Hydroponics makes it possible for growers to bring lettuce to local farmers markets and farmers with hoop houses may be harvesting arugula, but our unrelenting heat and humidity mean the end of field-grown salad greens such as spinach and lettuce.
Still, summer's heat doesn't stop customers from wanting fresh greens. Nicolas Donck has one solution: bags of deep green leaves of Malabar spinach. Although called "spinach" for the leaves' resemblance to that vegetable, it's not a spinach at all.
Widely used in southeast Asian cooking, Malabar spinach is a quick-growing tropical vine that can easily reach 10 feet in length. The leaves are thicker than spinach leaves, with an almost succulent texture. "It's one of the only greens that does well in the heat," said Donck of Crystal Organic Farm in Newborn, just east of Atlanta.
Donck is one of the founders of the Morningside Farmers Market, and he can be found there most every Saturday morning with baskets and bushels of the week's bounty. He says he sells 30 to 40 pounds of Malabar spinach each week in season. "It sells so well at the market that we don't have enough to offer to our restaurant clients," Donck said.
Donck plants Malabar spinach in April and begins harvesting by late May. He does succession planting because he finds that the younger vines bear the largest leaves, and that's more appealing for his customers. There are two varieties, one with green stems and one with red. He's had the best luck with the green.
If you have space and sun to grow it in your own garden, Malabar spinach will scramble happily over a trellis and provide greens right up until the first frost. The attractive deep purple berries can be saved and sown for next year's crop. The berries are also used as a food-safe dye. Malabar spinach-dyed Easter eggs, anyone?
Malabar spinach can be eaten raw in sandwiches or salads or lightly cooked. When using it in a stir fry, add it just at the last minute and heat just enough to wilt the leaves. The sturdy leaves hold up well in the refrigerator, lasting for 4 or 5 days.
At local farmers markets
Cooking demos:
6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9. Chef Seth Freedman of Forage and Flame. East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.farmeav.com
9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11. Chef Christopher Smith of Floataway Cafe, working with Malabar spinach. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
11:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 12. Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser, authors of "Quinoa Cuisine." Grant Park Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.grantparkmarket.org
For sale
Vegetables, fruit and nuts: African squash, arugula, Asian greens, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, cantaloupe and specialty melons, carrots, chard, corn, cucumbers, dandelion, eggplant, fennel, field peas, figs, garlic, ginger, green and yellow beans, green onions, herbs, kale, leeks, lettuce, Malabar spinach, mushrooms, okra, onions, pea shoots, pears, pecans, peppers, potatoes, spaghetti squash, spinach, squash blossoms, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon, yellow squash, zucchini
From local reports
Malabar Spinach Quiche
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 8
This classic combination of tomatoes, onions and greens will work just fine with regular spinach as well.
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
3 medium tomatoes, cored and seeded, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound Malabar spinach, roughly chopped, divided
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
4 ounces shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack, divided
1 cup milk
3 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a colander, toss tomatoes with salt and set aside to drain for 10 minutes. When ready to use, lightly squeeze to further reduce juice.
Sprinkle half chopped spinach over pie crust, top with drained chopped tomatoes, onions and half the cheese. Top with remainder of spinach, then cover with remaining cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Pour over vegetables in crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until quiche has set. Allow to cool slightly before serving. May also be served cold.
Per serving: 218 calories (percent of calories from fat, 55), 9 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (6 grams saturated), 97 milligrams cholesterol, 424 milligrams sodium.
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