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A Chef’s Guide:
What To Plant in Your Herb Garden
Herbs are an exciting, rewarding addition to any garden.
To celebrate my first mother’s day, my husband built me three herb boxes off our kitchen.
Having them so close to the kitchen gives me no excuses to plant and pick fresh herbs and incorporate them into all our meals.
Two years later, I have discovered what does best in each of these boxes and eagerly await each planting season to add and edit the edibles.
I have one bed specifically dedicated to herbs, the other to veggies and the last to greens and edible flowers.
I love to incorporate herbs in an unexpected way among flowering perennials and annuals or mixed in with flowering shrubs.
Herbs uses span far and wide from delighting all your senses to their functional uses.
If you are just starting your first herb garden, plant parsley!
It will exceed your expectations with its yield and ease of care. Plus parsley is a great addition to so many Italian dishes and is even amazing added to fresh juices.
Best advice is to experiment with your herb boxes and see what works best for you and your taste buds!
Basil: Come in a variety of flavors. In addition to sweet Italian types, try spicy cinnamon basil, zesty lemon basil , or pungent purple-leafed kinds like ‘Dark Opal’ and ‘Purple Ruffles’. ‘African Blue’ basil is a tender perennial. Use fresh leaves in pastas, pesto, salads, and soups.
Chives:Grow onion-flavored chives or garlic chives. Use the leaves in salads, sauces, marinades and as a garnish.
French tarragon: Has narrow green leaves with spicy anise flavor. Use in egg, chicken, and fish dishes, or in béarnaise sauce.
Lavender: Toss the fragrant leaves on the grill to flavor meats, or steep the flowers for lemonade. Also great in cocktails like our !
Mint:In addition to familiar spearmint and peppermint, try apple mint , pineapple mint, and chocolate mint. Use spearmint for cooking, others to flavor tea.
Nasturtium: Edible blossoms and leaves add a peppery, cresslike flavor to salads.
Oregano: Choose pungent Greek oregano or milder Italian oregano. Use in pastas, pizza toppings, sauces, soups, and stews.
Parsley: Dark green curly-leafed types mak many cooks prefer the stronger flavor and smoother texture of flat-leafed Italian parsley. Great in Italian style dishes.
Rosemary: Prized for its aromatic, evergreen leaves, this Mediterranean native comes in upright and trailing forms. Chefs prefer the resinous foliage of bushy, upright varieties like ‘Tuscan Blue, which bears edible bright blue flowers in winter and early spring. Use the leaves to flavor salmon, pork, lamb, and poultry.
Sage: For the classic flavor associated with turkey stuffing, try garden sage or dwarf sage. More decorative varieties are golden ‘Icterina’ and variegated ‘Tricolor’. Use in soups, stews, and poultry stuffings.
Sweet marjoram: Its tiny leaves are sweet with a milder flavor than Greek oregano. Use to flavor eggs, soups, herb butters, and vinegars.
Thyme: The tiny, pungent leaves add mild tang to fish, pork, poultry, and vegetables. Similar-tasting silver thyme is more ornamental but less hardy. For zesty citrus flavor (and pretty yellow-green foliage), try lemon thyme or lime thyme.
Enjoy Your Homegrown Herbs Year Round By Freezing Extras
The best way to preserve herbs is to freeze them in oil or butter. And there’s a good reason for this: Each herb’s distinctive taste and aroma come from aromatic oils in the leaves, so preserving them in fat protects their authentic flavors. Freeze in ice cube trays or packed in flat, thin layers in heavy-duty zip-top bags, frozen herb butters and oils are easy to store. I put a half-cup or so in a bag, freeze it flat, and end up with a thin layer of frozen goodness, which can be broken off into pieces as needed.
How to Preserve Fresh Herbs in Oil or Butter
Wash herbs, discarding stems and damaged leaves. Spin leaves dry in a salad spinner or dry well with paper towels.
Place herbs in food processor with 1/3 cup olive oil for every 2 cups leaves, or 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) per 2 to 4 tablespoons leaves.
