SPRING GREEN; ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

 

                            Spring green; asparagus and peas

 

          May Day, the ancient Celtic spring festival Beltane, arrived in Maine sunny but a bit cool to celebrate dancing around a maypole. There is still only a bit of white peeking among the green buds of my Sargent crabapple outside the kitchen window. Still May association with the color green is emphasized not only by those emerging crabapple leaves but also first spring vegetables such as arugula, chives, asparagus and peas. One might also include dandelion greens, if you are quick enough to harvest them before the first bloom makes the greens too bitter for salads.

          With our recent culinary emphasis on greens, peas tend to be neglected as a vegetable. Modern freezing methods make them available year around and often relegate them to a standby side dish. Yet their bright color wakes up not only spring vegetable soups but also adds flavor and texture to other dishes often named Primavera (Italian for spring).

                                          Creamy shrimp Primavera

          Peel and slice 3 medium potatoes in ¼ inch slices. Cover with salted water, bring to boil, cook for 2 minutes, add 1 cup frozen peas and cook for 3 additional minutes. Drain all and set aside.

          Thaw and peel 12 very large shrimp. Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a large pan and fry shrimp with 4 minced garlic cloves for about 4 minutes until shrimp are pink. Set aside. In the same pan sauté 1 large thinly sliced shallot and 1 chopped garlic clove in an additional tbsp. butter for 4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup dry white wine, reduce to half and stir in 1/3 cup chicken broth and the potatoes and peas. Simmer with stirring for 3 minutes and add the shrimp, 2 tbsp. chopped dill for another couple of minutes. Stir in ¼ cup heavy cream, heat and serve with chopped dill.

                                              Roasted asparagus quiche

          This recipe can be made with ½ lb. either roasted asparagus or asparagus blanched for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. To roast asparagus, trim the tough bottom part, rinse and blot dry, then spread on a sheet pan, spray or rub 1 tbsp. olive oil in the stems, sprinkle with kosher salt and roast in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes for thin asparagus and 15 minutes for thick asparagus. After roasting cut into 2–3-inch pieces.

          Prebake a single deli-case roll out pie crust, fitted and fluted on edges in a 10-inch pie plate. Thinly slice 1 medium onion and sauté in 1 tblsp butter 8 minutes till softened. Beat 4 eggs in a bowl with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. tarragon and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir in 1 cup milk or half-and half.  Shredd 2 oz. Gruyère.

          Assemble the pie on the baked crust by placing: a layer of the onion, Gruyère and ¼ cup fine Parmesan, ¼ cup julienned sundried tomatoes, 2 tbsp. chopped dill and parsley each, scatter the asparagus pieces and pour the egg and milk mixture to cover. Press down to assure the vegetables are submerged. Bake on top of a baking sheet in a375 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until well puffed. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

                                           Currant buttermilk scones

          Scones are welcome at any time of the year and make a delightful breakfast or snack. Traditionally they are served with clotted cream and jam.

          In a food processor pulse together 3 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. baking soda. Add 12 tbsp. (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter cut in 1 tbsp. pieces and pulse together 23 times until finely crumbled. Transfer flour mix to a large bowl and toss with 1 cup dried currants. Beat 1 large egg in a bowl with 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. lemon extract and 1 cup buttermilk. Make a depression in the flour, pour in the liquid and mix roughly with 2 forks to moisten. Mix using your hands 5-6 times, turn out on a floured board and make sure all the flour is moistened by kneading a few times by hand. Do not over mix. Divide dough in half and flatten each half on a parchment lined sheet pan, making a 6–7-inch round. Using a sharp knife cut each round in 6 wedges leaving them attached. Brush with additional buttermilk and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and separate the wedges for serving. The pansy garnish is edible.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

 

SEASONAL MENUS-BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB

 

                                                Seasonal menus

           Seasonal food is slowly fading as a concept with international food flooding our supermarkets regardless of season. Years ago, I would take a trip to New York for a night at the theatre with an afternoon feast at Lindy’s to get not only their famous cheesecake but also a special treat a dish of fresh strawberries in February. Now every supermarket is willing to sell me strawberries at any time of the year.

          In Germany, seasonal food is still epitomized by ‘Spargelzeit’, the national obsession with white asparagus available only in April and May. Because of it’s brief season fresh asparagus is still a harbinger of spring even in Maine. A less familiar harbinger of spring is lamb. It has been historically associated with a variety of dishes for spring festivals and although it is used extensively in Mediterranean dishes has not gained the same popularity in USA. Recent appearance of a variety of lamb cuts in our supermarkets have been a welcome addition to my seasonal menus.

                                           Butterflied Greek leg of lamb

          A 6 lb. leg of lamb may seem formidable to cook for only 4 people but fortunately the butterflied cut with the bone removed is a more moderate 3.5 lb. as advertised and is much easier to handle. A note of caution, check the actual weight of the package for cooking time since mine arrived at only 2.5 lb.

          For tender flavorful slices of lamb, the meat needs to be marinated overnight, seared and quickly cooked to rare or medium rare, or it will get tough unless braised in a stew.

Marinade: 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 3 large garlic cloves minced, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tbsp. dried oregano, 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, ½ cup olive oil.  Cut 1 pkg. butterflied leg of lamb in half for easier handling and marinate the meat overnight in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, massaging the bag for the marinade to reach all surfaces.

