Free seeds! Callaloo, a wonderful vegetable to grow during the hot Florida summer Callaloo is easy to grow from seed or cuttings. Collect seed from the seed head when it turns brownish and don’t forget to share some seed with friends. You can also cut four inch pieces that have a couple sets of leaves, stick right into the ground, keep watered, and it will take root easily. It will withstand drought and flooding, sun or shade. The young plants grow quickly so you must harvest them before they put out the grain head, otherwise, the stems will be a bit tough. Harvest by simply cutting off branches about four to six inches from the ground. Cut enough to make a nice pot full which will be about 10 or more stalks. You will need to grow a patch of this vegetable so you will have enough to feed your family as it cooks down much like spinach. The plant reaches maturity in thirty to forty days and can grow up to eight feet tall. The taller plants are somewhat tough to eat. You definitely want to harvest the smaller plants. Let the tall ones produce their seed for next season’s crop. Prepare your Callaloo by washing it, pulling off the outer skin of the stem like you would celery, and then chop the entire stem and leaves together. Sauté with onion, green pepper, tomato, garlic in some good olive oil and you will have a delicious dish that is flavorful, with a great texture. It is not slimy. Rice is a nice accompaniment and some like it with baked cheese macaroni. Often, okra or coconut milk is added, flavored with a hot pepper to make a nice stew or soup. It is truly delicious and my favorite green, beating out Swiss Chard and spinach on my list. Nutritionally, Callaloo is rich in vitamin C, calcium, and even contains protein. It is truly a very healthful green vegetable and one that I feel every Florida garden should have. The positive aspects of growing Callaloo are many. My thanks goes out to the Caribbean and African communities for introducing this wonderful green into our diets. Perhaps they may share some great recipes with the rest of us! Call or text me; Aldo cell# 954-632-5600 in Ft. Lauderdale
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 17:01:04 +0000
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