For butters, add grated citrus rind, ginger, or garlic for extra flavor.
To make sure herb oils are adaptable to a wide variety of uses, don’t add cheese or nuts.
Pulse processor, scraping down sides of bowl from time to time, until you get a chunky paste and all leaves are chopped.
To package for freezing, put 1 cup herb oil or 1/2 cup herb butter in a 1-quart zip-top bag, then flatten and spread mixture to make a thin layer. Freeze flat.
Best used within 6 months.
The Dish: Herb Roasted Salmon
My favorite herb inspired dish is hands down Ina Garden’s Herb Roasted Salmon. This recipe is both flavorful and beautiful. The bright green herbs against the pink lemon flavored salmon just works perfectly together! Pair with parmesan asparagus and qunioa or brown rice for a complete healthy, guest worthy meal.
Ingredients:
1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) skinless salmon fillet
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (4 scallions)
1/2 cup minced fresh dill
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup dry white wine
Lemon wedges, for serving
For complete recipe visit
Herb of the Month: Borage (Borage officinalis)
Borage is more than an easy-growing ornamental that brings in pollinators and pest predators. The younger leaves and flowers can be used in salads. The flowers are particularly tasty added to iced water or tea, used fresh or frozen into ice cubes. The flower and leaves have a slight cucumber taste but with a splash of honey.
Borage is a nutritious, tasty, and attractive herb. Leaves have a cucumbery flavor and can be used to accent salads or mixed with other greens and steamed. Stems can be peeled and chopped to use like celery. The edible flowers can be used as a garnish or in salads, and when candied they make a beautiful decoration for cakes and pastries.
The Dirt: FOR THE LOVE OF KALE
My love for Kale started with an adoration for the ornamental varieties.
Giant rosettes of frilly leaves ― in shades of lavender, deep rose, and pink, as well as crisp white and creamy yellow ― make ornamental kales a favorite additions to the winter garden.
They look fantastic coupled with cool-season bloomers such as fairy primrose, cyclamen, stock, or violas.
In a quest to continue to add edibles to ornamental landscapes, and feed my family, I began to explore some of the varieties of edible kale as an alternative.
I was pleasantly surprised by how attractive it is and what an impressive accent it added to ornamental borders.
In particular, the ‘Redbor’ Kale really popped when paired with the ornamental kale.
We now enjoy harvesting edible kales from our landscape and juicing them, adding them to everything from soups to , chips, , salads and even ! What a rewarding and versatile plant!
Kale is a cool-weather crop that requires two months of cool weather to reach harvest. Sow seeds indoors or outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost in spring or as soon as the soil can be worked. Kale is commonly started indoors and transplanted into the garden when seedlings are 4 to 6 weeks old.
I love cooking and juicing kale and lately I feel like everywhere I turn there is a new kale recipe or feature.
It’s a wonderful hardy green that can stand up to soups and stews and can be lightly sauteed for pestos, salads and added to pastas for extra power packed nutrition. Kale is anti-inflamatory, low calorie, low carb, rich in antioxidants and high in vitamints such as Vitamin K, Calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium and Lutein.
Kale per calorie has more iron than beef, more calcium than milk and 10% more Vitamin C than Spinach.
Kale’s best flavor friend is definitely Lemon! The tangy citrus taste paired with sauteed kale and Parmesan is alway a win win in salads and kale chips.
: This is a MUST try! great on bruschetta, grilled chicken or used as a pasta sauce.
: You will never try another Spaghetti Carbonara recipe again!
This recipe is one of my new favorite healthy pasta recipes! I used Trader Joe’s brand organic brown rice spaghetti to make the recipe gluten free. Instead of using a ton of heavy creams, this carbonara has a delicious white wine sauce and chunks of pancetta. I sprinkled it with red pepper for some extra spice.
Warning: Your family will be requesting this dish weekly!
The Drink:
So you heard juicing kale was good for you huh? Well duh! Kale is my all time favorite superfood! Kale juice is high in beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K, lutein, zeaxanthin, and calcium.
