Fooled me...

The most difficult time, food-wise, is that period between last frost and first harvest. The air starts to warm up, layers are shed and life shows signs of its return. It is the lag between that moment of relief from the suppressing weight of winter, and the frivolity of spring that gets to me. Not that I am not grateful to leave the house with just a quick throw of a jacket nor am I blind to the beauty of a field of wildflowers. None of this ends up on my plate, and the dearth of “just picked” is downright depressing.

I have nascent lettuces that sprouted during the ping ponging weather of the past month but they are a mere inch tall, and I would have had to sowed seeds throughout the entire backyard in order to make a micro-greens salad. My tray of seedling that have been nurtured in a warm, sun-drenched spot in the house have sprouted, and they will hopefully present plenty of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and pinto beans come August. The sorrel has re-emerged but I dare not snip a leaf yet. A couple of early rising asparagus have heard the alarm that spring is here – not yet enough to make a meal around, but I will try. 

Perhaps, the greatest April Fools joke is the belief that nature will respond immediately to this warming trend and allow me to harvest a basket of English peas for tonight’s dinner. Unfortunately, I fear not, and so I wait and struggle to think what do I feed my family tonight. It is this in between time that makes me summon all of my culinary resources to create a moment that is as satisfying as a wedge of watermelon that is ten minutes from the vine.

Wild Mushroom Strudel - yields 6 to 8 servings 

2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms such as shiitakes, oysters, hen of the woods

1/4 cup dried morel mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 shallots - sliced thin

2 garlic cloves - diced

1/4-cup brandy

1/4 cup pine nuts - lightly toasted; roughly chopped

1/2 cup Italian parsley - leaves only, chopped

1/8 cup thyme - leaves only, chopped

Salt and pepper

1/4-pound Phyllo dough - at room temperature

1/2-pound butter - melted

Clean the mushrooms with a damp kitchen towel and roughly chop them.

In a fine mesh colander rinse the morels under running water to rid them of any dirt and grit. Soak the morels in 1/2 cup of boiling water for 30 minutes. Roughly chop the morels and reserve its soaking liquid.

Heat a 10-inchsauté pan to hot and add the olive oil.  Sauté the shallots until lightly golden and then add the garlic and, the fresh mushrooms and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Add the brandy and morels along with the mushroom liquid.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the liquid has evaporated.  Mix in the pine nuts, herbs and season with salt and pepper.  Cool the mushroom mixture.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lay a sheet of phyllo out flat and using a pastry brush lightly paint the sheet with the melted butter. Always start brushing the phyllo with melted butter from the outer edges working your way inward as the phyllo starts to dry on the outer fringes first.  Place an additional 5 sheets on top of this first one buttering each layer. You must hold the phyllo you are not working with spread out flat under a damp kitchen towel in order to prevent it from drying out. Spread half of the mushroom mixture along the length of the bottom third of the phyllo.  Then carefully roll up the phyllo over the mushroom mixture and continue to roll the mixture completely up into a tight log.  Once you have rolled the strudel half way you will have edges that you should fold in just like if you where wrapping a gift, and then continue to roll the strudel completely up.  Transfer to a parchment lined baking tray. Cut three to four slashes in the top of strudel. These cuts allow steam to escape and helps prevent the strudel from bursting.  Lightly brush the phyllo with some melted butter. Repeat this with the remaining mushroom mixture. Place the strudels in the oven and baked for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Slice the strudel on an angle while warm and serve.

Hello Spring, you there?

spinning and rotating on a tilt

always, earth under our feet

capricious winds blow

northern, and frigid

southerly, warm and moist

on the wheel we live

waiting for the return

planning and dreaming

delicate hues express blooming hope

tender sprouts greening our landscape

today is the day

tomorrow is the promise

each a celebration

Preparing

With a breath of gratitude I dig up the last of the plantings from 2012. The vernal equinox is sneaking up on us though experiencing the current weather patterns it is hard to believe it will ever arrive. Even with these late freezes and the frozen precipitation blanketing the ground hardy greens and hidden tubers have survived to feed us well. Japanese turnips got baked; carrots found their way into soups, stew and salads; golden beets got tossed with lemon verbena vinegar, and watermelon radishes, well they needed was to be sliced and fanned out on a plate. No, we did not go hungry and moments-from-the-earth-freshness held sway even on the bleakest of days.

