Spring Fling Veggies

                                   Spring is a wonderland for foodies who love to cook vegetables 

We’re less than a month into Spring and already farmers’ markets in southern Cali are brimming with a glorious cornucopia featuring every color of the rainbow:  carrots in yellows, reds & oranges;  verdant lettuces in boundless shades of green; cucumbers ranging from white and yellow to almost ebony;  pencil thin green asparagus at one stand juxtaposed with colossal versions in brilliant purple or white at the next vendor;  and a cacophony of fresh herbs ranging the entire green spectrum…dill, tarragon, mint, parsley, chives, lemongrass and cilantro.

To honor this splendid bounty of produce, this blog includes my homage in the form of cherished Spring recipes.  Two come from France, one from Italy, and yet another from the good old USA.

                                 Spring mint is available in every shape, size. color & smell

Fresh Peas with Lettuce & Mint:

I particularly like this version of this French classic as the peas are actually cooked in a small amount of cream.  This results in a more flavor-chocked dish:

http://www.kitchenriffs.com/2018/05/french-style-braised-lettuce-and-peas.html

 

Roasted Radishes:

In this recipe French-inspired recipe, I suggest you utilize a variety of different colored radishes (making sure, however, they are all roughly the same size.)  Also I recommend replacing the onion powder with fresh spring pearl onions, and the garlic powder with Spring’s lusciously gentle garlic.

https://www.wickedspatula.com/crispy-roasted-radishes/

 

                                     The eternal city's signature dish is an eternal delight

Spinach alla Romana:

This traditional dish from Rome is essentially a simple stir fry, but the raisins and pine nuts catapult it into something far from simple.   I recommend two changes:  use only olive oil, and then a gentle spritz of a good balsamic at the end of cooking.

https://memoriediangelina.com/2013/06/09/spinaci-alla-romana-roman-style-spinach/

 

Grilled Carrots with Mint and Avocado:

We use a combination of different colored carrots in this recipe from Bon Appetit.   The dish is absolutely divine and pairs beautifully with poultry, seafood or pork.

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/grilled-carrots-with-avocado-and-mint

Happy Spring Fling!

Spring Food & Wine Pairings

                                   

Spring has sprung and I’m not about to let Corona Virus dampen my spirits!  I’ve been out of the country six weeks and am so looking forward to spring’s bounty.   As the season’s foods have changed, so should our wine choices.  Heavier bodied wines (like Zinfandel and Cabernet) can now be replaced with lighter tannin and less alcoholic reds (such as Pinot Noir, Grenache, or even Sicily’s Frapatto, a fruity red wine brimming with another Spring flavor---strawberries).   Winter’s full-on oaky Chardonnays can now begin their transition to more gentle oak influences, or even  unoaked mineral-forward versions.  Spring whites also scream citrusy Austrian Gruner Veltliner or Italian Vermentino.

Here’s my shopping list, menu, and wine pairings:

Fresh peas: to be made into a risotto and served with a Pinot Noir.

Baby artichokes:  grilled, topped with a mélange of fresh spring herbs and garlic, served with grilled lamb chops and a Grenache from the Rhone Valley.

Fava beans:  these labors of love will be turned into a simple sauté using wonderful dill and mint, and served roasted salmon along with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

New potatoes:  far less starchy than other potatoes, these yummy spring-time morsels will be featured in a salad mixed with tender green beans, spring radishes, just-sprouting parsley, and dressed with olive oil.  They’ll accompany a roast chicken, and be served with a Sicilian Frappato.

Morel mushrooms:  these scrumptious splurges will be showcased in a simple pasta dish (garlic, shallots and olive oil), and will be accompanied by a real-deal Rosé Champagne to celebrate the arrival of Spring.

Happy Spring!  Stay Healthy!