some completely different

From the time the primordial forests when ferns there dominated the land existed a nibble for early man that still celebrates the season of spring. The fiddlehead ferns that are starting to flood the market are the nascent fronds of the ostrich fern, and are available for but few a few fleeting moments. They bring me joy on the plate for nature has given us nautilus shaped vegetable that is crisp, green and easily a showstopper.

They are slightly high maintenance in so far as they should be well washed to rid it of any dirt and browned leaves. Then they need to be blanched before being subsequently employed. One can simply sauté them in some olive with garlic and a pinch of chili flakes for a few minutes to more adventurous batter-dipped then fried.


You should dare yourself to bring home these gems while they are being offered, and channel your primal-self.








Fiddelhead Fern Frittata – yields 6 servings
1/4-pound fernhead ferns
4 whole eggs
1/4-cup sour cream
2-tablespoons thyme leaves – chopped
Few dashes of hot sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2-cup grated Parmesan, Asiago or Manchego cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Wash the fiddlehead ferns well in a few changes of water – gently rubbing them to dislodge any brown leaves.

Blanch the fiddlehead ferns in boiling water for three minutes. Drain and run under cold water.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a work bowl beat the eggs, sour cream, hot sauce, salt and pepper together until completely combined.

Heat an eight-inch cast iron skillet over a high heat, and add the oil and blanched fiddlehead ferns. Sauté for a few minutes, and then pour the egg mixture over the fiddlehead ferns. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the eggs, and let the eggs cook until the edges start to set. Then put the pan in the oven, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the frittata rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Tender to the tip

The trees are filling out their winter nakedness with new green leaves creating a softness for the eye and soul. But these flourishing moments are not the only nascent growth of the season of renewal. The quintessential icon of the season, asparagus, this happily pushing their tight little tips skyward. These stalks are the new growth of a fern that if allowed to go unchecked will fan out in a preening peacocks display of leaf and desire.

For me, the pencil thin ones are best, and I single-mindedly turn over bundled pointy top clusters to ensure I do not take home any bulky stalks. I am also making sure that these immature ferns have been freshly harvested – the cut bottom should not look dried and scabbed over, and their tips should be tightly closed and not mushy, wet. If I need to store them for a few days I land them in a glass with a bit a water in the refrigerator until their time has come to celebrate their moment. Trimming asparagus takes on two different techniques. If they are the pencil-thin ones all you just have to line up the asparagus and lop off the bottoms about 1 inch from the base. If they are a thicker ones you want to gently snap them towards the base. I tend to snap a few to start with and then use those as a my guide to trim the remaining asparagus…Line them up at the tips for this and then cut off the base.









Blistered Asparagus - yields 6 servings
I adore asparagus so much that I fantasize of following Spring across the globe in order to continually capture one of her finest offerings. For this recipe it is best if you can get the young pencil-thin asparagus. The reason is two fold: they are less fibrous than their older brethren, and I think they have a more delicate flavor.

1-1/2 pound asparagus
1/4-cup olive oil
1/4-teaspoon salt - such as kosher or course sea salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
1 lemon – juiced (about 1/4 cup)
4 ounces goat cheese or Feta cheese - crumbled

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Trim the base of the asparagus and wash well cold running water. Pat the asparagus dry and then toss to coat with the oil. Lay the asparagus on a parchment paper lined baking tray in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of the asparagus. The pencil thin asparagus need to cook those only five minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter and sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese and drizzle with lemon juice. Serve warm or room temperature.

To the budding season

A chaff bears a grain
Wondrous its potential
Life into life it grows
Waiting for tomorrow
Some become a meal









White Beans with Tomato and Sage - yields 8 servings
1 1/2 cups white navy beans - soaked overnight in three times their volume of water
1 large onion - diced
2 garlic cloves - crushed to a paste
1/4 cup sage leaves - chopped
1/2 pound Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup Sherry or Balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Bring a heavy lined pot filled with 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the drained beans, and gently cook for 45 minutes, or until soft to the bite. Drain and hold to the side.
Cut the Roma tomatoes in quarters, and remove the seeds. Then dice the tomatoes. In a sauté pan heat the oil, and add the onions. Cook the onions till they are caramelized. Remove from the heat and toss in the tomatoes, sage, garlic, coriander and vinegar. Return to the heat, and add the beans, and gently toss together till warmed. Season with salt and black pepper.

Making the switch

The cherry blossoms are gently raining down on the streets affording me a cushioned, blushed pavement to tread on. Silently my feet fall upon this carpet as I go out hunting though in truth I have no fear that my prey will bolt if I audibly alert them to my arrival. For it is the first of spring’s offering I am seeking, and today I found them -- ramps. A telltale aromatic sortie notified me of their presence -- even before I spied the pile of them on one of my favorite farmer’s table.

