Microgreens
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| Don Campbell / H-P staff Denise Hollacher's arugula and basil microgreen salad. |
Add some pizzazz to salads, other food
By JANE AMMESON - H-P Correspondent
Salads have come a long way since the days when they were mostly made of iceberg lettuce. First we segued into arugula and radicchio, then baby greens. Now, microgreens are the latest trend in gourmet salad leaves.
"Microgreens are tiny plants that pack a punch in flavor and nutrition," says Denise Hollacher, owner of Springar Farms in Watervliet. "They're smaller and tenderer than baby lettuces, their flavor is great, and their colors are beautiful."
According to Hollacher, microgreens are snipped after having developed only their cotyledon (first) leaves, when they are around eight to 14 days old. Only the stem and baby leaves are consumed - unlike alfalfa and bean sprouts where the whole plant, root and all, is eaten.
Hollacher, who sells her microgreens and other produce at the St. Joseph Farmers Market on Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays, harvests a variety of microgreens including carrots, beets, amaranth, arugula, kale, purple broccoli, dill, cilantro, radish, Swiss chard, spinach, purple kohlrabi and a variety of basils - opal, Italian, lemon, Thai and cinnamon.
"We package our microgreens in 1-ounce packages for $2.50 per package," she says. "This gives our customers the ability to try something new and exciting. If we were to sell them by the pound they would be $30 to $40 a pound, depending on the product."
It doesn't take many microgreens to add pizzazz to a salad. A few microgreens added to baby greens often are just enough.
"Bigger than sprouts but smaller than baby salad leaves, they add color, texture and, in most cases, a nice sharp flavor to salads," says Fionna Hill, the New Zealand-based author of "Microgreens: How to Grow Natures Own Superfood" (Firefly Books 2010; $17.95). "They're good in a sandwich, too."
Another plus for microgreens is that they're healthy.
"The nutritional value is exceptional" says Hollacher, noting that microgreens are labeled as a functional food as they contain particular health-promoting or disease-preventing properties in addition to their normal nutritional values. "They've also been found to contain higher levels of concentrated active compounds than those found in more mature plants."
The following recipes are provided by Denise Hollacher.
Roasted Tomato, Micro Basil and Baby Arugula Salad
30 to 40 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups lightly packed baby arugula or baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup Italian dressing
24 fresh mozzarella cheese balls or 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup fresh micro basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange tomatoes in roasting pan, and then drizzle with olive oil. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes or until tomatoes are tender and start to burst.
Toss baby arugula or baby spinach with Italian dressing in large bowl.
Arrange arugula on serving platter, then top with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Garnish with micro basil leaves. Season, if desired, with sea salt and pepper.
Vermouth Vinaigrette with Baby Salad Greens and Micro Carrot and Micro Beet Tops
About 1 pound greens, any combination, baby lettuce
1/4 cup radish micro tops
1/4 cup carrot micro tops
1/4 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled pancetta or smoky bacon
1/4 cup feta crumbles
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vermouth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup grape seed, olive or salad oil
(Optional accompaniments- tomatoes, baby cucumbers, toasted almonds or walnuts, croutons)
In a medium bowl or Mason jar, combine white wine vinegar, vermouth, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, sugar, salt, pepper and grape seed oil. Whisk ingredients together well or in Mason jar, close lid tightly and shake well until all ingredients are combined.
In a large bowl toss greens with vinaigrette, prepare servings on salad plates, then top with accompaniments.
Summer Berry Tart Garnished with Lemon Basil Microgreens
Crust:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks butter
Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
Fresh Berries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
Glaze
1 6-ounce can frozen limeade thawed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Grated rind of one lime
1/4 cup sugar
Whipped cream and Lemon Basil Microgreens for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust combine powdered sugar, flour and butter; mix in food processer until the mixture forms a dough ball. Place and press the dough in a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Make sure to push the dough up the sides of the pan to form a complete crust shell. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside and cool.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust.
Cut the strawberries into slices and arrange around the edge of your crust first. Next make a nice circle row of blue berries. Fill center of the tart circle with raspberries.
