It’s peak cucumber season here at the Dodge Green Roof Garden.
It seems like yesterday we planted the cucumber seedlings in our bins. We watched their vines creep to fill our containers so bountifully we had to erect a trellis they could climb and cut them back a bit so they wouldn’t totally take over our the rest of our vegetables. Today, all that growth has paid off: the thick canopy of leaves hide a plethora of cucumbers in all stages of growth.
Cucumbers are ready to be picked when the spiny, bumpy skin smooths out. We like to pick them when they are still small, as cucumbers can turn from just right to ripe overnight. The best part about cucumber plants is the more you pick them, the more they grow!
We love cucumbers’ sweet, refreshing flavor. So far, I’ve spotted colleagues noshing on them whole as a handheld snack and sliced with sour cream and dill in a salad.
The rest of our garden is coming along nicely, as well. Our tomato plants have more than tripled in size. Though not yet ripe, we’re watching the green fruits grow bigger each day.
Another highlight is our snapdragons — adding splashes of pink, white, and deep red brighten up the rooftop and, as you may have seen on our Instagram account, our reception desk.
The first vegetable to fruit in our garden was our Italian frying peppers (and they are still coming in nicely!). Here’s a simple meal you can make for Sunday brunch or Monday dinner, using an endless combination of vegetables and herbs fresh from the garden. Feel free to substitute with onions, tomatoes, or anything else on hand that sounds good.
Dodge recipe: Italian pepper frittata
Ingredients:
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 1-2 peppers Italian frying peppers (or whatever peppers you have on hand)
- Handful of basil
- 6-8 eggs
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions:
- Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced scallions and peppers and cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the scallions and peppers to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle the cheese and basil over the top and cook, undisturbed, until the eggs are barely set, about 5 to 10 minutes. You can set them further by putting the pan in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.
- Voila!
You can read more about all the veggies, flowers and herbs we planted in our Green Roof Garden and see pictures of its first week here.
Check back throughout the season for more pictures of its progress, and some of our favorite recipes.
In the meantime, share what’s blooming in your garden below in the comments section.
