Peas in the Garden – Pasta Primavera in the Kitchen

The peas are just beginning to produce their first tender pods and the strawberries are giving me enough fruit for a bowl with breakfast about every three or four days.  Their bounty heralds a swift pick up in the pace of the garden.  

Seasons change FAST!

It was HOT here this weekend.  Mid-May and temps in the high 80s/low 90s!  With that kind of heat, I may only get a FEW peas.  Peas do not like heat and will just shut down.  I seeded them in March but next year may try to get them in even a month earlier.

The warming temps (not THIS extreme until this weekend) signals getting seedlings in and direct seeding done ASAP!

Busy season in the garden starts!

In mid-May I took a week off from work, in part, to be able to cope with the numerous tasks that late Spring brings.  It is time to finish getting all the tomato plants in the ground.  I went overboard with 10 plants this year.  Keep your fingers crossed tomato blight doesn’t do them in before I get some good tomatoes.

Then pepper seedlings went into the ground.  I headed each of my six main beds with a Chinese Five Color pepper.  They have been prolific producers for me in the past and the plant produces peppers in five different colors all at the same time!  They look like old fashioned Christmas lights on a tree.  (Although definitely not a pine tree!). Also in are poblanos, ghost pepper, chili Lombok and a sweet pepper.

Finally eggplant seedlings went in.  Purple Opal Basil seedlings, Genovese Basil and Thai Basil rounded out my basil choices for this year.  Just a week in the ground and the Purple Opal shot up four inches!  I can’t wait!!!  I love fresh Basil with garden tomatoes and a good Balsamic Vinegar.

Time for direct seeding too.

Summer squash was direct seeded and came up in just 7 days.  They’ll grow fast and hopefully produce early.

I also took one of my beds and tried a Native American garden.  I direct seeded corn with pole beans then a winter squash or pumpkin at their feet.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

With a handful of peas, the last cuttings of the asparagus for the year and garden tomatoes from the freezer, it seems like a good night for a pasta primavera.

Odds and Ends Pasta Primavera

I started with about 1/4 cup of peas

Chopped up about 1/4 cup of onion and 1/4 cup of bell pepper. Yellow was what I had on hand.

Next came 1/4 cup of asparagus. Some of the last from this year’s garden.

I had a bit of broccoli in the fridge so I threw that in as well.

Sauté the onion and bell pepper with a little olive oil. When it is soft, add the chopped broccoli and a clove of chopped garlic. I also had a frozen cube of basil pureed into olive oil from last year’s harvest and in it went. You could also use dried.

Add a splash of white wine so the broccoli can soften. If you don’t have wine, water would work also. But this particular bottle also went well in a glass with dinner!

Also out of the freezer came two tomatoes from last year. Extra tomatoes either from my garden or the farmers market get rinsed and cored and dropped into freezer bags. When you take them out, run them under some water and the skins will slip right off. They thaw quickly in the microwave and you’re good to go!

I chopped the tomatoes up and added them in at the end with the asparagus and peas. I didn’t want a tomato sauce as much as just their hint of sweetness and acidity. Everyone simmered together for about five minutes.

I added cashew cream and pasta water for a little creaminess and topped it with a cashew parmesan. (If you don’t have an issue with dairy a little cream and regular cheese would obviously work as well.)

Toss with whatever pasta you like. I used a linguine. For me, about an ounce and a half per serving. But I like a higher veg to pasta ratio than most people do. The typical amount would be two ounces per serving.

Dinner is served in under 30 minutes! My kind of dish.

Odds and Ends Pasta Primavera

Makes two servings

• 1Tbs. olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 Tbs. frozen basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup asparagus, chopped
• 1/4 cup very small broccoli florets
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 cup cashew cream (see below)
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 3 to 4 ounces dry pasta, cooked according to package directions

Directions

Start a large pot of salted water for the pasta and cook according to package directions. After all your veggies are chopped, it will take about 20 minutes to cook them. Try to time out your pasta to finish about the same time. If you have to drain the pasta, be sure to save some pasta water.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add broccoli to the pan along with basil and garlic and a splash of white wine. Simmer until broccoli begins to soften, about five minutes. Drop in peas, asparagus and chopped tomatoes and simmer for another five minutes or so until asparagus is crisp tender. Add cashew cream and a scoop of pasta water, stir through and remove from heat. Stir in pasta and add more pasta water if the mixture seems dry. Top with your favorite parmesan or Romano cheese and a little cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

Cashew Cream

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
• pinch of salt

Soak cashews in water to cover for six hours OR bring enough water to cover the cashews to a boil, pour the hot water over the cashews and soak 20 minutes. Drain the cashews. Add everything to a high speed blender and whirr until smooth. Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.