‘Newly arrived’

March 24, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

By Susan Smith-Durisek

McClatchy Newspapers

LEXINGTON, Ky.

On the growth con- tinuum between seeds and mature plants, microgreens lie somewhere on the “newly arrived” side, between sprouts and baby vegetables.

These teensiest of seedlings, with delicate translucent stems that bear a hint of true leaf forms, can pack a surprisingly powerful and nutrient-rich flavor punch. They’re also a quick and easy way to garden, because microgreens may be grown from seed during any season. Just plant them in flats by a sunny window; in a little more than two weeks, they’re ready.

Their cheery colors and concentrated taste make them an eye-catching garnish and tangy topping for salads and soups. Purple basil, crimson beet and creamy white stemmed pak choi are yummy delights that have been discovered by chefs, and sourced from producers to meet specific menu needs.

In Woodford County, Ky., chef Ouita Michel of Midway’s Holly Hill Inn serves microgreens as an edible garnish, as a base for various dishes and in salads.

Her tomato dumpling, a phyllo-encrusted heirloom tomato stuffed with Capriole goat cheese and pistou, is served with cayenne gastrique and microgreens.

“They have great flavor and a great look on the plate,” Michel says of spicy greens such as mustard and radish, and those of pungent herbs such as basil, fennel and cilantro and other microveggies.

“If something needs a spark and a splash of vibrancy, I typically go for the microgreens.”

Commercial growers David Wagoner and Arwen Donahue of Three Springs Farm (Threespringsfarmky.com) near Carlisle, Ky., supply the restaurant with a variety of greens year-round.

Wagoner says that another delicious way these greens are used at the inn is to spruce up an amuse-bouche traditionally offered by the chef.

“The microgreens I sell to Ouita are primarily claytonia, minutina and mache, which are remarkably winter-hardy here in Kentucky, even here in our frost-prone valley at Three Springs Farm,” Wagoner says.

“These greens can be cut from the garden from November through April if protected with row covers. They can all be cut when very young as microgreens or be allowed to size up some.”

Many vegetables and herbs work well as microgreens, including amaranth, mustard, kale, carrot, sweet peas, basil, cilantro and parsley. These little seedlings are highly perishable once harvested, but if grown at home, they are simple to snip and enjoy fresh at a moment’s notice.