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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

This Week at the Greenmarket: Edible Summer

Posted in Programs and Events on July 2 2014, by Lansing Moore

At the GreenmarketWednesdays at the Garden have been especially appetizing with the return of the weekly NYBG Greenmarket, offering a variety of fresh, local produce and baked goods. This week’s stock includes a variety of refreshing juices and fruit butters, apples, strawberries, cherries, cider and rhubarb on the fruit front. For vegetable lovers, we’re seeing squash flowers, zucchini, cucumbers, radishes in droves, and asparagus to boot.

Baked goods are back again this year in the form of cakes, brownies, cookies, biscotti, and, of course, breads—both sweet and savory. New on the list, you’ll also find some delicious dairy, including milk, cheeses (this week we’re seeing goat and strawberry), and eggs. You can even get goat milk soap!

Among the many available fruits and vegetables at the Greenmarket this season are mustard greens, an Asian staple which can make an excellent addition to your summer culinary routine. If you’ve ever tackled the brining process in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden during our Dig, Plant, Grow events, and you’ve got a few spare jars on hand, you’re more than ready to try this at home. Read on for the full recipe!

Pickled Mustard Greens
By Saveur

Photograph by Christopher Hirsheimer
Photograph by Christopher Hirsheimer

Ingredients

2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
¼ cup white vinegar
½ lb. Asian mustard greens
3 red or green serrano chiles, split lengthwise

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water, sugar, salt, and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from heat. Cool slightly.

2. Using a paring knife, trim stems of washed mustard greens from leaves. Cut stems into 2″ pieces and place in a 1-quart measuring cup. Coarsely chop enough greens to fill the measuring cup when added to stems and packed down gently.

3. Pack stems, leaves, and chiles into a clean glass 1-quart jar. Pour hot liquid onto greens, making sure that the stems are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 days before serving.

To pick up some fresh ingredients and try out a new recipe, come on down to the Garden on Wednesdays—when grounds-only admission is free—and peruse the offerings of the Greenmarket. Check which special programs will be happening on your visit, and see what is in season at GrowNYC.