In the winter, fresh salad greens can be hard to come by.
Candace Page, a contributor to the Savorvore Section of the Burlington Free Press say a new book outlines the surprisingly simple method for growing fresh greens inside.
Peter Burke is the author of Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening. In the book, lays out his program designed to make growing salad greens indoors an easy and affordable activity.
"By greens, [Burke] means soil sprouted sprouts," Page explained. "These are greens that grow in soil on your window sill and are productive enough to make salads."
While Burke's growing system is a relatively small financial commitment, it does require time and attention each day.
The basic steps, said Page, are to plant the seeds, put them in a dark place for a few days, and then move them to a window for a few more days and finally harvest.
"If you stick with the program and consistently plant, you get about 14 ounces of sprouts a day which is enough to make a salad [for] four," Page said.
Page says the book also includes recipes for using what you yield in dishes beyond salads.
Here's one of Burke's recipes from the book:
Garlic Pea Shoots
(From Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening by Peter Burke, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015)
- 4 cups pea shoots, chopped into ¼-inch lengths
- 4 garlic cloves, slivered
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon water or vegetable broth
Saute onions, garlic and mushrooms over low heat until the onion is soft. Add ginger and broth or water; stir for a minute, then add chopped pea shoots; cover and remove from heat. Serve within five minutes, while the shoots are still bright green.
Yield: four servings
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