Chickens in the Mist

With a nod to Gary Larson, oh and I suppose Jane Goodall.  I give you chickens in the mist:

Yep, foggy week.  Hot, and humid.

The hoophouse, a bed of kale, chard, a line of weeds, and tomatoes

We pulled the last of the garlic out this week.  And there is a beautiful row of basil there.  Basil next to garlic?  They've been scheming up pesto all season.

Meanwhile in the chicken coop.  The cute little chicks have reached an awkward adolescent stage.  Some feathers are coming in, others are falling out.  Some try to fly, others are still hiding under the food dish.

Whatcha Eatin?

If you still have some cabbage lurking around from last week, (we did!) this is awesome.  It comes from Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking.

Stir-Fried Green Cabbage with Fennel Seeds
[Bhuni bandh gobi]

The cabbage and onions get nicely browned and taste gloriously of fennel.  You could easily serve this with western-style sausages, ham, pork chops, or other roast meats.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs green cabbage (half a large head)
1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 medium large onion, peeled and cut lengthwise into fine half rings
1 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (I learned this looks like cinnamon...)

Remove coarse outer leaves of the cabbage.  Cut cabbage into long fine shreds.  A bread knife works great.

Put the oil in a wide, preferably non-stick pan, and set over medium high heat.  when the oil is hot, put in the cumin, fennel and sesame seeds.  As soon as the sesame seeds begin to pop, put in the onion.  Stir and fry 3-4min or until the onion has browned  bit.  Put in the cabbage.  Stir and fry for about 6 min or until the cabbage too has browned somewhat.  Now put in the salt and cayenne.  Turn down the heat to medium low and cook, stirring now and then for another 7-8min or until the onions appear caramelized and soft.  Add the lemon juice and garam masal. Stir to mix.

Serve over rice.

Caprese Salad (variation)

A cup or two diced tomatoes
Handful of minced basil leaves
2-3 cloves minced garlic
a half pound mozzarella cut into 1cm cubes
2-3 T Olive Oil
~1 T Balsamic Vinegar
Salt to taste

Mix it all up in a large bowl

Serve a dollop on bruschetta if you're feeling fancy.  Wasa crackers if you're feeling down homey.  Or just chow down with a spoon because you can't find any damn bread products.