New Ideas for Vegetables...and what the heck do you do with....

[The empressof all]

Dang...I just threw a slew of Carrot tops into the Compost yesterday. Then I found this terrific video blog for veggie idea. He does what looks like would be a beautiful pesto with Carrot tops, mustard greens, sunflower seeds and garlic.

He works with Kohlrabi, Rhubarb and various other fresh goodies. I'll be bookmarking and waiting for his next installment.

http://www.grist.org/sustainable-food/2011-05-13-forget-compost-bucket-toss-carrot-tops-into-blender-pesto-video

Or

http://www.theperennialplate.com/

So go ahead and lets post our unusual veggie recipes to spur on each others creativity. Of course...I'm not getting much local veggies in my CSA box yet because we haven't barely seen spring yet in Western WA. I haven't planted a thing yet and I'm still running my heat....Brrrrrr.

[grasswire]

1. you can even grow carrot tops from stubs

We used to do this when I was a kid, just for fun. Take the top stub end of the carrot and put it cut-side down in a jar lid filled with water. Set it on the kitchen windowsill. Carrot tops will start to grow.

[grasswire]

2. Yah, it has been a cold spring.

I still have three blankets on my bed. The upside is that the tulip blooms have lasted a long, long time. The downside is that this will no doubt be another crazy year for tomato growers.

[Retrograde]

3. since they're closely related to parsley

I've used carrot tops as a parsley substitute. If you ever manage to find a copy of first issue of the late magazine Kitchen Gardening it has a recipe for carrot top soup - or try googling for it.

My carrots just sprouted, because it's been cool and damp here in the CA Bay Area as well.

[The empressof all]

4. I made a beautiful chopped salad last night with Asparagus

I chopped Asparagus and mixed it with some sliced fingerling potatoes and dressed it with a mustard y vinaigrette that I made with shallots and white balsamic vinegar.

Sometimes trying new combos or slicing veggies in a different way can give you a whole new way of looking at dishes.

[pscot]

5. Our local growers must be

tearing their hair out with the spring we've had. The long term forecast is for warmer and dryer. It's sunny now but the wind is northerly and chilly. The onions seem to like it, though.:hi: