The herbs in my garden are lush in mid spring and so are the dandelions, ingredients for a simple lunch. I used to walk my garden every day to see what was happening in it, to see the minute changes that occur from day to day. The side effect of this routine is that I become relaxed and breath more deeply as I examine the plants for insect life and general health. The noise in my head and all around me grows more quiet as I cut some herbs or spy a small rogue white violet that made its way into my yard without my help.
I’ve been out of the habit of making my garden rounds for the last year but I was reminded to go out there yesterday when I found myself hungry at lunch time with two eggs and no will to make something fancy or time consuming. I realized that dandelion greens will be growing tougher and more bitter soon and I hadn’t eaten any yet this year. So I took a small bowl and some scissors and did my rounds.
I discovered that my currants are covered in tiny green fruits. I will be taking these two bushes with me to California if they’re allowed in the state (white pine rust is an issue in some places). If not, I’ll give them to a friend. This is the first time they’ve really put out a respectable number of fruits and it made me happy to see the promise of currant sauce. I noticed that my comfrey has gone to flower – comfrey that I’ve finally got to settle in my yard after several failed attempts in previous years. Little wild daisies are sprouting in the pathways and I enjoy the scattering of their seeds in random clumps though my neighbors will not appreciate this chaos. My elderberry is budding out and has so many strong new shoots they are ready to be permanently planted out. I have one to give a friend and one to take with me to California. It reminded me that I want to take a cutting of the native elderberries.
There’s a rogue potato plant in my herb bed which reminds me of myself living in McMinnville, out of place and thumbing my nose at the natives who try to muscle me out. The garlic my mom planted is getting strong and tall and I wonder if they’ll be close to ready by July though I know they won’t and it bothers me to leave them. I cut a handful of small dandelion greens, some parsley, thyme, and oregano and head back to the kitchen where I made this two egg omelet with cheese and a half an avocado, a simple fresh light lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- a handful of fresh herbs and dandelion greens, minced
- a few shakes of salt
- a few grinds of pepper
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- a handful of grated cheese
- half an avocado if you have one
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk the two eggs together with the herbs, salt, and pepper using a fork.
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan on high. When the oil is hot turn the heat down to medium.
- Pour the eggs into the pan and let the bottom cook for a few minutes.
- Flip the eggs over in one piece and cook for a few more minutes.
- When the eggs are cooked through add some cheese to one side and fold the other side on top of it. Turn the heat off and put the lid on the pan for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.
- Put it on a plate with sliced avocado and eat it. If you're a philistine like me, add ketchup.
Notes
I like my eggs to be well done but if you're more French in your tastes you can leave them much softer by not cooking for as long. It makes me shiver to think about but I believe if you want the insides to be runny like they sometimes served my omelettes to me in Paris, you don't cook both sides of the omelette. Just cook longer on the one side and then fold over with the cheese inside. You're on your own with that.
Any combination of herbs will work. Just walk your garden and cut what you like. A handful of anything will do. If you don't like your omelette to have such a strong herb flavor, use less. If you cut dandelion leaves, choose the newest smallest ones because they'll be less bitter and more tender. By the time June comes, it's too late for those.