planting a chef’s edible garden

Chef Sarah Stegner sowing carrots

on april 16, i had the unique opportunity to help Sarah Stegner, chef/co-owner of prairie fire in chicago and prairie grass café in northbrook, ill., plant an edible garden in the backyard of her north suburban home. the organic gardener, also known as Jeanne Pinsof-Nolan, contributed seeds, granulated organic fertilizer (made from her own recipe of green sand, kelp, bone meal, bloodmeal and dehydrated manure), tools and a great deal of advice as we spent the morning spreading fertilizer, digging furrows and dropping seeds in the ground. we planted carrots and dragon carrots, broccoli rapini, cress, red swiss chard, heirloom parsley, rosemary, basil, speckled lettuce, grandma’s lettuce, shelling peas and snow peas–to name a few. as i rode the red line back into the city for work that morning, my hands still smelled like dirt and it was wonderful.

i’m no gardener myself–the closest i’ve come is potting one or two fresh herb plants on my porch last year–mainly because i live on the third floor of a condo in the city, a far cry from the sprawling backyards of houses in the suburbs. still, the idea of growing and nurturing an edible plant is appealing not only from a cost standpoint, but also due to the persistent sense i have that it will help me gain a deeper respect for my food.

despite my lack of backyard, this year sean and i are sowing several edible herbs–basil, cilantro and parsley. we also will have chives (a perennial plant generously donated from sean’s co-worker), tomatoes and jalapeños. with our south-facing porch and a mild spring so far, we’re hoping for good luck.

although we have yet to pick our first basil leaves, i am definitely getting into the spirit of summertime fare. so here is a recipe for a simple, slightly spicy basil pesto, which i extended using a little fresh spinach. i used this as a quick, fresh sauce for pasta, but it would also make a great sandwich spread or even a simple marinade for fish or chicken. if you take out the tomatoes, the pesto will keep for several weeks in the fridge in an airtight container, with a thin film of extra virgin olive oil on top.

slightly spicy basil pesto

leaves of 2 bunches basil (about 2 c.)
1 c. packed fresh baby spinach leaves
3 T. pine nuts, lightly toasted in a pan until fragrant
2 garlic cloves
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c. tomatoes, diced

add the basil leaves, spinach, pine nuts, garlic and red pepper flakes to a food processor; pulse a few times to roughly chop everything. scrape down the sides with a spatula if necessary.

now with the food processor running continuously, stream in the extra-virgin olive oil slowly until it is well incorporated and the mixture forms a paste. add the parmesan and salt and pepper to taste, pulsing a few times to combine. move the pesto to a bowl, and carefully fold in the tomatoes. for pasta, cook according to package directions, returning to the same pot after draining. toss a few tablespoons of pesto with each serving of hot pasta. sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese on top, and serve immediately. serves 2 with a few tablespoons of leftovers.