Side Dish Recipes Using Your Garden Produce!

Sauteed Radish Greens

The next time you pick your new radishes or beets, save those leafy tops! You can eat them, and they're good for you. Radish greens have six times more Vitamin C then the radishes. The greens and the roots also contain potassium, folate, and calcium. If you are a regular greens eater, you'll enjoy the radish greens. If you are not used to eating greens, you may be a little surprised by their taste. They are a little spicy and very grassy. Their flavor is strong, so they go well with heavier food. Think beef and ham.

This recipe is just an add the amount you want recipe. It takes radish greens, olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper. Use as much or as little as you want of any of the ingredients. Be sure to rinse your greens two or three times. They get gritty like spinach. Dump your rinse water on your garden. Saute the greens and garlic on medium high heat for about a minute or so until the greens are bright green and limp. Add salt and pepper to taste. You might try a little sugar with them. A splash of red wine vinegar would also be good. Serve the greens with some baked salmon, fried chicken, pork chops, or a bowl of navy beans.

Honey Glazed Carrots

This recipe comes to us from Jimmy Spalten of Spalten Honey Company in Pearsall, Texas.

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 6 medium carrots
  • 2 Tbsp honey

Wash, peel, and thinly slice carrots diagonally. Heat olive oil in large cast iron skillet, until very hot, nearly smoking. Sear carrots until charmelized on both sides. Remove from heat. Add honey once carrots have cooled for 2 minutes. Stir to coat. Serve hot.

Katz and Company Recipes for The Dinner Garden

This next recipe comes from Katz and Company. They sell artisanal food products like honey, vinegar, preserves, and olive oil. Albert Katz allowed us to use his recipes, so we hope you enjoy them!

Roasted Acorn Squash with Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Glaze

Serves 6 to 8 The Thanksgiving meal is a perfect use for this seasonal recipe. The crescent shapes and orange hues of the squash offer a taste of autumn to any table or holiday buffet. The glaze made with our Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar is a perfect complement to the sweet nutty flavor of just about any squash or pumpkin, and we usually like to use different combinations of winter squashes for this recipe - Butternut and Delicata squash are two of our favorites to add. Onions can be sliced and added prior to roasting, a little fresh grated nutmeg is a nice complement as well.

  • 4 Acorn squash, washed
  • 2 Tablespoon Katz Chef's Pick Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
  • 1 cup KATZ Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 1 Tablespoon Branches Raspberry Flower Honey (optional)
  • Sea salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 375 F degrees.

Cut the squash in half, remove and discard seeds and then slice the squash into melon shaped wedges about 1/2-inch thick. Toss the squash pieces with the olive oil and place sheet pan, in a single layer. Season the squash with salt and a few grindings of black pepper, intersperse the lemon slices and bay leaves throughout the squash. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan, cover tightly with foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

To make the glaze reduce the Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar by half or until the vinegar coats the back of a spoon, and then stir in the honey while the glaze is still warm.

After the squash has cooked covered for 20 minutes remove the foil and brush the squash liberally with half of the glaze. Place the uncovered pan back into the oven for 10 more minutes or until the squash wedges are tender. Brush the squash one more time with the remaining glaze and serve.

The squash can be reheated if covered and put into a 250 F degree oven.

Recipes from the Great HEB

These recipes are from HEB. When you think grocery shopping in the great State of Texas, you think HEB. Our thanks to them for these great recipes!

Sauteed Green Beans with Tomatoes

This is a simple recipe for all those green beans you are harvesting!

  • 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp basil chiffonade
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large shallots, sliced thin
  • salt and pepper to taste

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking process and drain well. Melt butter and oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and cook until the juice evaporates and the beans are almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine and basil. Simmer 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and servce. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired.

Blackeyed Peas with Tomatoes

This is another simple recipe. Use your blackeyed peas, also known as cowpeas, with your garden tomatoes.

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 (11 oz) packages of blackeyed peas
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in oil with garlic. Cook over low to moderate heat for 20 to 30 minutes until onions are translucent, lightly golden, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add peas, broth, and canned tomatoes, including liquid. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Peas should be tender and sauce should have thickened. If a thicker consistency is desired, continute at a low simmer for about 10 minutes, uncovered. Season with salt and pepper.

Okra and Corn with Tomatoes

This recipe is the ultimate summer harvest recipe. Use your okra, corn, and tomatoes straight from the garden.

  • 3 cups very cold water
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh sliced okra
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp bacon drippings
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cup sliced okra
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen thawed corn kernels
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper

Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sliced okra and let soak for about 30 minutes. In a large, heavy skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add okra and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer. If necessary, add water to keep vegetables from sticking. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes longer.

Recipes from Jan Unlimited

Jan Green from Jan Unlimited donated these recipes to The Dinner Garden. If you like them, contact Jan at 210-541-8180 or janunlimited@earthlink.net to see what she can do for your next event!

Sweet Potatoes and Carrots a l'Orange

  • 2 cups sweet potatoes (approx. 1 large) peeled & thinly sliced
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange peel, grated
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons pecan pieces

Boil or steam sweet potatoes and carrots until tender. When they are almost finished cooking, heat orange juice to boiling in a sauce pan. Add the orange peel and the lemon juice. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water and add to orange mixture. Continue to heat, stirring until thickened. Remove vegetables from pan and place them in serving dish. Drizzle orange sauce over them and sprinkle pecans on top. Serves 4.

Okra and Corn and Tomatoes

  • 2 cups very cold water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 1/2 cups fresh sliced okra
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen thawed corn kernels
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sliced okra and let soak for about 30 minutes. In a large heavy skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add okra and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer. If necessary, add water to keep vegetables from sticking. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. 4 to 6 servings.