuces, and spinach.

Thanks to Seattle’s wet but relatively mild winters, I have had great luck growing a motley variety of greens. I’ve been doing it for over twenty years now and it’s always a great pleasure to go out into the garden on a cold dreary December afternoon to pick lettuce, collards, and sometimes even big Savoy cabbages for dinner.

At this point in the season, it’s too late to start cabbages by seed, as those seeds need to be sown in June for best results. That said, there’s still plenty of time to start some of the chef’s favorites such as cilantro, microgreens, kales, chard, and lettuces.

In fact, it’s exactly what I’m doing this week.

I’ve pulled up many of my spent and depleted summer plants such as Costata Romanesco zucchini, Romano beans, sunflowers, Hasta La Pasta spaghetti squash, and a few spindly tomato plants. In those naked sections of the garden, I’m turning the soil and watering it heavily to reinvigorate it before I sow any seeds. The next step will be to plant quick-growing varieties so they can get established and off to the races before the darker days start to settle in around October. Some of my favorites to plant now?

Try these

Cilantro

Arugula

Winter Bloomsdale Spinach

Chioggia Beets

Winter Density Lettuce

Provencal Winter Mix by Territorial Seeds

Yukon Winter Mix by Territorial Seeds

Arctic King

All of these varieties still have time to get established enough to produce and, in many cases with a little protection like a cloche, an upside-down glass salad bowl, or a frost blanket, they will make it through the winter and spring back to life in late February and March, just when the craving for fresh greens is really hitting home.

As I said, I’ve been winter gardening for over 20 years but as we continue to travel this pandemic pathway and suffer inflation and supply chain shortages of all ilks, I really think it’s time to rediscover the joy and practicality of winter gardening!

Just give it a GROW!

How to Make Raspberry Tarragon Vinegar

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Raspberry Tarragon Vinegar

My Raspberry Shortcake berry plants, both at home and at my P Patch, are in full production mode right now. The berries are red, plump, and juicy. Perfect little seasonal moments in time really.

So, this week I decided to pick a pint and make Raspberry Vinegar.  I often make Tarragon Vinegar during the summer months as it makes a flavorful addition to homemade vinaigrettes. That said, I have never tried it with my fresh berries but this year I decided to give it a try. Using a basic Raspberry Vinegar recipe from Taste of Home as a springboard, I crafted my own version, reducing the sugar and adding fresh tarragon as a flavorful counterpoint.

The results? After straining the steeped vinegar, the finished product is a brilliant red with an aromatic raspberry flavor and a distinct tarragon note. In the kitchen, I used it in a simple Raspberry Shallot Vinaigrette destined for homegrown lettuces or perhaps even a grilled zucchini salad.

The vinegar-style storage jars can be found at Amazon or your local hardware or kitchen store in the preserving section.

Print Recipe

Raspberry Tarragon Vinegar

A simple seasonal vinegar made from fresh raspberries and tarragon
Prep Time2 days

Equipment

  • Large Saucepan
  • Ball Mason Jar
  • Strainer
  • Funnel
  • Vinegar Style jar

Ingredients

  • 1 pint raspberries rinsed and drained
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh tarragon
  • 3 cups distilled vinegar (I used Heinz)
  • 1/3 cup sugar

Instructions

  • Put the raspberries and the tarragon sprigs in a heat proof one quart glass Mason Jar and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan combine the vinegar and sugar and bring just to a low boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the berries and tarragon sprigs. Let the vinegar cool slightly and then cover with the lid. Let the vinegar stand at room temperature for about two days. (The vinegar will take on a lovely red hue as it sits!)
  • After about two days, strain the vinegar through a sieve and into a funnel which feeds into a sterilized jar, preferably a vinegar style storage jar. Discard the raspberries and tarragon sprigs left in the sieve. Cap the raspberry vinegar and store in a cool dark place.
  • Makes about three cups.
Raspberry Shortcake berries

Growing Raspberries in a Small Space

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

If real estate in your garden is a hot commodity but you still want to expand the pickings, seriously consider dwarf varietals of plants. There are many unique options on the market and they really can be little powerhouses when it comes to prolific production and harvests.

