I used to have a quarter-acre vegetable garden. Back when I had time. But those days appear to be in the rearview mirror.
So, what’s a dirt lover to do when they don’t have the time to full-on garden?
Go with raised beds and perennials.
Garlic is a given—I’ve been using my own bulbs, which I cultivated starting back when Cait was still a toddler. While not technically a perennial, it’s super easy to grow. Plant in the fall. Harvest around the end of July. Done.
I’ve also added asparagus, everbearing strawberries, rhubarb, and mint. That takes up three beds, so I only have to deal with three more. Those go to beans, broccoli, zukes, lettuce, cukes, and a few other miscellaneous. And since I’m the only one who likes tomatoes, I grow those in deck containers now, along with my other herbs.
Then, of course, I have my fruit forest: apples, Asian pears, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, Concord grapes, peaches, cherries, and mulberries. These all pretty much take care of themselves.
Last but not least, I love to forage for wild edibles. These are abundant where I live.
I can’t explain how much it thrills me to walk out the door with a basket and come back with dinner.
Here’s one of my favorite recipes for strawberries and rhubarb from Alexis Deboschnek. This is also her photo. I also strongly encourage you to make your own homemade whipped cream. Enjoy.
Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Buttermilk Shortcakes
- 6 cups strawberries, stems removed, large ones halved, small ones stay intact
- 3 stalks rhubarb, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces on the bias
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Peels from 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons water
Shortcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ¼ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk, cold, divided
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375?F.
- Add the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, salt, vanilla bean and scraped pod (or extract), lemon peels, and water to a 9-inch square baking dish. Roast until the strawberries are softened and the bottom of the pan is syrupy, about 30 minutes. Reserve the strawberries in a sealed container until ready to use. The strawberries can be roasted ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425?F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter into the flour mixture. Working quickly, use your hands to toss the butter in the flour.
- Pour 1 cup of buttermilk into the flour mixture and use a spatula to stir into a shaggy dough. The dough will be very sticky at this point.
- Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface. If the dough looks too wet, dust with a bit more flour. Form the dough into a 6×8-inch rectangle, and sprinkle with more flour.
- Divide the dough into three equal parts and stack on top of each other. Turn the dough 90? then use your hands to press down into a 6×8-inch rectangle.Cut the dough into 6 equal squares and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake the biscuits until the tops are golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- While the biscuits are baking, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream to a medium bowl and use an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed to whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 3. Add the powdered sugar and beat just until combined, 1 minute.
- Slice the biscuits in half and add a spoonful of the roasted strawberries and a large dollop of whipped cream to one side. Place the other biscuit half on top and serve immediately.
Related Posts: