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Spring Fever!

amccomb

By amccomb
in Cooking

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amccomb

amccomb

Posted
Posted

Every year I fantasize about making a Spring meal highlighting spring produce. I think of radishes, peas, fava beans, asparagus, mint, lamb, etc.

What are some other spring foods, and what are some dish or menu ideas to highlight those foods?

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gus_tatory

gus_tatory

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What are some other spring foods, and what are some dish or menu ideas to highlight those foods?

hi amccomb--

here in Quebec, Canada, the maple syrup season and its associated parties ("cabane a sucre" = "sugaring off" = a big meal with everything dripping in maple syrup :wub: ) is one of the awaited, sure harbingers of spring.

also the fiddleheads in the woods in later spring. the young rhubarb. aah, now i'm pining for the spring... :biggrin:

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the ocean."

--Isak Dinesen

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amccomb

amccomb

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Are there any meats that are particularly associated with spring besides the soft shell crabs and young lamb? I wish I could get soft shell crabs, but I'm in the middle of indiana.

Also, any recipe ideas for any of these things? I was thinking of a nice soft white bread with an herbed butter spread topped with thinly sliced radishes sprinkled with some Hawaiian red sea salt. Maybe a risotto with morels and fava beans. I've always wanted to try fiddlehead fern, but I have no idea how to prepare it! I would love to make a cold fresh baby pea soup with creme fraiche. What about ramps? Any good ways to prepare those? Could I roast them with baby potatoes, or do they need to be on their own?

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NulloModo

NulloModo

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I tried fiddleheads a couple times last spring, and judging my my experience (I joined eG last march I think) there will quite a few threads popping up on how to do them. I think the standard method is to quickly blanch them then sautee in EVOO and some herbs/shallots. My experience was that while they look really cool, and smell absolutely divine raw (seriously, I would wear cologne that smelled like that) they taste... hmmm, well, not bad, but not good. Still, definately try them, if only to smell them first...

He don't mix meat and dairy,

He don't eat humble pie,

So sing a miserere

And hang the bastard high!

- Richard Wilbur and John LaTouche from Candide

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fou de Bassan

fou de Bassan

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This may sound old fashioned, but I LOVE GOOD PASTA PRIMAVERA. Sorry, I pushed caps lock but the emphasis stays.

The first strawberries from the patch eaten out of hand.

soup of fresh peas and mint

If only Jack Nicholson could have narrated my dinner, it would have been perfect.

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gus_tatory

gus_tatory

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I've always wanted to try fiddlehead fern, but I have no idea how to prepare it!

the fiddleheads, you have to get them *super-fresh*, all dark green and tightly-coiled. and you have to rinse the bejeesus out of them like leeks and italian parsley, because of course they are packed with sand and grit.

then, as NulloModo said, you can blanch and shock-fry them, or get more artsy with a sesame oil/sesame seed "goma-ae" sauce kinda stir-fry thing.

they are divine, but they have a really short window of opportunity, depending on where you live... good luck!

:smile:

edit: to provide a recipe for vegetables "goma-ae"... sesame-pounded veg sauce...

Edited by gus_tatory (log)

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the ocean."

--Isak Dinesen

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kitchenmage

kitchenmage

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Spring Chinook salmon.

i heartily second that! we had a springer for dinner the other night, caught by one friend, cooked by another, and it was melt-in-your-mouth tender... petite tête de chou, are you lucky enough to have access to springers?

springers, for those not from the area, are sprink chinook that live up the Rogue River in Oregon... they are known by fishers for the rather serious fight they put up while being caught and by everyone else for their flavor...

OMG!!! I wrote a cookbook!

Picture Yourself Cooking With Your Kids

kitchenmage's blog

A Year in Bread: 3 passionate bakers, 12 months, 36 recipes

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Toliver

Toliver

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Lamb chops would be great. I wish jinmyo would pop in this discussion and put her spin on them.

I think the suggestion of asparagus is right on target since they're coming into season now.

And something with early strawberries for dessert!

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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NulloModo

NulloModo

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Lamb chops would be great.  I wish jinmyo would pop in this discussion and put her spin on them.

You just want her to have to find a new way to disparage fiddleheads this year. :raz:

He don't mix meat and dairy,

He don't eat humble pie,

So sing a miserere

And hang the bastard high!

- Richard Wilbur and John LaTouche from Candide

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=Mark

=Mark

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Posted
Lamb chops would be great.  I wish jinmyo would pop in this discussion and put her spin on them.

You just want her to have to find a new way to disparage fiddleheads this year. :raz:

I can do that!

"Rich earthy aroma and flavor" = Tastes like dirt. :laugh:

=Mark

Give a man a fish, he eats for a Day.

Teach a man to fish, he eats for Life.

Teach a man to sell fish, he eats Steak

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patti

patti

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Spring is the season for crawfish! Although officially, crawfish season starts in November, the best time for crawfish bounty is in the spring. We had a crawfish boil two weeks ago and while they weren't huge, they were very tasty. It will only get better.

Dear Food: I hate myself for loving you.

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