Nightshade Walk
No, nightshades don't grow at night. Like all plants, they depend on the sun to fuel their metabolic processes. They do grow fast though. When days are long and nights are warm and there is plenty of rain, the plants and fruits can seem to double in size "overnight."
Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
Here is eggplant. The flowers look strange: Downward facing,* prominently veined purple petals, swollen yellow anthers, lurking beneath the leaves. The fruits look odd too: glossy, almost black, sinuous, snaky, swollen, pregnant. Look at the dried flower and its sepals at the stem end of the eggplant. Are you sure this is safe to eat? It looks as though it might inappropriate thoughts.
* Monica Jean wanted to know why I was laying on my back to take a photo of a flower!
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
These cherry tomatoes look a little like eggplants due to their purple coloration. We are discovering that purple colors in food are a sign that those foods are particularly rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins. These tomatoes turn red when ripe, but retain their purple tops for added nutrition. The flowers are more splayed than the eggplant flowers but have the characteristic beaked shape of edible nightshades. (Poisonous nightshades have flowers that are bell-like or trumpet-shaped.)
Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica)
I am enamored of tomatillos staying power. Ones I picked last fall were still good to eat in February. They stayed good far longer than my lacto-fermented salsa, which lost its crunch after a while and was less appetizing when mushy. Tomatillos strike me as being close to their wild ancestors. They are so easy to grow and bear so well that many CSAs are offering them. Like their nightshade sisters, tomatillos seem a bit strange, with their papery covering. Why not give them a try – or two? They are easy to use and easy to like.
Baba G'noush
Serves 8-10 as a side dish. Thanks to Sally Pasley.
Even those who don't like eggplant like baba g'noush. It is so simple to make. Give it a try tonight. I prefer to use a stick blender to make this recipe.
Turn your oven on to the highest setting, at least 450 F.
Put 2 big eggplants on a lipped baking pan (I use a cookie pan) and bake until collapsed, about 20-30 minutes. Traditionally, the eggplants are roasted over an open fire and have a slightly charred flavor, so don't be afraid to really cook them.
Peel the hot eggplants, and discard skins. Put the flesh and any liquid in a casserole dish, or any dish that is wide and shallow rather than deep. Blend until of an even consistency.
Add one cup tahini and blend in well.
Add ½ cup lemon juice (bottled is fine), 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or garlic powder), and salt to taste (start with ½ teaspoonful). Blend together well.
Taste. Add more salt or lemon or garlic, as desired.
Refrigerate. Serve cold with whole wheat flat bread, pita, or crackers. (Caution: Read ingredients list on pita and flat bread carefully. Most are loaded with unwholesome ingredients.)
Lacto-Fermented Tomatillo Salsa
Make one quart. Enough for a family dinner. A bow and my thanks to Sally Fallon, food guru and wise woman.
Mix together:
6-10 tomatillos, chopped
2 green onions, finely minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Then add:
1 tablespoon sea salt
plus
4 tablespoons whey
or 2 tablespoons sea salt
Press into a wide-mouth one-quart jar. There needs to be at least one inch of liquid needs covering the tomatillos. Add more water if needed.
Cover tightly. Keep at room temperature for two days, then refrigerate. I think this is best when eaten at 1-2 weeks old.