Eating Spring

Recipes to enjoy the first green things of the year

Soon, very soon, we will smell the dirt of the tiny new potatoes and taste earthy sweet pea shoots; the lemony tang of sorrel and the first strawberries. That’s what we crave in May and June.

We crave fresh crisp salads, can’t wait to bite an asparagus spear, shudder at the thought of turnips, storage beets and long hairy carrots. Don’t worry, we will fall back in love with beets once the sweet new ones appear in late July, but in the meantime, please banish the root veg until November. What can we eat? The CSAs don’t start delivering farm shares until July. But we do have spring crops arriving shortly—spring onions, radishes, asparagus from local farmers like Edgar’s. B.C. and hot house produce is at the farmers’ markets now, and soon, very soon, we will smell the dirt of the tiny new potatoes and taste earthy sweet pea shoots; the lemony tang of sorrel and the first strawberries. That’s what we crave in May and June.

At their best in spring—when they are smallish, crisp, not woody and right out of the ground. You can eat them with salt and butter, like the French do, or you can make one of these recipes that highlight their ability to energize a dish.

Radish Salsa
Love pico de gallo? Try making it with radishes. Use the newest, freshest radishes and serve with roast fish, chicken or pork.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients well, taste and adjust with more lime juice or salt if needed.

Makes about 1 cup.

Radish Tartines with Green Butter
A fun little appy, something to have with drinks.

Remove greens from radishes and reserve about 1 firmly packed cup of greens. Wash, pat dry and set aside.

Slice the radishes very thin, about 1/16-inch thick (best to use a mandoline), then transfer the slices to a medium bowl filled with ice water. Let soak 10 minutes. Drain well, pat dry.

While radishes soak, place reserved greens, butter, lemon zest, seasoning and garlic in a food processor. Process until butter is green and mostly smooth, about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Spread green butter evenly over 1 side of toasted bread slices (about 2 tablespoons each). Top with sliced radishes. Season with additional salt to taste. Garnish with crushed red pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 6 toasts.

Fatouche (fattoush)
This hearty Middle Eastern salad makes for a lovely summery lunch. All the veg, including the fresh mint, can be picked up at Lacombe Fresh, the hothouse purveyor found at many Edmonton-area farmers’ markets. Pick up the ground sumac, pomegranate syrup and pita at the Italian Centre Shops or Elsafadi Supermarket. Top with roast chicken, tuna or thin-sliced tenderloin to make it more of a meal.

Dressing

Whisk together garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate syrup and seasoning in a small bowl.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Separate pita into 2 rounds, and bake on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, until crisp (not browned).

Put the vegetables into a large salad bowl. Add greens and herbs and toss. Toss again with the dressing. Right before serving, break the pita into bite-sized pieces and toss with the salad. Taste, adjust seasoning if needed and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8.

Beef Cheeks with Radish, Burnt Onion Puree and Pickled Celery
Braised beef cheeks on a burnt onion mash served with a hot salad of radishes, parsley and pickled celery, flavoured with mustard seed. This is a delicious dinner party dish that you can start the day before (the celery needs 24 hours to pickle). Adapted from a Gourmet Traveller recipe.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Heat 2 t oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, season beef to taste and cook in batches, turning once, until browned (about 1-2 minutes each side). Add the stock, wine, vegetables, juniper berries, herbs and spices, Cover and braise until very tender (about 3 hours). Remove beef, set aside and keep warm. Strain the liquid (discard solids, reserve 375ml) into a saucepan, reduce over high heat to a thick sauce consistency and keep warm.

For the burnt onion purée:

Place onion on a baking sheet lined with parchment, drizzle with oil, season to taste and roast until completely caramelized (40-50 minutes). Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove skin (discard), transfer to a saucepan, add potato, cover with reserved braising liquid and 1¼ c water. Cook over low-medium heat until all the liquid evaporates (30-40 minutes). Transfer to a food processor, blend until smooth, add butter and lime juice, season to taste and blend until quite smooth. Reserve.

For the mustard seed, radish and pickled celery salad:

Cook mustard seeds in a small saucepan of simmering water over medium heat to remove bitterness (1-2 minutes), drain. Transfer to a bowl, add radish, parsley, drained pickled celery, 1 tablespoon of the pickling juice and remaining olive oil, season to taste and set aside.

Pickled Celery

Dry-roast the coriander seeds for about 30-40 seconds in a hot pan on the stove top. Reduce heat to medium, add vinegar and sugar, stir to dissolve sugar, set aside to cool, add celery and lime juice, then refrigerate to pickle (24 hours).

To serve: Divide burnt onion purée among plates, top with the braised beef cheeks, and spoon the reduced braising liquid over. Finish with the pickled celery salad.

Serves 6-8.

A bit like cilantro in its ability to be either in the you-love-it or you-hate-it camp, sorrel is a blast of lemony flavour

Some of the first things out of the ground in the spring are chives, spring onion and, if you are lucky, sorrel. A bit like cilantro in its ability to be either in the you-love-it or you-hate-it camp, sorrel is a blast of lemony flavour. Similar to dandelion leaves, eat when young and soft.