An important note: because of kale’s high vitamin K content, people taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should avoid this food.
Ingredients:
1 organic cucumber
1 good bunch of
organic kale ( Look for solid, deep green or purple leaves. Should not be limp.)
4 stalks of celery
1/2 lemon (rind ok)
2 Granny Smith Apples (Gala will work too)
small nub of ginger root (1/2 inch or less)
small nub of turmeric root (Optional, available seasonally at whole foods) by Drew Canole
Directions:
Place all Ingredients in juicer and pour into chilled glass or over ice. Makes two full glasses of Juice. Drink immediately for best results. Optional – add Chia Seeds.
People always are debating what are the best oils to cook with and when to use what. I started researching and following the Paleo diet about a year in a half ago and have learned a lot about the importance of what oils you use. The quality, type, source and how the oill was processed are all important factors to take into account.
My favorite: Coconut oil, KerryGold butter and olive oil. These are natural & healthy.
Oils that are rich in Omega-6 or polyunsaturated fatty acid should be completely eliminated from the diet. It is these oils that actually harm the body. Examples of these oils include peanut oil, corn oil, grape seed oil and soybean oil. Oil such as coconut oil is recommended because it is 92% saturated fat. Ghee and butter are also recommended because they contain conjugated linoleic acids. Similarly, avocado oil that is rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin E and vitamin B is also recommended.
Sunflower Seed Butter
Say good bye to Peanut butter and helloooo to peanut-free, tree-nut free and gluten-free Sunflower Butter! So who doesn’t like the taste of peanut butter?? Anyone out there? ummm ya, probably not. It’s creamy peanutty deliciousness has been a household favorite for centuries but there are many new nut and seed butters on the block these days.
So why are many health conscious households switching out their Skippy Peanut Butter for other alternatives… well I say due to the health factor. The main reason I have switched over from traditional peanut butters to Almond and Sunflower butter
is because most of the consumer brands of peanut butter consist of Hydrogenated vegetable oil (for preventing oil separation and ensure stabilization), Salt (to avoid spoiling), Dextros and artificial sweeteners (for taste enhancement). Yes, I know there are all natural and organic peanut butters on the shelves these days that are much healthier options but did you know that peanuts are not actually nuts at all? That’s right. While “nut” is in their name, peanuts are in fact legumes. Peanuts actually grow underground, as opposed to nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc. that grow on trees.
Peanuts, along with beans (black, kidney, pinto, white), lentils and peas, belong to the single plant family, Leguminosae (Legumes). I learned this interesting fact (surprisingly not from a Snapple Cap) while following The Paleo Diet. The Paleo Diet has a strict rule against grain, sugar, dairy and yes legumes which in return means NO Peanut Butter. The Paleo Diet recommends switching to more nutritious organic almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Sunflower butter or the sunflower seed butter is an evolved state of the well-liked sunflower seed snack. It is one of the popular alternatives to peanut butter made from specially roasted sunflower seeds. “Like many nuts and seeds, sunflower seeds contain a number of essential vitamins and minerals necessary to keep your body functioning. The water-soluble B-complex vitamins and vitamin C along with fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E are all found in sunflower seeds along with vitamin K. Sunflower seeds supply minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium.”
I believe it is tastier than any Almond butter I have tried and it’s texture is more similar to creamy peanut butter. Along with being packed with vitamins and minerals, Sunflower butter is also low in saturated fats, high in protein, low in sodium, has no cholesterol and did I mention it’s completely peanut-free, tree-nut free and gluten-free.
RECIPES TO TRY: I have a crazy sweet tooth at night so I keep the
in my freezer at all times. Such a healthy and delicious dessert alternative to the pint cookie dough ice cream I normally would go after!
After a hard workout I love it on the cinnamon toast brown rice cakes, on celery with raisins or spread on apple slices. It’s such a quick protein packed snack!
BEST BRANDS: I personally recommend the
brand sold in local health food grocery stores (WholeFoods, Sprouts, Ect.) and . All natural, only 3 rams of Sugar and 7 grams of protein! Can’t beat that!