Perhaps my favorite example of one such dwarf is the thornless Raspberry Shortcake berry from Bushel and Berry. A compact raspberry plant perfect for patios, planters, small gardens, and little corners, it produces the fattest most beautiful little red orbs each July. I purchased my first two plants over ten years ago when the variety was first introduced to the market. Over the years I have divided them, replanting many in big tubs in the garden and planting many in a makeshift raised bed at my organic community P Patch here in Seattle.

The bushes grow only to about 24 inches high so they don’t get tall and leggy. Because they are compact, they don’t shade other things in the garden and they are a fabulous edible plant for the little gardeners in the yard! My kids loved plucking these off the vine and sampling them on the spot. The berries are great in desserts, fruit salads, tarts, and cereals.

As for maintenance and care, they are very low-key! I fertilize and add compost in the spring. I trim the dead branches and divide if the containers look too crowded. When the days get warm and sunny, I water often which is critical for getting the berries luscious, plump and juicy!

Plants can be found at many small nurseries and home improvements stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot. They are also sold on Amazon. To find a retailer in your area, search your zip code on the Bushel and Berry website locater.

How to Make Lavender Honey

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Sometimes the simplest things in life really are the most luxurious.

I was reminded of this last week when I decided to make Lavender Honey. I have enormous lavender bushes in full bloom on my urban lot and after I made Lavender Shortbread last week, I began to mull my other options. Lavender Vinegar? Lavender Honey Mustard? Lavender Crème Chantilly?

  • Sidewalk Lavender!
  • Lavender and honey from the neighborhood!
  • Luxuriously Local Lavender Honey!

Then, lavender honey popped into my thoughts. I had recently read an article in Mother Earth Living and had earmarked that page. Then when my friend Marissa came by with a tub of honey made by a family in the neighborhood, I HAD to make lavender honey… it doesn’t get much more local than that, right? Lavender from the yard and honey from the neighborhood!

The process is ridiculously simple. I started with a small sterilized recycled Maille mustard jar. I then added about 1 Tablespoon of lavender flowers (picked off the stem) and poured in enough honey to cover the lavender. For good measure, I added a small branch of lavender too. The article in Mother Earth Living explained that honey is hydrophilic, which means that the honey draws the water from the plants and ultimately makes the honey even runnier. The article also instructs to simply let the lavender honey sit for a few days, during which time the honey takes on the subtle delicious lavender flavor and aroma and becomes runnier.

I left my jar on the kitchen table so I could watch it and by the end of the second day, it was runnier and very aromatic. Since I could no longer resist tasting, the next morning I added about a 1/2 teaspoon of my Lavender Honey to a couple of tablespoons of water with a dash of Penzey’s dehydrated ginger. I then microwaved the mixture in a small ramekin for about 15 seconds to infuse the flavors and poured the Lavendar Honey Ginger syrup over some diced cantaloupe and sliced local organic strawberries.

The result? It was so good that frankly it almost defied logic.

Bees working their magic on my lavender in full bloom!

Fresh, flavorful, aromatic, and healthy it was the perfect start to a summer day!

Simple Aromatic Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Published on by Melissa Trainer1 Comment

Let’s talk lavender! Well known for its beautiful flowers and aromatic scent in the garden, it’s loved the world over.

As an avid gardener, I have large swaths of this plant in my yard and for years I’ve been using it in bouquets, drying it, and making wreaths. I’ve shipped it to my daughter in NY and tucked it into a hot bath at night. That said, for years I’ve had it on my culinary to-do list to use it more in the kitchen and this year I finally got around to it!

My lavender bushes are JUST in full bloom and this is apparently the best time to use lavender for culinary purposes as this is when the essential oils are most potent.

After mulling my options and perusing some of my books, I opted to make a Lavender Shortbread, using the recipe from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld as my launching pad. I have adapted the technique significantly from Traunfeld’s recipe but one step in that recipe struck me as crucial–blending the lavender flowers with a small amount of sugar prior to adding it to the butter and remainder of the sugar and then getting on with the recipe. Although the recipe doesn’t explain WHY they do this process, it’s apparent to me that the whizzing of the sugar and the lavender plays a key role in dispersing the extraordinary and heady aroma of the lavender into the sugar which acts essentially as a flavor carrier when combined with the butter and other ingredients.

