Editorial
Front Page - Friday, July 24, 2009
Kay's Cooking Corner
Kay Bona
You gotta love summer with all the fresh, homegrown vegetables at the Farmers’ Market. It is a treat to just go and wander through all of the rows of the red, green, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables! There are so many shapes and colors. It truly makes you appreciate all the work and energy farmers have put into growing each and every thing.
This summer, my “farmer” mom is growing tomatoes, corn and okra in her backyard. I don’t know about her corn (it hasn’t come in yet) and her okra (she hasn’t shared), but her tomatoes are just fantastic! I don’t know if they are more beautiful than delicious or more delicious than beautiful. They look so “homey” sitting on the windowsill in the kitchen I almost hate to eat them!
No matter what, I think it is a toss-up! I look at one and decide that it is a perfect tomato and it can’t possibly be any better than what it looks, but once I cut into it and eat a few juicy, rich, tomato-y bites, I decide that they taste even better than they look.
Another way of knowing a perfectly grown tomato is by the aroma – once you cut into a good, ripe tomato, it will have a deep, wonderful aroma. Mom’s tomatoes smell so delicious, I can hardly wait to get a bite in my mouth. I have been just slicing them on a plate and sprinkling them with salt and pepper, but usually before I get to the chair, half of it is gone because they smell so good!
Below I have a recipe for a salad. It is different from what you may be thinking with lettuce and all because this one uses watercress, but I promise you, you’ll love it!
I used to grow watercress. Not because my family liked it so much, but because it was fun and easy to grow. My children were young then and so usually ate what I fed them.
Although watercress is easily grown from seed, it can be propagated from cuttings, which root easily in wet soil. That is how I always grew it. It seemed easier. Cuttings can be taken from the watercress you buy at the grocery and grown inside on a sunny windowsill. However, if you prefer to use seeds, sow them directly in wet garden soil two to three weeks before the usual last frost, making sure it gets shade, sun and lots of water.
Even if you don’t feel adventurous to grow your own watercress and tomatoes (like me), there are plenty of fresh, homegrown ones to be found at the Farmers’ Markets during these summer months. Go grab you some and try the salad below – you won’t be disappointed! If you can’t find watercress, just use a spring lettuce mix – it tastes great too!
P.S. A lot of you know that my mom is the “Wanda” that answers the phone at The Daily Record, but please don’t be calling her and asking her for a tomato because she is sharing with me!
Tomato and Avocado Salad Watercress
4 slices bacon
3 avocados, halved and pitted
2-3 medium sliced tomatoes
1/2 bunch watercress, stems trimmed
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the bacon in a sauté pan and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Scoop out each half of the avocado, and slice. Slice tomatoes. Arrange tomatoes and avocados alternately on platter. Sprinkle the watercress over the top and crumble the bacon over the top of watercress. Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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