Patio Garden Pasta

Last night was our first "harvest" from the patio garden. We thinned our radishes out, washed the plucked sprouts, and made a pasta salad.

Ingredients:

1. Penne, or small penne, or rotini, or whatever pasta pleases you
2. Dry Jack cheese, or whatever sharp cheese pleases you to have over pasta
3. Olive oil -- we used Tuscan-herb-infused olive oil
4. A bowl full of fresh radish sprouts
5. Sea salt to taste

Preparation (5 minutes):

1. Rinse the radish sprouts well to remove any clinging soil, bugs, etc.
2. Grate the cheese finely

Cooking (20 minutes):

1. Boil water.
2. Make pasta!
3. Rinse under cool water.
4. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, and radish sprouts.

Proportions may vary, depending on where you get your sprouts, how much pasta you like to eat, etc. Play around and have fun. :)

Saucy Stir-fried Choy

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 4 baby choy hearts (bok choy, or your favorite choy)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• salt to taste
  
• a sprinkle of MSG (optional)

Preparation (5 minutes):

1. Rinse the choy, splitting the hearts into individual stems.
2. Chop coarsely. The pieces should be about 1/2 inch wide.
   


3. Mix the corn starch with the chicken stock, whisking to make sure it all dissolves.
4. (Optional) Sprinkle some MSG into the stock.
   

Cooking (5 minutes):

1. Pre-heat a wok with the vegetable oil.
2. Add chopped choy. Stir occasionally.
3. When the choy stems start to turn slightly translucent, add the chicken stock and corn starch mixture. Stir well.
   
4. Salt to taste.
5. Choy is ready when the leaves are wilted and the stems are mostly translucent.
   
   

Black & White Stir-Fry

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 fresh bamboo shoots
• 6 oz. fresh wood-ear
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.5 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
  

Preparation (30-45 minutes):

1. Rinse, peel, and trim the bamboo shoots until no more stiff brown layers are left.
   
   
2. Cut the bamboo in half length-wise, then chop into thin slices.
   


3. Wash the wood-ear well, since it tends to be gritty.
4. Crush the garlic.
   

Cooking (15 minutes):

1. Pre-heat a medium wok with the vegetable oil.
2. Throw in the bamboo shoots. Let them fry for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Add the garlic and wood-ear. Mix well.
   
4. Fry for another 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
5. Drizzle the sesame oil and soy sauce over the veggies. Mix well, and let cook for another minute or so.
   
6. Enjoy!
   
   

Braised Belgian Endives

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 4 Belgian endives
• 1 can chicken stock (14oz) or vegetable stock
  
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp marjoram, broken leaf
• salt to taste
  

Preparation (10 minutes):

1. Rinse the endives thoroughly. Trim off the base if dry, being careful not to cut off too much. The leaves should remain together instead of falling apart.
2. Cut the endives length-wise into quarters. Each quarter should be held together by 1/4 of the base.
3. Place the endives into a pan big enough to fit everything in one layer.
4. Pour the stock, wine, and olive oil over the endives.
5. Sprinkle marjoram and ground white pepper over everything.

Cooking (approx. 45 minutes):

1. Simmer over low heat until most of the liquid has cooked off.
2. Salt to taste, though it probably won't require any.