 Now, we must turn to the future and plan upcoming feasts. The weekend coming will be labored, most likely producing sore muscles as we turn, rake, turn, rake the plot of earth that has so generously fed us. For it needs renewal, and a year’s worth of compost is ready to be relocated. Allowing the remnants and case-offs from daily feedings once again generating dinner. The coming weeks are the most difficult, not having the ability to head out the back door to forage though there are still foods put up to get us through this period of transition, and learning from last year’s mistake English peas are already sprouting in a spot earlier prepared for them.

Readying for the warm-up, trays filled with fine soil are being kept moist and cozy with an eagle eye looking for signs of life.  These nascent plants are the promise of another year fulfilled and satisfied. 

Citrusy Kale Salad – yields 4 to 6 servings

2 to 3 garlic cloves – roughly chopped

1/2-cup fresh lemon juice

½-cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6-cups packed shredded kale (preferably Tuscan)

Place the garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in the blender and process until smooth.

Toss the lime mixture with the kale, and allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

In need of fragrance

Without the blazing rays of sun beating down on the garden for 8-plus hours a day my herbs, those that are still awake, are less than dynamic. By this time of year I am so bored by the lack of explosion of the herbaceous bundles in the market I have no choice by to rely on the spices I hoard. Yes, I have pestos in the freezer but they don’t always satisfy my needs. Next to those containers of pureed basil, mint, hyssop and mixed herbs is a gallon-sized plastic bag stuffed with smaller plastic bags filled with seeds, bark and buds of the spices I always have on hand. I keep my spices in this space more usually crowded with pints ice cream, containers of chicken soup and trays of cubes.

Heat and light release fragrance, and spices are all about their aromatic offering, so why store them in glass jars, perfectly aligned, in the warmest room of the house. For me spices stored in a more traditional manner tends to be dead with six months where as those kept in the dark, chill of the freezer gives olfactory stimulation for years – and of course, I buy them in their whole form and grind as needed.

This was the case the other night when I was in the mood to play – grab some of this; throw in a bit of that. However, the garden has dwindled down to broccoli leaves, kale and Swiss chard, and the herbs that are not dominant are making me yawn. In the market the basil is feeble and the tarragon gives just a hint of anise. My foods will not be dulled, so I just laid out my many little packets, and started to concoct. Seeing the yet to be open dried rose petals I had my moment of inspiration. The head of North Africa filled my nose, and dinner started to take form. This cuisine uses a blend of floral, spicy and earthy notes to bring their dishes to fruition – and since I have no cultural attachment to that part of the world I feel no compulsion about getting the feeling correct without worrying if I am following Grandma’s recipe exactly.

The blending of spices and herbs is alchemistic for me, and can immediately transport you into a whole other realm, but you need to be armed with more then the typical cumin, paparika, nutmeg and cinnamon. Expand the repertoire dare yourself with black cardamom, white poppy or annatto seeds, and see what happens. Of course, when the warmth of the sun returns always buy an herb you have never used before – granted, you should like the way it smells. 

Moroccan inspired Roast Lamb – yields 4 to 6

1/2-teaspoon whole black peppercorns

5 cardamom pods

4 clove spikes

2-tablespoons dried rose petals

1-teaspoon lavender buds

1-teaspoon fenugreek

2-inch cinnamon stick (broken up)

½-teaspoon anise seed

1-tablespoon coriander seed

1-tablespoon turmeric

¼-cup fresh lime juice

½-cup fresh orange juice

3-pounds lamb thigh – bone-in

1-large onion – thickly sliced

1-cup roughly chopped dried apricots

2- dried Asian chilies – minced

½-teaspoon salt

In a spice grinder place the black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, rose petals, lavender, fenugreek, cinnamon, anise, coriander and turmeric blending until all is broken down.

In a small work bowl mix the lime and orange juice with the spice mix. Rub the spice mixture over the lamb, and then warp it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-days.

Remove from the lamb refrigerate about an hour prior to cooking, and let it sit on the kitchen counter.

Pre-heat the oven to 475-degrees.

Place the onions, apricots, chilies and lamb in a small roasting pan. Season the lamb with salt. Pour one cup of water into the pan. Place the lamb into the oven, and immediately lower the temperature to 325-degrees. 

After about an hour and half cover the lamb, and add about ½-cup of additional water. 

Cook for the lamb for another 1-1/2 to 2 hours.