This signals my switch from winter's grazing upon the foods I put up and other products brought in from around the world. From this point forward my diet will consist of nature’s ever replenishing basket from the local farms and artisans in my area. I probably achieve about 90% of the foods I eat from now through November to come locally. Yes, it is good to lessen my carbon footprint but selfishly being a locavore gives me flavor, color, texture, and most importantly, nutritional value not to be found on a supermarket shelf.








Linguini with Clam Sauce - yields 6 servings

1 pound Linguini
1/4-cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound ramps - roots trimmed, and washed well
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2-teaspoon red chili flakes
3/4-cup dry white wine
48 each Littleneck clams - scrubbed clean
1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves - roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - grated


Bring a six quart pot of water to the boil for the pasta.

Heat a high sided 10 inch sauté pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the ramps, pepper and red chili flakes and cook for a minute to release its aromatic flavors. Immediately add the wine and clams and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook the clams for 10 to 12 minutes or until the clams have open.

Cook off the pasta according to the instructions on the package and drain. Add the pasta, parsley and lemon juice immediately into the sauce and serve. You want the sauce to be waiting for the pasta, but do not let it wait too long as the calms will start to get tough. Garnish each plate with grated parmesan cheese.

Spring equals Greens

Spring has sprung all around us. And nature’s color wheel has clicked to green. For the next month or so our plates should be drenched in verdant leaves that give crisp texture when eaten raw, or soften smoothly when cooked. My basket is filled with a rainbow display of Swiss chard, puckering sorrel, gentle bitterness of newly arriving broccoli rabe.

I will use any of these delicate initial offerings interchangeably – most of us have a recipe for spinach substitute it with arugula, Swiss chard or escarole.

If you are like me, and just simply enjoy wilted greens I recommend that you wash them well to dislodge any dirt that has hitched a ride in from the country in a few changes of cold water. Let the greens dip dry or spin them dry. I heat my pan then add the greens and pour whatever oil I am using over the greens. The reason for this is that inevitably some water is still clinging to the leaves, and I hate the splatter of the oil as the leaves fall into it.







Swiss Chard Won-ton Raviolis - yields 8 servings
1 bunch Red or White Swiss Chard (approx. 2 pounds)
2 Garlic cloves - finely minced
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper
1 package Won-ton wrappers (approximately 50 count)
1/4 cup Corn starch
1/2 cup Olive Oil

Remove the rib from the leaves of the swiss chard. Wash both, but keep them separate. Bring a four quart pot of water to a boil and cook the leaves for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain. Roughly chop the leaves. Meanwhile, dice the ribs into small pieces and sauté in 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic for 5 minutes. Drain the ribs through a fine sieve over a large bowl collecting the cooking liquid given off from the cooked ribs. Reserve the liquid.

Toss the swiss chard leaf, rib and cheese together. Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

On a won-ton skin place about a tablespoon’s worth of the swiss chard mixture in the center. Lightly dampen the edges with water and lay another won-ton skin on top. Carefully, squeeze out any air from the ravioli and pinch the edges to seal. Place the completed raviolis on a tray lightly dusted with corn starch (this helps prevent the raviolis from sticking to the surface). Continue with the rest.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly oil a baking tray and lay the raviolis down in a single layer. Lightly brush the tops of the raviolis with oil. Place in the oven and bake for 8 to10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Bring the reserved swiss chard liquid to a boil, season with salt and pepper and add remaining oil. Drizzle a little liquid over each serving.

stuff it

I loved pizza pockets as a kid. It was one of the few junk foods I would eat and now, as an adult food snob I still have desires that need to be filled. A stuffed pastry is a whole meal in hand and a food craving fulfilled. Now, my desire runs from savory to sweet, and the beauty of making these encased meals they can be made, and frozen – therefore waiting my next hankering that needs satisfaction.

The versatility of this preparation can be found around the globe – the Indians have samosa; in Latin America you will find empanadas; the Brits having been serving up meat pies long before Sweeney Todd’s fame, and in Asia Minor phyllo is the wrapper for many an item.

I have a basic dough I use that is easy to make, and has great mouth feel. What you fill them with becomes your fancy…..







Potato and Saffron Turnover with Tamarind Chutney – yields approx 12
for the filling:
1-1/4 pounds Russet Potatoes
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 onion - finely diced
1-cup peas - fresh or frozen (if frozen thaw before using)
1 tablespoon grated ginger (peeled)
1 Asian green chili - seeds removed and diced fine
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stem and root
3 tablespoons water
Salt to taste
1-teaspoon ground coriander
1 pinch saffron
1-tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons toasted ground cumin seeds
1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vegetable for frying

Make the stuffing: Boil the potatoes in their jackets until tender when pierced with a knife. Cool and then discard the potato skins and roughly mash the potatoes.

