Where to find your lucky greens this St. Patrick’s Day
You don’t need to search high and low for good luck this St. Patrick’s Day.
Think of these four green vegetables – in season right now – as the four points of your dietary four-leaf clover. All are considered to be great sources of vitamins C and K, B6 and dietary fiber, and can be prepared easily and simply.
Asparagus
Just about an hour’s drive from Columbia are two asparagus farms: Monetta Asparagus Farm and Watsonia Farms, both longtime, family run operations. Asparagus is just coming into season in South Carolina and, if you call ahead and make the drive, you can buy direct from the farmer.
Serve asparagus simply – steamed, boiled or stir fried – for the best flavor.
Steamed asparagus can be cooled and then wrapped with prosciutto and served as an appetizer before a meal. Thin, tender shoots make great pickles, or toss the raw tips into green salads. Asparagus is one of those vegetables that tastes great warm or at room temperature and holds up well under creamy sauces or in soups.
Cabbage
Boiled cabbage is the classic St. Pat’s pairing with corned beef. In Great Britain, bubble and squeak is a dish of mashed potatoes, boiled cabbage and cold meat.
Raw cabbage adds crunch to green salads and is the main ingredient for Southern slaw.
Once separated into individual leaves and lightly steamed, cabbage leaves can be stuffed with a savory rice filling and reheated with a rich tomato sauce for a tasty meatless meal.
Pickled cabbage can range in flavor and technique from sauerkraut to kim chee.
Leeks
A member of the same family as onion and garlic, this vegetable can be used raw, sauteed, fried, boiled and in soups.
Leeks have a mild, onion-like taste and just about every part of the leek can be used in some form – the tough dark green part of the leaves can be used to make stock.
Leeks should be washed thoroughly before use to remove soil from the layers. Simply split a leek long-ways and rinse under running water, gently spreading out the layers.
Microgreens
City Roots Farm in Columbia has one of the largest microgreen operations in the Southeast. The tiny greens are grown year-round in greenhouses and come in a wide variety – from arugula and celery to radish, mustard and snow pea. The flavors range from earthy and green to peppery and almost nutty.
Compared to sprouts – germinated seeds that haven’t yet formed leaves – microgreens are more flavorful and have more nutritive value. Use microgreens in green salads or mixed salads, as toppings on sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas, or just nibble on them by themselves.
Buy fresh
Monetta Asparagus Farm, 205 Born Again Road, Batesburg-Leesville. (803) 685-7857, www.monettaasparagusfarm.com.
Watsonia Farms, 3755 S.C. 23, Monetta. (803) 685-7035, watsoniafarms.com.
City Roots Farm, 1005 Airport Blvd. (803) 254-2302, www.cityroots.org
Grow your own microgreens
You can grow microgreens from your favorite vegetable seeds – lettuces, carrots, beets, mustard, sunflowers, or aramanth, for example.
It’s best to use organic, untreated seeds, and you can expect to harvest microgreens 2-3 weeks after planting.
▪ Start with a tray or dish – about 2 inches deep and with good drainage – that eventually can be positioned in or near a sunny spot. Fill the container with seed starter soil, preferably organic, to a depth of 1 to 1 1/2 inches.
▪ Sow a generous amount of seed on the soil; seeds should almost blanket the soil to ensure thick growth. Top with a thin layer of soil and gently pat down to cover seeds.
▪ Water thoroughly and place in a dark, warm place until seeds germinate.
▪ Once the seeds sprout, move the container to a sunny location.
▪ When the sprouts take root and form a set or two of true leaves, it’s time to harvest your microgreens. Harvest by snipping with scissors, about an inch below the leaves.
PBS.org
This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Where to find your lucky greens this St. Patrick’s Day."