This weekend's gorgeous weather led me to plant 4 more seedbeds. In doing so, I uncovered some vegetables that I did not expect to find.
While clearing leaves off a seedbed, I came across these carrots. They survived our abnormally cold winter and were starting to push out green leaves.
Stubby but crisp and sweet, we decided to make glazed carrots with these and some store-bought roots.
After boiling and draining, we add butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. I brought it to a second boil to thicken the glaze, and stirred as it reduced.
I also decided to pull the mystery weed. I grabbed the knot of stems and gave it a yank. The whole thing popped out of the ground. Turns out that it is a dandelion, although it does not look like other dandelions in my yard...it has round leaves, unlike...
Since dandelion leaves are totally edible and nutritious, I cut them off, cleaned them, and tossed them in the fridge. They should make a tasty addition to a salad.
The rest of it went to the compost pile. I'm in awe of the size of this weed's root. I'd be proud of a carrot this large, and I'm a little embarrassed that this thing came out of my garden. I guess my weeding was lacking last year.
Nice surprise harvest with the small stubby carrots, which reminds me I have to sow my carrot seeds. I'm planning to grow them in tubs away from the carrot fly. I'm not a huge fan of dandylion leaves as I find them bitter, a bit of an acquired taste. I've been digging them out of my garden plot too, deep roots true
ReplyDeleteThere's something whimsical about the chubby carrots. We have not had insect problems with carrots besides butterfly larvae in the fall, which are easy to remedy. I can only stand young dandelion leaves usually, but these are not very bitter at all. Odd.
DeleteNice carrots! I love surprise harvests.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Me too!
DeleteThose are cute little carrots. I wonder if that dandelion root will re-sprout in your compost pile?
ReplyDeleteIt'll have to survive some heat. The first yard clippings of the year were added to the pile, and things got toasty in there.
DeleteThose carrots are a lovely surprise. I often find some big rooted weeds in the spring too. Though it seems we don't have a lot of weeds this year for some reason. I guess they didn't like the cold winter here. Usually we have tons of weeds in the spring.
ReplyDeleteMy wife almost bought a painted sign at a craft fair, "Experimental Dandelion Farm." This time of year, it fits...especially our front yard. If you need more weeds this year, you are welcome to mine!
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