Beets are one of the newest ‘super foods’ to hit the headlines. Packed full of nutrients, it has long been used in folk medicine to treat a variety of ailments including fevers and illnesses relating to digestion and the blood. It turns out the Ancient Romans got a few things right as the benefits of a beet-filled diet are immense!
Beets provide a rich source of carbohydrates, protein, and has high levels of important vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.
Beets are a great source of potassium, magnesium, folic acid, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, niacin, biotin, betanin and beta-carotene. It also contains the important vitamins – A, B6 and C – plus powerful antioxidants and soluble fiber.
Beets are a fast growing crop that can be cultivated just about anywhere. The plants we know as beets are in the same family as chard. While chard is grown for its leaves, beets were traditionally grown from their bulbous roots. However, all parts of the beet plant are edible. All types of beets and chard will cross-pollinate with one another.
The Dirt: How to Grow Beets
Beta Vulgaris Goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae)
Biennial grown as annual
Cool-season root vegetable
Sun exposure: Full sun
Soil: They prefer moist, light soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 and cool, even temperatures.
When to plant:
I generally plant in winter for a spring harvest and again in summer to pick in fall.
Dig and loosen the soil 12 – 16” deep and add 1 cup of bonemeal per 4’ row of plants.
Lay seedlings 4” apart, burying each one in the ground about
1/2 ” up the stem.
Maintenance:
Don’t let the soil dry out.
Mulch the beds.
You can start harvesting greens when they are a couple of inches tall. The greens are most tender before they reach 6″. Beet roots are ready to harvest when they are approx. 1
+ in diameter. Larger roots are tougher and more fibrous.
Harvest by tugging or digging. Leave at least 1″ of the leaves on, to avoid bleeding during cooking.
Snails and slugs love beets so, be vigilant about picking them off and / or applying a good organic repellant like Sluggo Plus as needed.
The Dish: Beet, Bacon and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
Ingredients:
4-5 oz of diced bacon (or Pancetta)
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey
3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Shallots
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
6 Medium Beets, Peeled, each cut into small wedges (if using cooked beets skip step #4)
1/2 Cup Candied Walnuts (or toasted)
6 Cups of Baby Arugula
1/2 Avocado, cubed
3 Ounces Crumbled Goat Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place foil on heavy baking sheet.
2. Cook diced bacon pieces or pancetta in non-oiled pan till brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl whisk the vinegar, shallots and honey to blend. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with Salt and Pepper.
4. In another medium sized bowl, toss the beet wedges with enough dressing to coat. Place the beet mixture on the foiled baking sheet. Top with another piece of foil and seal tightly. Roast the beets until they are tender when pierced with a fork or toothpick.
5. Uncover Beets and continue roasting until they are slightly caramelized, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally. About 25 minutes longer and then set aside to cool.
6. In a large bowl toss the arugula, walnuts and bacon with enough of the remaining vinaigrette (be careful not to over dress the salad). Season with pepper. Mound the Salad on plates and arrange the beets and avocado equally. Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve.
The Drink: Better Beet Juice
This is a great drink for detoxing the liver. The carrots give it sweetness, making it easy to enjoy.
Ingredients:
1 medium or two small organic purple beets with greens (smaller the sweeter the juice)
3 fresh carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 cucumber
handful of parsley
lemon wedge
small nub of ginger (optional)
Directions:
Place all Ingredients in Juicer. Make sure to juice the beet greens as well! They are a powerhouse of nutrients. Drink immediately for best results.
FitLifeTv’s Beet Juicing Video by Drew Canole:
Health Benefits of Beet Juice:
Street Eats Food Truck Festival in Scottsdale
Friday night my girlfriend, her bulldog Molly and I packed up the car to take a little girls road-trip to Scottsdale, AZ. To my wonderful surprise upon arrival our friends inform us that we will be waking up bright and early to attend the . My eyes lit up and I knew it was going to be a great weekend.
We arrived at the festival just before noon, hungry and thirsty! included live music, 4+ bars, Special Food Network Star Chef Geoffrey Zackarian and most importantly 40+ food trucks from all over America.
