This is a small garden with a bit of many different vegetables.
green beans, red okra, a pepper variety show, two kinds of cucumbers, red onions, scallions, Chinese cabbage.
Chinese cabbage will become sesame slaw and veggie spring rolls.
A bit of a an overgrown garden. I pulled enough red onions to make a jar of two of pickled red onions.
There are a few pods of red okra, not enough to cook or add to a recipe. Maybe in a day or two I’ll have enough peppers and okra for a pot of gumbo.
Two kinds of cucumbers are growing in the garden. I like the long skinny English cucumbers* that grow about 12″ long. It’s thin-skinned, never bitter, very mild and crisp.
The smaller, more prolific pickling cucumbers** are also good eating. These are the ones used for bread and butter pickles. If I don’t have enough from my garden for a small batch of pickles, I’ll buy more at the farmers market.
The bells and Anaheim peppers are almost ready for picking. But the ones I’ve started picking are those little Padrón peppers. These small bright green peppers. Padrón peppers are from Padrón in the province of A Coruña, Galicia, in northwestern Spain.
Padrón peppers are usually served as tapas and a bit like playing Russian roulette. Most are mild, but occasionally you’ll bite into a fiery hot one.
Tapas
Blistered Padrón Peppers
1/2 pound peppers, washed and dried
1 Tablespoon of good olive oil
Flaky sea salt
Try these peppers cooked on a grill pan or big hot skillet. Once the peppers are clean and dry and the grill pan is hot.
Add oil and peppers to a bowl and toss together. Grill of flash fry until the peppers a softened and blistered. Pour cooked peppers back into the bowl and toss with a course or flaky salt.
Serve warm. Good luck,
Napa or Nappa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage
Cole slaw at our house means using this cabbage with a mild sesame and vinaigrette dressing, It’s good and it’s tasty the second day so, make extra. Try Martha’s recipe Napa Cabbage Slaw – Martha Stewart or, use your own favorite dressing.
Any kind of cabbage makes a great slaw with this rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil dressing. It’s good to make ahead and just let it marinate in the fridge.
Seed Source
* English Cucumber, Chelsea Prize and ** Pickling Cucumber, Endeavor from Renee’s Garden Seeds