Amazing Sorrel Soup
This recipe, adapted from one by Patricia Wells in Home in Province, solves the problem of sorrel turning a sludgy grey-brown colour when cooked. By incorporating the sorrel in a butter, and adding at the very end, it keeps its glorious, bright spring green colour.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the onion and sweat over low heat until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook over low heat until barely golden, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the stock to the potato onion mixture and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked. Stir in the cream. Using an immersion mixer, purée the soup directly in the stock pot (or use a blender or food processor, be careful as it is hot liquid). Check seasoning. Just before serving, whisk the sorrel butter into the hot soup.

Sorrel Butter

In a food processor, pulse the sorrel on and off for 30-45 seconds. Add the butter and pulse again until well mixed. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and set aside in a cool area of the kitchen. Do not refrigerate, or the sorrel butter will be too cold to add to the soup at the end.

Serves 4-6. Can be served hot or cold.

Herbed Cottage Cheese Dip
More protein and less fat than a cream cheese- or mayonnaise-based dip and just as delicious. This recipe calls for basil, parsley and dill, but use whichever herbs you have fresh, or look good at the market.

2 c  ( 1 small container) cottage cheese

Cook the onions in a pan with the oil until soft and just starting to colour, about 7 minutes. Cool.

Put the cooled onions, cottage cheese, herbs, lemon juice, and grated pecorino with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill for about 30 minutes and serve with chopped spring onions, chives, or more parsley scattered over.

Makes about 2 cups.

Pork and Ginger Gyoza
Ginger is an ideal addition to spring recipes, bright, zesty and warming. Gyoza can take some time to make but it’s quite meditative and fun to do with a few people. Irving’s Farm Fresh, Four Whistle Farm and the Italian Centre Shops are good places to pick up fresh ground pork. The dipping sauce could be made the day before.

Sesame Dipping Sauce

Heat the oil, onion, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over low heat until small bubbles rise to the surface (about 8-10 minutes). Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients, except the sesame seeds, in a small mixing bowl. Pour the hot oil mixture over the chilli mixture and combine. Set aside 1 hour to cool. Strain through a sieve and discard solids. Add the sesame seeds and reserve.

Gyoza
For filling, place the cabbage in a colander. Sprinkle with fine salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture and transfer to a large bowl with the pork, mushrooms, ginger, soy, miso, pepper and cilantro. Mix just until combined. To make the dumplings, spoon a heaped teaspoon of the mixture onto the centre of the wrapper. Brush the edge with a little water and using your fingertips, pleat the edge 5 times. Fold over to enclose the filling. Place on a tray and repeat with remaining mixture and wrappers.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. In batches, space gyozas out over the base of the frying pan. Cook until the base is crisp and golden (3 minutes). Pour in ¼ cup water and cook covered until gyoza are just cooked and water has evaporated (4-5 minutes). Remove lid and cook until base is crisp (2 minutes). Repeat with remaining gyoza. Serve with the sesame dipping sauce.

Serves 2-4.

Fish en Papillote

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a bowl, mix the vegetables with the oil, season and toss to combine. Reserve. Place each piece of fish in a square of parchment paper. Season. Divide the vegetable mixture between the four pieces of fish. Top each piece with thyme sprigs and lemon slices, dot with butter and pour over a splash of wine on each. Fold the parchment paper as if it was a gift, leaving an even length on both sides at the top. Fold these together, sealing the packages. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. To serve, place each package on a plate and allow each person to open their own.

Serves 4.

Another early arrival, pea shoots taste just like fresh peas. Eat raw or gently cooked, toss them in salads, in a sandwich, in a stir fry. They are best when very young, discard any tough bits before you use them.

Fresh Pea Shoots with Garlic

Rinse the pea shoots with running water and gently rub with your fingers to remove any dirt. Drain and set aside. It’s ok if the pea shoots are not completely dry.

Heat the oil in a wok (or large carbon steel pan) over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger and stir a few times to release the fragrance. Add the pea shoots, folding with a spatula to coat well with oil. Pour in the wine or stock, fish sauce and season. Toss a few more times, until the shoots just start to wilt, it will take a few minutes only. Immediately transfer to a plate.

Serves 1-2 people.

Sautéed Cod with Pea Shoots in Ginger Scallion Broth
Adapted from a recipe by chef Eric Ripert. The rich yet mild flavour of cod is enhanced by the savoury broth and fresh pea shoots. Fresh Icelandic cod is available year-round via salties.io or use any firm-fleshed white fish.

For the ginger lemon scallion broth:

Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, shallot, mushrooms and all but a few slices of the ginger. Cook covered for 5 minutes, being careful not to let the ingredients brown. Uncover and add the stock. Bring the stock to a low simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Season. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a container with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use. (The reserved ginger will be used to finish the dish.)