For the glaze: Combine limeade, cornstarch and sugar in a small pan; cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, and add rind of one lime. Using a pastry brush, brush the entire tart with the glaze.
Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
To serve: Cut into slices and top with whipped cream and lemon basil microgreens.
"Microgreens are tiny plants that pack a punch in flavor and nutrition," says Denise Hollacher, owner of Springar Farms in Watervliet. "They're smaller and tenderer than baby lettuces, their flavor is great, and their colors are beautiful."
According to Hollacher, microgreens are snipped after having developed only their cotyledon (first) leaves, when they are around eight to 14 days old. Only the stem and baby leaves are consumed - unlike alfalfa and bean sprouts where the whole plant, root and all, is eaten.
Hollacher, who sells her microgreens and other produce at the St. Joseph Farmers Market on Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays, harvests a variety of microgreens including carrots, beets, amaranth, arugula, kale, purple broccoli, dill, cilantro, radish, Swiss chard, spinach, purple kohlrabi and a variety of basils - opal, Italian, lemon, Thai and cinnamon.
"We package our microgreens in 1-ounce packages for $2.50 per package," she says. "This gives our customers the ability to try something new and exciting. If we were to sell them by the pound they would be $30 to $40 a pound, depending on the product."
It doesn't take many microgreens to add pizzazz to a salad. A few microgreens added to baby greens often are just enough.
"Bigger than sprouts but smaller than baby salad leaves, they add color, texture and, in most cases, a nice sharp flavor to salads," says Fionna Hill, the New Zealand-based author of "Microgreens: How to Grow Natures Own Superfood" (Firefly Books 2010; $17.95). "They're good in a sandwich, too."
Another plus for microgreens is that they're healthy.
"The nutritional value is exceptional" says Hollacher, noting that microgreens are labeled as a functional food as they contain particular health-promoting or disease-preventing properties in addition to their normal nutritional values. "They've also been found to contain higher levels of concentrated active compounds than those found in more mature plants."
The following recipes are provided by Denise Hollacher.
Roasted Tomato, Micro Basil and Baby Arugula Salad
30 to 40 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups lightly packed baby arugula or baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup Italian dressing
24 fresh mozzarella cheese balls or 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup fresh micro basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange tomatoes in roasting pan, and then drizzle with olive oil. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes or until tomatoes are tender and start to burst.
Toss baby arugula or baby spinach with Italian dressing in large bowl.
Arrange arugula on serving platter, then top with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Garnish with micro basil leaves. Season, if desired, with sea salt and pepper.
Vermouth Vinaigrette with Baby Salad Greens and Micro Carrot and Micro Beet Tops
About 1 pound greens, any combination, baby lettuce
1/4 cup radish micro tops
1/4 cup carrot micro tops
1/4 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled pancetta or smoky bacon
1/4 cup feta crumbles
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vermouth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup grape seed, olive or salad oil
(Optional accompaniments- tomatoes, baby cucumbers, toasted almonds or walnuts, croutons)
In a medium bowl or Mason jar, combine white wine vinegar, vermouth, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, sugar, salt, pepper and grape seed oil. Whisk ingredients together well or in Mason jar, close lid tightly and shake well until all ingredients are combined.
In a large bowl toss greens with vinaigrette, prepare servings on salad plates, then top with accompaniments.
Summer Berry Tart Garnished with Lemon Basil Microgreens
Crust:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks butter
Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
Fresh Berries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
Glaze
1 6-ounce can frozen limeade thawed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Grated rind of one lime
1/4 cup sugar
Whipped cream and Lemon Basil Microgreens for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust combine powdered sugar, flour and butter; mix in food processer until the mixture forms a dough ball. Place and press the dough in a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Make sure to push the dough up the sides of the pan to form a complete crust shell. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside and cool.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust.
Cut the strawberries into slices and arrange around the edge of your crust first. Next make a nice circle row of blue berries. Fill center of the tart circle with raspberries.
For the glaze: Combine limeade, cornstarch and sugar in a small pan; cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, and add rind of one lime. Using a pastry brush, brush the entire tart with the glaze.
Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
To serve: Cut into slices and top with whipped cream and lemon basil microgreens.