  • Lavender Shortbread

While I was whizzing the lavender and the sugar, I wondered if the lavender would become too potent in the recipe and resemble Granny’s Pomander ball! However, the end result was deliciously subtle! The recipe is easy and the shortbread freezes great so it’s easy to stash a little summer sunshine away for a rainy winter day!

Print Recipe

Lavender Shortbread

A simple shortbread featuring the heady aroma of lavender!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baking, cookies, lavender, shortbread
Servings: 9
Calories: 324kcal

Equipment

  • KitchenAid Stand Mixer
  • Cuisinart Food Processor
  • Nordic Ware English Shortbread Pan
  • Nine Inch Square Baking Pan

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons fresh lavendar buds
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 F
  • Combine the lavender buds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse the processor four or five times to combine and then run the machine for about 10 seconds to pulverize the lavender and sugar. (This processing step goes a long way towards dispersing the lavender essential oil into the sugar!)
  • Put the lavender sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the butter. Beat the sugar and butter on low until the mixture is smooth and creamy, but NOT fluffy. Add the flour and combine well to make a cohesive dough.
  • Transfer the dough into a nine inch square baking pan or into a Nordic Ware English Shortbread Pan, which also measures 9 inches by 9 inches. Press the dough into the pan, smoothing the edges to get a tidy edge. (Pressing the dough into the Nordic Ware pan ensures that the dough with take on the pan's floral impressions.)
  • Refrigerate the dough in the pan for about twenty minutes prior to baking to let the dough rest.
  • Bake the shortbread in the middle of the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the shortbread is just slightly colored. Let the shortbread cool in the pan on a rack for about five minutes and then turn it out onto the rack to continue cooling. Cut the shortbread into 9 pieces when almost cool.
  • Store the shortbread in an airtight container. It also freezes very well.
  • Serve with tea, ice cream, and/or fresh seasonal berries!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Sodium: 180mg | Calcium: 10mg | Vitamin A: 628IU | Sugar: 11g | Fiber: 1g | Potassium: 36mg | Cholesterol: 54mg | Calories: 324kcal | Trans Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Fat: 21g | Protein: 3g | Carbohydrates: 32g | Iron: 1mg

Quick and Easy Curried Mussels!

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment
Curried Mussels

Mussels. Inexpensive and locally grown here in the Pacific Northwest, they are easy seafood to purchase and serve year-round. For many years now, I have adored the mussels grown at Penn Cove Shellfish in Coupeville, Washington, and often look for reasons to serve them to my family and friends. The company’s logo says, “Fresh from the Water—Not the Warehouse.” Indeed, they stand by their word!

All Penn Cove mussels are shipped, carefully debearded and bagged, within 24 hours of harvest. Whenever I buy  Penn Cove mussels here in Seattle, I check the harvest tag. More often than not, the mussels at hand were pulled from the sea a mere two days prior.

The following quick and easy recipe is one of my favorites and hails from one of Seattle’s most beloved chefs–Kaspar Donier of Kaspar’s Seattle Catering and Events. It’s been one of his tried and true favorites for decades.

Curried Mussels
Print Recipe

Quick and Easy Curried Mussels

Simple and Delicious Main Course Seafood in Less than 15 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 338kcal

Equipment

  • large Dutch Oven, preferably Le Creuset

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Dry white wine
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 stalk lemongrass lower six inches only, outer leaves removed, and stalk cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1½ pounds Penn Cove mussels rinsed and scrubbed if needed
  • 1 Tablespoon sliced scallion
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • In a large heavy Dutch oven, bring the wine and cream to a boil with the garlic, shallot, lemongrass and curry powder, stirring.
  • Add the mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mussls have opened. Discard any unopened mussels and remove the lemongrass stalks,
  • With a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to four bowls. Add the scallions and butter to the cooking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the mussels. Garnish iwth fresh cilantro if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Sodium: 278mg | Calcium: 78mg | Vitamin C: 8mg | Vitamin A: 1030IU | Sugar: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Potassium: 412mg | Cholesterol: 106mg | Calories: 338kcal | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Fat: 24g | Protein: 12g | Carbohydrates: 8g | Iron: 4mg

Enjoy!