After purchasing our tickets and grabbing an adult beverage, we spotted a food truck that specialized in Mac & Cheese. The Mac Attack had a number of different Mac & Cheeses to choose from including a Poblano mac, Lobster mac, Bacon mac and some others that I am now forgetting because I immediately ordered the Poblano Mac. I wish they had been making them to order but it was still delicious with creamy Mac & cheese and bits of roasted poblano peppers and goat cheese.
Our large party broke up into groups of two or three to go wander and try the different offerings. I saw a huge cloud of smoke and knew I was going to book it over to the BBQ.The Montana BBQ truck already had a long line formed and was offering huge kabobs of Chicken, Pork and Bacon wrapped Chicken with your choice of homemade BBQ sauce. The pork kabobs weren’t quite finished so I opted for the Chicken kabobs with spicy BBQ sauce. I was very impressed with how delicious and juicy the chicken was. One Truck noticeably had a very long line and that was . Their menu highlights include
the Macaroni and Cheese with Sharp Cheddar Melt, Brie Melt (on Rosemary Bread), Spicy Smothered Pork Chop Melt (on Peppercorn Bread) and even a French Onion Soup Melt. I still had the Mac & Cheese on my mind so I ordered the Macaroni and Cheese with Sharp Cheddar Melt. It was as good as it sounds, such a mouthful of unhealthy cheesy deliciousness only to be enjoyed at such a festival.
I couldn’t end the day without getting my pulled pork fix so I made one last stop
at the , a local Arizona food truck serving Farm-to-Fork fare. I enjoyed a tasty pulled pork slider with a fresh black bean corn relish.
The food truck lines started to get longer as the day went on and by the time we were all ready to leave you could tell which trucks were out performing others. With a full belly and a slight buzz I happily said it was the best birthday celebration ever… if I had been born in January and not May.
-Written and gladly experienced by Taylor Backus
Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean basin and have been enjoyed by people for centuries. “The first written account of artichokes dates back to Europe around 287 BC and continues to pop up in literature today. Italy, Spain and France dominate the European production market while the United States produces nearly 100% of its own crop.” If you’ve ever driven through Monterey County you may have noticed the endless
this is known as “The Artichoke Capital of the World” since most of the country’s harvest is produced there.
Baby Raice Tending Artichoke on Green Gardens’ Organic Farm
Growing Environment:
The artichoke is a unique plant that not only is a beautiful plant but edible too. It does extremely well in coastal regions and in a variety of different landscapes. Coastal varieties (Green Globe, Imperial Star, and Violetto) will typically prod one in the spring and the other in the fall. To ensure a second harvest, cut plants back to the ground after first harvest. When planting, make sure the soil is deep, rich, loose and well-drained. Finally, add a layer of mulch to assist with water retention. Snails and slugs enjoy artichokes too, so keep an eye out for these pests and apply Green Gardens recommended “S” an all organic product that is safe for use on edibles.
A Message from Ashley, Our Cook:
Artichokes have a special place in my heart as they bring back fond memories of my childhood. I remember looking forward to a special treat of steamed artichokes with lemon dipping butter. I found it so delicious and satisfying to pluck the leaves, dip in butter and then drag through my teeth! The greatest sense of accomplisment came after plucking and devouring all the leaves to uncover the delectable heart hidden behind all those fibrous spines. Throughout the years the artichoke has gone from a food to play with to a warm cheesy dip and now a striking addition to the landscape and table. That is truly a treat! Ingredients:
Ashley cooking her heart out
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, toasted
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chives, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 artichokes, trimmed, with top 1/4 cut off
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s “Whole Living Eat Well” Website
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine breadcrumbs, oil, chives, lemon zest, garlic, and cheese. Season with 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cut off the top quarter of the artichokes (lengthwise) and remove the chokes.
Season artichokes with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Divide the bread mixture among the four artichoke halves, packing it into the cavities.
Place artichokes in a pan (not too large) and add about 1/2 inch of water, and cover tightly with foil.
