Spring Means Fresh Produce

Recipes for a perfect lunch or dinner

by Bruce Beaty

Spring is my favorite season for cooking, if only for the arrival of beautiful, bright new produce after the long winter drought of verdant goodies. It's out with root vegetables, slow-braises and stews, and in with lighter, cleaner flavors, and simpler cooking. There is an old Italian adage that goes, "Prudent shopping is 80% of a good meal." Sage advice for any time of year. There is no greater charm to the advent of spring than the display of English peas, artichokes, ramps, rhubarb and of course, regal asparagus in the market.

But Spring is a fickle gal, and one warm, sun-bathed day can give way to a string of cold, blustery days that can delay the arrival, compromise the quality and raise the price of these long-awaited vegetables. It's often best not to jump the gun when buying spring's first offerings. As the season progresses, quality increases, more locally grown produce is available, and prices drop.

Whenever possible, get to know your local farmers and produce managers, visit farmer's markets and ask the purveyors what is growing well at the time.

Cook things as soon after harvest as possible, especially peas and beans, because their natural sugars immediately start turning to starch when picked, leaving them more mealy and less sweet.

Be flexible in substituting ingredients if one item looks less than ideal, or another one particularly pristine. Zucchini or artichokes would make fine substitutes for the asparagus or peas in this recipe.

The two dishes featured this month make for a perfect lunch or dinner on a warm day and both travel well for a picnic. The soup is quite refreshing and with the inclusion of some cooked chicken, mushrooms or shrimp is substantial enough for a light lunch. The tangy, citrusy chicken can either be eaten right from the oven, or at room temperature served with rice or pasta salad, or any green vegetable.

Chilled Asparagus and Pea Soup with Mint Sour Cream

Makes 6 appetizer portions

2 Tablespoons Canola oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 medium leek, white part only, thinly sliced and washed

6 cups low sodium chicken stock, or vegetable stock

3 /4 cup peeled and very thinly sliced potato

3 cups shelled English peas, from 3 pounds of  beans ( you can
substitute frozen)

1 pound thin  asparagus

  Fine sea salt  and freshly ground pepper to taste

1.  Snap the stalk ends of the asparagus and discard the tough bottoms.

    Finely chop the asparagus, you should have 3 cups.

2.In a pasta pot, over medium heat, heat oil and gently cook the onion and leek, without coloring until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.

3. Add the chicken stock and potato, boil and then reduce heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Add the peas and simmer for 3 minutes, add asparagus, return to a boil and cook 2 more minutes.

5. Place a colander over a bowl or another pot and strain the liquid into the bowl,  pressing on solids to extract all liquid.

6. Immediately, spread the vegetables in the colander out over a sheet pan and place in refrigerator or freezer to cool as quickly as possible. Place the container with the liquid in another container with ice water to cool as quickly as possible.

When vegetables and stock are cold, put them in a blender in two batches and puree each batch for 2 minutes.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
Serve in chilled mugs or bowls with a generous dollop of the Mint Sour Cream.

MINT SOUR CREAM

1 / 2   cup sour cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

1. Gently mix the mint into the sour cream

Citrus-Soy-Ginger Glazed Chicken Legs

Makes 6 servings

6 whole chicken legs

MARINADE INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup diced onion

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2  tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

6 tablespoons  fresh orange juice

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon fine  sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1.Set oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the chicken legs in half
separating the thighs from the drumsticks . Place chicken in a
single layer in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pyrex glass or  oven-proof  baking dish.

2. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together, put in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes and pour over chicken, mixing well while pouring.

3. Bake chicken for 30 minutes, turn chicken and bake another 15 minutes, checking to see that chicken glazes nicely but does not burn, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary. Remove chicken to a serving dish and pour glaze over, serve immediately or at room temperature.

Bruce Beaty is Executive Chef at Le Madeleine in Manhattan.

Comments

[kym]

i really enjoyed reading this new column-very refreshing

i don't cook much, but would like to give it a try

look fwd to future postings