For the cod:

Season the fillets on both sides, and lightly dust with the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat until oil is very hot, but not smoking. Lay the fillets in the pan, and let the fish cook undisturbed until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. (If you don’t have a large skillet to cook all the pieces, use two pans and cook two fillets in each).

Carefully turn the fish over, and finish cooking it on the other side, about 2 to 3 minutes more. The fish is done when a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and feels warm when left in for 5 seconds. Remove from heat and let rest.

For the pea shoots:

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Cover and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the pea shoots. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until they shrink to about half their size and give off some moisture. Add the soy sauce and toss briefly to coat. Season and remove from the heat.

To serve: Bring the reserved broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the reserved ginger slices and infuse for 1 minute. Remove the ginger with a slotted spoon and add the scallions and zest. Divide the pea shoots into four portions and arrange each in the centre of a shallow serving bowl. Place a fillet on top of each mound of pea shoots. Pour the broth around the fish and serve.

Serves 4.

For at least four glorious weeks in the spring, we can revel in local asparagus, picked just a few hours before we enjoy it.For at least four glorious weeks in the spring, we can revel in local asparagus, picked just a few hours before we enjoy it. Once you get tired of eating those extraordinary spears by themselves, or with Hollandaise, try these recipes.

Asparagus Caesar with Pecorino
Easy and delicious, you will eat this salad a lot during asparagus season. Let’s call it faux Caesar because it’s made with mayo rather than raw egg, but it has the most important ingredient of all in a Caesar salad, anchovies. Adapted from a recipe by Anna Theoktisto, Food & Wine.

Blanch asparagus: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. Add asparagus to boiling water, and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer asparagus to ice water, and let cool completely, about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry using paper towels. Place on a serving platter.

Whisk all the other ingredients together until well combined. Nap the dressing over the asparagus tips, sprinkle with chopped smoked almonds and additional cheese and pepper, if desired.

Serves 4-6 as a salad or side dish.

Asparagus Involtini
A little more work here but the results are worth it. Serve warm with cocktails, or as a first course. Essentially: blanch the asparagus, wrap with cheese and ham then warm in a skillet to let the cheese melt, that’s it!)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add asparagus to boiling water; cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain asparagus and plunge into the ice bath; let stand until thoroughly chilled, about 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Place 1 slice of prosciutto on a cutting board or clean work surface. Place a cheese slice/shaving over the prosciutto. Place 2 asparagus spears over the cheese at the short end of the prosciutto slice. Tightly roll the prosciutto around asparagus spears, spiraling upward. Repeat process with remaining prosciutto, cheese and asparagus.

Heat the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts and begins to foam. Add 4 or 5 asparagus rolls to skillet, seam side down, and cook until prosciutto is crisp and cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining asparagus rolls. Transfer to a platter; sprinkle with black pepper and basil. Serve warm.

Some people prefer late season potatoes when the skins have developed and the flavours are more pronounced—and yes, they are delicious. But, there is nothing like a brand-new small baby potato—thin-skinned, needs no peeling ever, with delicate, just-out-of-the-ground aromas and flavours.

Rosemary New Potatoes
A delicious side dish for steak or lamb chops on the grill.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Steam potatoes until almost tender, about 10 minutes. While the potatoes are steaming, chop the rosemary finely and put in a bowl with the oil, rosemary and seasoning. Take the potatoes out of the steamer, shake dry and roll in the rosemary oil until they are covered.

Put the potatoes in a shallow pan or cookie sheet and roast until golden and crisp, about 25 minutes.

Serves 4-6.

New Potato Salad in a Mustard Dressing
Combine the tastes of spring—new potatoes, asparagus, pea shoots, radishes—in a bold dressing. Adapted from a Smitten Kitchen recipe.

Sharp mustard vinaigrette

Steam potatoes for about 15 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces through. Drain and cool to room temperature. While the potatoes are cooling, boil salted water to blanch the asparagus and prepare an ice bath. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus. Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus, boil for about two minutes, then plunge into the ice bath to cool and preserve the bright green colour, until chilled. Drain and spread out on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess water.

Slice the cooked asparagus spears and sugar snaps into ½-inch segments and put in a large bowl. Chop the potatoes into medium-sized chunks and add them to the bowl. Cut the radishes as thinly as possible, with a mandoline if possible, and add to the bowl, along with the pea shoots. Add the minced chives (or use the green part of a spring onion, also minced).

Right before serving add the dressing a spoonful at a time and toss. You may not need all the dressing. Check seasoning and serve.

Serves 4-6.

New Strawberries with Black Pepper
Do this only with fresh-picked strawberries. You could add a drizzle of aged balsamic; you could serve with a dollop of mascarpone. Or you could just enjoy the burst of flavour from the tiny new strawberries. Leave a bit of stem on the strawberries to make them easy to eat with your fingers.

Put strawberries in a bowl and crack pepper over.