Heat a sauté pan and add the 1/4-cup of vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook until the onions are lightly browned then add in the peas, ginger, green chili, cilantro and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and lower heat to a simmer and cook for five minutes until the peas are tender. Add in the salt, coriander, saffron, curry powder, cumin and cayenne pepper and mix in thoroughly and cook for a few minutes. Add the onion/pea mixture into the mashed potatoes to completely incorporate. Taste and correct seasoning. Allow the filling to cool.


To make the dough:
1-1/2 cups pastry flour
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter – cut into small pieces and chilled
1-cup sour cream

Sift he flour, and salt together. Place the flour mixture in the bowl of a food process fitted with the steel blade. With the machine running quickly drop in the pieces of butter until the mixture resembles a rough meal. With an on/off pulse add the sour cream and continue until the dough just pulls together. Divide the dough in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disk. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.

On a lightly floured work surface roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4-inch cookie cutter or a wide mouth glass cut out rounds of the dough. Place a tablespoon of potato filling in the center of each round, and then brush the edges of the dough with the egg/cream mixture. Fold the disks in half to form a half moon shape, use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the turnovers.

Tamarind Chutney yields approx. 1-1/2 cups
1/2 cup tamarind paste – soaked in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 minutes
1/4-cup rice vinegar
1/4-cup golden raisins
1-tablespoon tomato paste
1 to 2 red Asian chilies (seeds removed to lower heat)
1/4-cup cilantro
3 scallions – green tops only
1-teaspoon salt

Push the tamarind and water thorough a fine meshed sieve. The objective is to collect the sour pulp and discard any seed and fibrous material.

Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. If too thick thin the chutney out with some extra water.


Guava filled Empanadas – yields approx. 12

3 cups pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 pound unsalted butter – cut into small pieces and chilled
1 cup sour cream
1/4 pound cream cheese
1/ 1/2 cups guava paste or jam
2 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon cream

Sift he flour, salt, and sugar together. Place the flour mixture in the bowl of a food process fitted with the steel blade. With the machine running quickly drop in the pieces of butter until the mixture resembles a rough meal. With an on/off pulse add the sour cream and continue until the dough just pulls together. Divide the dough in half, and flatten each half into a 1 inch thick disk. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.

On a lightly floured work surface roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4 inch cookie cutter or a wide mouth glass cut out rounds of the dough. Place a tablespoon of guava paste and cream cheese in the center of each round, and then brush the edges of the dough with the egg/cream mixture. Fold the disks in half to form a half moon shape, use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the empanadas.

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the empanadas on a lightly oiled baking tray, and brush them with the remaining egg/cream mixture. Sprinkle each empanada with some additional sugar. Place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Morning Pancakes

I have been sitting on a formula for my favorite pancake of any culture – that of India and their dosa. This past winter during my month long sojourn through the southern third of the sub-continent I ate at least one dosa a day. Then while staying in the port city of Fort Cochin I met with a local chef there who gave me a lesson on making this paper-thin savory cake. So, soon as I got home a made a beeline for Kalustyan’s New York’s best resource for spices, rices, dalhs and more (they can be accessed on-line).

For two months now I have had the rice and dalh I’d need sitting in the cabinet waiting for me. Making the actual batter is a full day’s wait -- soaking, grinding and fermenting. This past holiday weekend gave me no excuse it was the perfect quiet few days.

I made a mash of plantains, onions, chilies and curry to fill my dosa as well as some cheese.

I stuffed myself just as the dosas themselves eating dosas all day long as well as a few idylls – they are made from the dosa batter steamed in custard cups for about 10 minutes.

I’m still a be full and have to admit to not always achieving a perfect round pancake – though now I motivated to go at it again and not in two months.













Dosa

1/2-cup uncooked white long grain rice
1/2-cup urad dal
1/4-teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2-teaspoon salt

1 small onion – halved
2-tablespoons canola oil
In separate bowls soak the rice and urad dal in one cup of water each for 4 to 8 hours.

Pour the rice and dal along with any unabsorbed water into a blender along witht eh fenugreek and salt. Process the grains until completely smooth. Transfer the puree to a clean bowl, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the puree sit in a warm spot for 8 to 12 hours.

Heat a cast iron griddle over a medium heat. Hold the onion with a fork, and dip the cut side into the oil. Use the oiled onion half to lubricate the pan. Sprinkle a few drops of water on then pan, and then pour a thin layer of the batter into the pan. Work the batter quickly in a circular motion to as thin as possible. Then start loosening the batter from the edges carefully moving under then dosa. You will not be flipping this particular pancake. Once set fill with whatever stuffing you are using, and fold in half and serve.