September 15, 2024- waiting for the rain

 

It will be a short post this week. There does not seem like much to report.

It is dry. The garden wouldm like some rain, a good soaking rain. There has been no rain at all since August. I am using the water wand to mostly water the plants in pots or the newly planted iris.

A couple of the regular large plants bloomed.

Last Sunday morning the cactus bloomed. 

Two Night Blooming Cereus plants bloomed. Because of the shortening days the flower was still mostly open when it was daylight. In July this picture would not have been possible at 6:49 in the morning.

This is a variety called Mark Twain. It has extra petals and is said to have actually originally come from the house of....Mark Twain.

The big plant had 2 blooms one night this past week.

The big plant also has some little buds, that might bloom in early October.

Here are more pictures

The ornamental kale have been growing, having survived the first attack by the cabbage worms.

This is a croton named Franklin Roosevelt. I really like it. It has long narrow leaves that are very colorful.

More FDR.

One of the flowers on this orchid finished this week. It must have been blooming for a month.

The adenium is blooming again.

This is a nice pink double Japanese anemone.

The lantana that overwintered last winter was worth the effort. 

Julia's recipe

Nicoise Salad, sheet pan version

I like salad nicoise which I had only had in restaurants and only with canned tuna. The NYT published a salmon version in which some of the components bake on a sheet pan. Tasty and easy. It has been cool here so it was fine to have the oven on for about 35 or 40 minutes. And it is still farmers market season so a lot of the ingredients were very fresh.

The ingredients for 2 diners:

1/2 lb. or so salmon;

12 little red potatoes;

a handful of thin green beans;

12 little tomatoes;

2 hardboiled eggs;

10 pitted kalamata olives;

some tender greens;

4 tablespoons olive oil;

1 teaspoon or so kosher salt;

1/2 teaspoon or so pepper;

1 tablespoon of vinegar;

1/2 teaspoon smushed garlic;

1 teaspoon dijon mustard;

and a bit of anchovy paste, if you like. 

I started by scrubbing the little potatoes, rinsing off the tomatoes and washing and trimming the green beans.

I turned the oven on to 400 degrees.

After preparing the green beans, I cooked them for a minute or two in boiling water. I wanted them to be partially cooked before they roasted.

Off camera, I cut all of the potatoes in half and put them in a bowl. I added about1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and some pepper and tossed them around.

Then I put the potatoes, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat on it to prevent sticking. 

I put the sheet pan in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. The idea is to cook the potatoes part way at this stage.

Then I put the tomatoes and the green beans in the bowl the potatoes had been in. I added another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and another sprinkle  of salt and pepper.

Here are the tomatoes and beans. Philip had made vinaigrette beforehand. So instead of making my own vinaigrette, I poured about 1/4 cup of his into a little jar. I added the smushed garlic (about 1/2 teaspoon), 1/2 teaspoon of dijon mustard and a squirt of anchovy paste and shook it up.

Of course, you could make your dressing from scratch. I have given the amounts needed at the top of the recipe.

And there it is. 

When the timer went off, I took the sheet pan out of the oven while I fixed the salmon. I had already checked for bones - none! And I mixed 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the other 1/2 teaspoon of dijon mustard. 

It was a loose mixture, which I spooned over the salmon. Then I sprinkled the fish with a little salt and pepper. 

I added the beans and tomatoes and the olives to the other end of the sheet pan.

Then I carefully placed the salmon pieces in the middle of the pan.

Back into the oven for about 10 minutes. Until the fish was done. I don't eat my fish rare. You may think differently.

While the fish (et al.) was baking, I tossed the tender greens with the dressing. I divided the greens onto 2 plates.

Then I added little piles of vegetables all around, and added the hardboiled eggs and lastly added the salmon in the middle. 

On the table. A very pretty plate, I think. The cooked things wilted the greenery a little which was pleasant, as were the slightly roasted tomatoes and beans. I have always liked roasted red potatoes. 

We had corn from the farmers market as a second course and baked custard for dessert. No leftovers! 

Odds and Ends

The garden season is winding down. Leaves are starting to fall. (Is that why the season is called "fall'?)

I need to find some garden energy. I know it is out there somewhere. Maybe it is waiting for the rain, which is not in the forecast.

It is a scary world out there. I was pleased with the results of the debate. At the same time I could not watch it.

Hope needs rain just like everything else in the garden.

Pray for peace.

Pray that voters will do the right thing.

Philip