Cooking what's in Season locally

[Robin Shuster]

I am proposing a thread on the seasonal produce of our local farmers markets -- and what we are doing with it. I think this is different enough from the existing thread on farmers markets to justify its own.

For instance, Asparagus and Nettles are in season right now -- and I have been cooking asparagus 3 or 4 times a week. I think my favourite is roasted asparagus, just tossed in olive oil and roasted on a sheet in a 400 degree oven until tender.

But what to do with the tougher butt ends of two pounds of asparagus? I cut them into 1/4 inch rounds and sautee them in olive oil with local green onions, a clove of chopped garlic and chopped nettles (USE GLOVES). Salt. Then I add water or chicken stock and cook until all are soft, puree with an immersion blender for 4-5 minutes Serve with a swirl of olive oil and grated parmesan or pecorino. (Those 4-5 minutes with the immersion blender are key to the success of this)

All the veggie producers have asparagus right now, but I have only seen nettles at Wheatland at Mount Pleasant and Dupont Circle.

[bavila]

I bought some Eastern Shore asparagus at Graul's the other day. I also roasted it with oo, salt, and pepper. I swear, it was the best asparagus I've ever had. My tough ends went into the freezer for stock.

I plan to go strawberry picking soon and will make summer pudding -- anyone have recommendations to make a summer pudding that presents nicely? Mine usually look like purple blobs.

[bilrus]

My basket today contained spring oinons and garlic. Aside from using these the same way you would regular onions or garlic, what else can I do? What about the green parts?

Tomorrow night my asparagus (and some fresh ricotta) from the Arlington Market is going to serve a higher purpose as part of Asparagus and Ricotta Ravioli from the Babbo cookbook.

Edited May 22, 2005 by bilrus (log)

[Robin Shuster]

Try using the green parts in a garlic/green onion pesto.

I also like using the green of garlic, green onion and leeks chopped and sauteed in olive oil with chopped fennel stalks, add water and cook until soft, puree for soup. Which is what we had for dinner tonight.

My basket today contained spring oinons and garlic.  Aside from using these the same way you would regular onions or garlic, what else can I do?  What about the green parts?

Tomorrow night my asparagus (and some fresh ricotta) from the Arlington Market  is going to serve a higher purpose as part of Asparagus and Ricotta Ravioli from the Babbo cookbook.

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[Robin Shuster]

I bought tiny carrots thinner than pencils with baby turnips from Tree and Leaf yesterday at Mt Pleasant. Stewed them with green onion and butter from South Mountain Creamery a little bit of water, covered, and then finished with chopped tarragon from Truckpatch.

Anybody have a particularly good strawberry and rubarb recipes? Both are in season.

I am proposing a thread on the seasonal produce of our local farmers markets -- and what we are doing with it.    I think this is different enough from the existing thread on farmers markets to justify its own.

For instance,  Asparagus and Nettles are in season right now -- and I have been cooking asparagus 3 or 4 times a week.  I think my favourite is roasted asparagus, just tossed in olive oil and roasted on a sheet in a 400 degree oven until tender.   

But what to do with the tougher butt ends of two pounds of asparagus?  I cut them into 1/4 inch rounds and sautee them in olive oil with local green onions, a clove of chopped garlic  and chopped nettles  (USE GLOVES).  Salt.  Then I add water or chicken stock and cook until all are soft, puree with an immersion blender for 4-5 minutes  Serve with a swirl of olive oil and grated parmesan or pecorino.    (Those 4-5 minutes with the immersion blender are key to the success of this)

All the veggie producers have asparagus right now, but I have only seen nettles at Wheatland at Mount Pleasant and Dupont Circle.

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[Busboy]

I made a pretty swell strawberry sorbet Saturday night, pureeing the hell out of the berries, straing them through a fine chinoise and then spiking the juice with a little 12-year-old balsamic and sweeting with a mix of simple syrup and honey.

Served it with a sweet mango-lime puree.

[cjsadler]

I sauteed up some fiddlehead ferns, which are in season now. Stumbled across these at Giant, where they were on sale. Never seen these before, even at the farmer's markets. They were delicious-- taste like a cross between an artichoke, asparagus, and a mushroom.

[Mrs. P]

Anybody have a particularly good strawberry and rubarb recipes?  Both are in season.

I modified a rhubarb sorbet recipe from the Patrick O'Connel book by adding strawberries. Recipe calls for stewing rhubarb, raspberries (plus my strawberries) with sugar etc, then puree, strain, and freeze. Really delish. Serve it with cobbler with the same fruits - why not?!

I found the rhubarb at the Takoma Park farmer's market, and while it was good and fresh it really needed a lot of sugar to sweeten it up.

I saw the fiddleheads at Giant too - very surprising to see them there!

[foodgeek]

The asparagus from the Dupont market went well really with the garlic pesto I got from another vendor there.

[bavila]

Note fiddlehead warning posted in general topics.

[Nyleve Baar]

Grilled asparagus brushed with olive oil, garlic and salt. Heavenly.

Fiddleheads - first BOILED for about 5 minutes, drained and sauteed with butter and garlic.

But what to do with nettles? They're coming up all over my yard. Some great ideas would be very much appreciated. I know they're supposed to be delicious, but have never had the nerve to try them.

[zoramargolis]

I made an "ensalada primavera" as a first course last night for guests, with asparagus, fiddleheads, fava beans, avocado, radish and frisee and a fresh lime vinaigrette. Fiddleheads from Giant(!) favas and avos from super H, aspergrass, radishes and frisee from Sunnyside Organics at Dupont. This was followed by duck, shiitake and papaya tamales with mole verde, barbacoa de carnero en pibil (pit roasted lamb leg in adobo wrapped with avocado leaves in banana leaf), frijoles refritos, homemade tortillas, and passion fruit panna cotta and local strawbs for dessert. Que rico!

I am a long-time fiddlehead fan, having gathered them-- Ostrich fern, that is-- when I lived in Vermont. I steamed them until just barely tender as I always have--boiling them for fifteen minutes would turn them into inedible mush. We used to eat them hot with Hollandaise in Vermont, but they tasted great cold, with the fresh lime vinaigrette. I always thought they reminded me of asparagus, but tasting the two side by side in the same dish really accentuated the difference in flavor. Must have been the Hollandaise...

[Robin Shuster]

A New Zealand ex chef (now professor of philosophy) gave me his recipe for Nettle soup over the weekend. He said to first sweat nettles in a large fryng pan until soft, then remove the softened nettles from the pan and chop them into pieces. Add the chopped nettles to a pot, with salt, pepper, chicken stock, a little white wine and simmer until very soft. Puree and finish with a bit of cream.

He also said that sauteed nettles were delicious as a vegetable and great with cheese.

But what to do with nettles? They're coming up all over my yard. Some great ideas would be very much appreciated. I know they're supposed to be delicious, but have never had the nerve to try them.

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[bilrus]

I posted this on the Dinner thread, but I thought I'd share here too, as it is in the spirit.

Last night I used the really nice aspargus and fresh ricotta from Arlington Market to make a "Shaved Apsparagus and Parmeggiano Salad" from the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook and Asparagus and Ricotta Ravioli from the Babbo Cookbook.

[John W.]

Bill;

Who's your food stylist?

[bilrus]

Bill;

Who's your food stylist?

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Me, my spatula and a towel.

If it looks good, it is only by accident. You'd laugh if you saw the problems I had trying to get my ravioli out of my straight sided sautee pan last night.