Bake until the artichokes are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown (approx 1 hour)
For the adventurous cook or foodie, try adding p you won’t be disappointed.
Welcome to The Dirt and The Dish! Today we present another old-time favorite – the heirloom tomato! Read on to learn how to grow this sensational summer crop and then whip up a delicious meal upon harvesting.
Ashley & Raice Harvesting Tomatoes
What is an heirloom tomato?Heirloom tomatoes come in a wild array of vivid colors and are often celebrated for their great taste. These characteristics among others make heirlooms vastly different from their hybridized grocery-store counterparts. To be considered heirloom, the fruit must be “open-pollinated” and have been grown for at least 50 years. Open pollination refers to the process by which a plant produces seeds naturally and whose offspring are direct descendants of the cultivar. With the long standing history of these seeds (hence the heirloom title), come fascinating stories that truly add to the joy of growing/consuming them. For instance, the Mortgage Lifter is an old-time variety that is widely available and tells the tale of a gardener who realized the worth of a tomato he found growing among his plants. He carefully saved the seeds and over the next several years was able to pay off his mortgage from harvest profits.
Determinate vs. Indeterminate:There are two additional classifi determinate and indeterminate. In short, one type will top off at a certain height (determinate) and the other will continue to grow until the weather proves unfavorable (indeterminate). Determinate varieties produce a full crop at once and are favored by container gardeners, commercial growers and those interested in canning, whereas indeterminate varieties are preferred by home growers and local market vendors because they can harvest throughout the season. There is one additional form referred to as vigorous determinate or semi-determinate which share characteristics of both classifications. Most heirloom varieties however are indeterminate.
Tomato ‘Brandywine’
Fruit or Vegetable?A fruit is defined as the developed o therefore in botanical terms the tomato is actually a fruit. Politically however its true nature has been the subject of much debate. In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the tomato as a vegetable because it was always served with the main course of a meal, never as a dessert. This distinction came as a result of Nix v. Hedden and the Tariff Act of March 3, 1883 which required taxes to be paid on all imported vegetables, but not fruits. Tomatoes entered the politcal arena yet again in the 1980s, this time under the Reagan administration. In an attempt to cut costs from school lunch programs, the administration re-classified ketchup as a vegetable in order to fulfill federal guidelines more inexpensively.
Tomato ‘Green Zebra’
Growing Requirements:
Additional Recommendations:
Foliar feed with Actinovate to deter powdery mildew, black spot and other common fugal diseases.
Plant transplants deeply. Most are very leggy, so snip off the lower leaves and bury the bottom 1 – 2”.
Cage tomatoes.
Ensure the soil stays evenly moist (hand-watering is the best way to accomplish this as drip systems do not wo it often leads to blossom-end rot).
The Dish(es):
Below are two refreshing and rustic recipies that we’ve enjoyed cooking and eating for years! The Summer Peach and Tomato Salad is great on a hot summer day and the Tomato Pizza boasts a flavor that everyone loves. From our house to yours, these tried and true dishes will make your summer just a little bit sweeter.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Total:19 Minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/2 pound ripe peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
1/4 pound heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
1/4 pound heirloom cherry or pear tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons small basil leaves or torn basil
Preparation:1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Combine vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixtur toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.
Heirloom Tomato Pizza
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, May 2009
Makes one 12″ pizza
Ingredients:
1 cup heirloom tomatoes (any combination of halved cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced medium tomatoes)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 ounces Pecorino cheese, thinly sliced
1 round pizza dough (whole wheat or gluten free preferred)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
7 thin slices pancetta
1/4 cup torn fresh basil (mix up the different varieties for a pop of color)
Preparation:
Combine tomatoes and oil, and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 1 hour.
Arrange cheese evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, and pancetta
Broil and bake pizza, as directed. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with basil.
Send us feedback on the edibles you’d like featured in The Dirt and The Dish and we will get to work on bringing them to a table near you. Also, don’t hesitate to contact us with questions, comments, pairings and more for this segment or future segments.
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