...clearly I am not describing myself, unless of course women who are six feet tall are suddenly deemed 'tiny'. No, 'tiny but intense' best befits micro-greens. Let me tell you, I cannot get my fill of these petite doses of green. And, in this 'super-sized' world we live in, it is so incredibly refreshing to find something so wonderfully tasty in micro-size.
Hitting the last few indoor farmers markets, the biggest clue that we are nearing outdoor market season (
fyi...Green City kicks off the outdoor Chicago area farmers market season on May 12th. How excited am I?!?) is the presence of the micro-greens. Nothing complicated or exotic here, micro-greens are simply the seedlings that are harvested before developing into mature greens and/or herbs. Oh, but add a few micro-greens to a dish and turn on the instant 'wow' factor. Those you are feeding just might think they are being served something complex and exotic, when all you prepared was a simple omelet that suddenly looks fresher, prettier and most important, tastier.
I dare not call them 'cute'. No, nothing 'cute' could pack such a punch of flavor and nutrition. Think of them as a super concentrated form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and a zing of flavor. A great way to sneak in more 'healthy' into any dish. And back to 'keep it simple' in the kitchen, what could be easier than adding some to a sandwich or wrap (
boy that trumps a flavorless leaf of iceberg), garnish a pizza, quesadilla, stir fry, or piece of grilled fish, add to sushi and maki rolls, salads, or forget the mature salad greens and make a salad using only micro greens. The other day I gave my favorite Spring dish of grilled asparagus topped with a fried egg the 'wow' factor with a topping of
Three Sisters Garden mixed mirco-greens. I did not think I could love this dish more.
Wow, I do love this dish more.
Some of my favorite sources for
la petite greens are
Three Sisters Garden mixed micros and petite pea greens,
Tiny Greens for, oh where do I begin, bronze fennel, radish, curly cress, arugula, amaranth, onion, sunflower, to name a handful, and
Heritage Prairie Farms for mixed micros. I recommend using your greens soon after getting them home, but if you are not ready to use right away, store in a closed container (
the plastic bag or container you brought them home in are perfectly fine) in the fridge for up to a week.
Micro-greens: proof that great things come in small packages (present company excluded from that statement of course ;)
See you at the markets!
Mo
moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, Heritage Prairie Farms, micro greens, seasonal organic produce, Three Sister's Garden, Tiny Greens