          Remove the bag from refrigerator and allow 1 hour at room temperature before cooking. Set a large pan on high heat, spray with olive oil and sear meat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Place pieces on a rack or a ridged sheet pan and bake in the oven pre-heated to 350 degrees for 21 minutes for medium rare (meat thermometer to 135 degrees). Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil and rosemary. Serve with Pistachio Pilaf and asparagus Hollandaise. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches on pita or other bread with Tzatziki sauce and greens.

                                                           Pistachio pilaf

          Rinse basmati rice in 3 changes of water and set aside. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a medium pot and sauté ½ large onion finely chopped and 1 diced carrot for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and coat with the vegetables then ½ cup white wine and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 ¼ cups chicken broth, ¼ cup dried currants, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp. saffron and 2-3 strips lemon zest. Bring to boil, cover and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Uncover, stir in 1 tbsp. butter and ½ cup halved pistachios. Heat for additional couple of minutes, remove bay leaf and serve warm. Can be reheated in microwave.

                                           Blackberry dumplings

          Easy colorful fruity desserts are a boon to the home cook in any seson. These dumplings are adapted from “Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking” by Meta Givens (1955), who got it from an American Indian woman, dating before the time of home ovens.

          Place 1 qt. washed and drained blackberries in a 3 qt. pot. Stir in ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, small pinch of salt and grated zest of 1 lemon. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.

          Dumplings. Sift together in a small bowl: 1 cup flour 1 ½ tbsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. salt and 1 ½ tsp. baking powder. Using 2 knives cut in 1 ½ tbsp. cold butter until size of rice. Stir in vigorously ½ cup plus 1 tbsp milk. Drop dumplings from a heaping tsp. into the simmering berries. Cover tightly and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve dumplings in individual dishes with berries and sauce on top.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

 

AHI TUNA, ARTICHOKES AND CARROT SOUP

 

                        Ahi tuna, artichokes and carrot soup

 

          Last week’s “pink moon” of April signifies our annual transition to spring, a season of new growth and spiritual renewal. The first April full moon according to the lunar calendar also determines the annual dates for Passover and Easter Sunday. And according to one of my Jewish friends, this year’s coincidence of April’s Fool Day with Passover occurs every 19 years.

          Regardless of cherry trees blossoming in DC and lovely spring flowers south of New England, our outdoors remains bleak, livened up only by pussy willows and witch hazel. But three valiant, blue Siberian irises at our front walk are barely showing color next to some snowdrops and tell me to be patient.

          Ample green bunches of asparagus acclaim spring in our markets.  Artichokes may seem somewhat exotic in Maine, but having lived for some time out west, I look at them also as harbingers of spring being the immature flower bud of a thistle plant. A couple of firm artichokes from the supermarket and an Italian stuffed artichoke recipe from my old friend Betty Travaglini made for a delicious appetizer. Edible parts of the artichoke are the bottom and the fleshy part of the leaves which you scrape with your teeth. The “choke” in the center is discarded after cooking in mature artichokes.

                                              Stuffed artichokes

          Set up a small bowl with ½ cup of lemon juice for dipping the trimmed artichoke, since any cut surfaces will oxidize quickly. Trim the stem of each artichoke, remove any damaged and dried leaves near the bottom and using scissors pry slightly each leaf and cut away the sharp leaf tips and the top. Do not try to remove the “choke”. Dip all cut surfaces in lemon juice.

          For each artichoke mix the stuffing: ¼ cup Italian flavored bread crumbs, ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan, 2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley and ½ tsp. oregano. Pry the leaves slightly apart and stuff with stuffing. Pour a couple of inches of water in a deep pot and set each artichoke upright in a holder for steaming. Sprinkle with kosher salt, spray with a bit of olive oil and pour the ‘dipping lemon juice’ over each artichoke. Bring pot to boil, cover tightly and steam on medium heat for 1 hour. Serve with melted butter, dipping leaves as you eat the soft parts and stuffing.

                                           Sesame Ahi tuna steak

          Yellowfin tuna has long been a staple in sushi preparations because of its meaty firm texture, bright red color and mild flavor that adapts well to a marinade. It also makes excellent steak when quick seared, leaving the bright interior rare.

          Marinade: ¼ cup light soy sauce, 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. sesame oil, 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 1-inch fresh ginger peeled and shredded and ½ tsp. lemon pepper. Marinate two 4 oz, tuna steaks for 30 minutes. Blot dry.

          Heat 2 tbsp. grapeseed or peanut oil to shimmer and fry for 60-90 seconds on each side. Place a small pat of butter on tuna when frying on the second side. Serve sliced and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Serve with brown rice and buttered string beans with toasted slivered almonds.

                                                  Creole carrot soup

          This is a brightly colored lighter version of potato-leek soup, suitable for spring lunches or dinner. Prepare coarsely chopped: 2 medium onions, 2 potatoes, 2 garlic cloves, 4 large carrots, and 2 celery stalks with leaves. Place in a pot with 3 cups chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. lemon pepper, 2 tsp. grated ginger, 1 tsp. Creole seasoning.  Bring to boil and cook for 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly and purée in a blender. Return to pot, stir in 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar, bring to boil, stir in ½ cup heavy cream and heat without boiling. Serve hot with slivered almonds on top.

          Despite the lingering cold and rain, I’m tempted to agree with Samuel Johnson that: “April is a moment of joy for those who have survived the winter.”

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)