The food of Spring.

Pardon my long absence here. Well shoot!  There has been a lot going on. Since I have been away I am grateful to read all of your comments and emails. I loved this little post about my last recipe for the peanut butter tarts! Thank you Baking Bird.

Seasonally, who doesn’t love spring?

I dig spring; it’s all about the sweet peas, the mesmerizing shapes of the fiddleheads and aroma of spring onions. I could not imagine a spring pasta dish without peas, tender greens and fiddleheads. Could you?

For this Northerner, I welcome it as soon as fall heads into winter, and looking forward to the first blooms of the season.

Springtime is where the sweeping away of the robust flavors of winter and the attentive nature of the palette gears towards fresh, vibrant things.

All of these and more are delicate in substance needing nothing more than a brisk dive in frantically boiling water and to set their emerald color.

For a few weeks it will be the enjoyment of what spring has to offer. The most vibrantly emerald green soups, tender asparagus, and the most beautiful blossoms.

Until then, have a beautiful spring.

Spring Pasta Recipe [Serves 4]

4 ounces gluten-free spaghetti pasta

3 cups fresh pea shoots –or- baby arugula

1 cups fiddlehead ferns

½  cup freshly shelled peas

½ cup freshly shelled fava beans

¼ cup thinly sliced purple spring onion

¼ cup capers, drained

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

White sesame seeds [for garnishing]

Fresh chervil leaves [for garnishing]

Ground red pepper [for garnishing]

Shaved Parmesan [optional, not pictured]

1. Cook pasta as directed on the package, rinse to cool.

2. Briefly blanch peas, fava beans and fiddleheads in salted water, cool in ice water.

3. Toss pasta with vinaigrette, blanched vegetables and capers.

4. Place half of the pea shoots on a platter.

4. Place dressed pasta on a serving platter and garnish with Parmesan shavings, remaining pea shoots, chervil, sesame seeds and ground red pepper.

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette [for recipe above]

3 Tablespoons toasted hazelnut oil

2 Tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice

1 – 1 ½ teaspoon Meyer lemon zest

1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon cane sugar

¾ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

1. Whisk together all ingredients except the oil until smooth.

2. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified.

Spring…

Spring is enchanting and at the same time breathtaking.

 

 

It has been a rather busy week. I have made a few desserts in the last week that I will share with you shortly.

In the meantime, enjoy this sneak peak at these amazing blooms we are now seeing everywhere.

Have a great weekend!