The Perfect Green

I've been craving greens lately. Big massive piles of them. Raw greens with radishes, salt and olive oil. Steamed greens with ginger, garlic and tamari. Picked right off the lettuce seedlings growing randomly up the front path. Pinched through the fence from the next door garden. Some people have a sweet tooth. Right now I have a green tooth. Not in a slimy, decayed way; in a must-eat-spinach-and-broccoli-right-now-or-I'll-blow-up way.

Right on cue with the green theme, the garden is bursting with all sorts of greens.

The yellowy pale green hellebore is looking a bit rude with its bulging seed pods, but what a strange and gorgeous colour for a flower.

The new passion fruit vine has survived the winter, and is happily greening up the front bank. It's also clinging to the legs of the currant bushes. We may have to put a stop to that.

A fuzzy thyme bush deserves a fuzzy photo. I never think to eat this thyme, but I do pat it every time I walk past, like it was just another neighbourhood cat, but better smelling.

Welcome back rhubarb! The slugs are as happy about your return as I am. I just hope they only eat your leaves, and leave us with a good handful of stalks for a midsummer ruby rhubarb celebration.

I did not grow this spinach. I had a green score at the market on Sunday, with a huge head of broccoli for 50 cents, and 6 bunches of spinach for a buck. Here's a quick and easy super-charged green dish, to devour on its own...

... or to hide a pork chop behind.

• Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pan.
• Chop a head of broccoli into bite-sized bits, and cook in the oil until bright green and slightly singed on the edges. It will take about 5 - 7 minutes on high.
• Grate or finely chop fresh ginger and garlic (at least a tablespoon each, more if you like) and add to pan when the broccoli is almost done.
• Add a few green onions if you've got some.
• Wash and roughly chop a few bunches of spinach. Don't dry it, just throw it in the pan when the rest of the veges are ready, put a lid on, give it a good shake, and let the spinach steam for no more than a couple of minutes.
• Drizzle on some tamari or soy sauce, and it's ready to eat. A few drips of sesame oil are also good, or a spritz of lemon. Just a wee bit.

Of course, you can make this dish with any greens at all. Just cook them hot and fast, and eat them the minute they're done.

And of course, there's more than just greens in my garden. It's looking like we might have to have our very own blossom festival this year. Perfect.