I’ve developed a strategy for crop rotation that, up until this year, has been pretty successful. I plant lettuces and spring crops in half the yard and then the summer crops in the other half. When the spring crops wind down, usually in late June, I prep the soil and get it ready for the fall crops which go in in August.
This year, I have a problem. I planted garlic for the first time with the notion that I would harvest the bulbs in late May/early June, just in time for the summer crops to go in. The stalks were looking thick, so I thought I’d pull one up to see how it progressed. It looks closer to a leek than a garlic bulb. They will need at least a month more.
The garden is quite full right now. Summer veggies that are already planted: celery, leeks, kale, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts. The spring veggies that will be harvested over the next few weeks: lettuce, radishes, strawberries and the questionable garlic.
If I want to plant tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant, something has to go.
I’m not sure what I will do… which would you sacrifice?
In the meantime, I couldn’t let the young garlic go to waste… I rolled out fresh pasta and tossed it with tomatoes, arugula and shrimp.
From the garden: garlic, arugula, basil and tomatoes.
Pasta with Young Garlic, Tomatoes and Basil
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbs. olive oil
1 stalk young garlic chopped, or two cloves chopped
1/4 tsp (or more) chili flakes
1 – 15 oz. canned tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbs. fresh (or frozen) basil
1/2 pound fettuccine
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until it softens. Add shrimp and chili flakes and cook for 2 minutes until it begins to turn pink. Add white wine and tomatoes, continue cooking until tomatoes thicken and shrimp cook through. If the sauce seems thin, but the shrimp are cooked, pick them out and set them aside.
- Cook pasta according to package direction, but for 1 minute less. When pasta is cooked, drain and toss with tomatoes.
- Mix in basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I’d sacrifice the leeks and, for me, radishes aren’t a necessity. Well, and Brussels sprouts, though I’m trying to learn to love them.
That’s a tough one. It looks like you could use the green garlic, even if it’s not completely ready, so maybe I’d do that. Your recipe looks delicious!
I’d sacrifice the Kale! Is young garlic the same as green garlic? The recipe looks delicious.
I’ve had trouble accessing your site for about a week, but glad the connection is back. Sounds like your garden is in great shape for the summer! Tough call on what to sacrifice, but I guess I’d vote for the radishes to make room for the tomatoes.
It so interesting to see everyone’s bias on vegetables. Thanks for sharing.
Julie — Yes, green garlic and young garlic are the same. It’s the garlic before the cloves have formed.
T.W. — Me too! It’s good to be back.
Look at the fresh ingredients. This pasta will be very exquisite to taste. Best capped with wine.