The sight locally grown of asparagus in our grocery stores is a sure sign that the growing season is well under way. No longer do we have to settle for –or avoid– droopy forlorn stalks trucked in from Mexico and California, the recent excellent weather means we can feast on this perennial favourite harvested nearby only a day or two ago.

Though fashionable foraging foodies fawn over fiddleheads and rave about ramps, the regal asparagus has always held a position of high esteem in the culinary world. Prized in ancient Egypt, Syria and Spain, it also graced Roman tables during the Feast of Epicurius, is included in the oldest surviving recipe book, Apicius’ De re coquinaria from the third century, and so desirable that the Emperor Augustus reserved the Asparagus Fleet for transporting it. Centuries later, Louis XIV built greenhouses for it, and Madame de Pompadour munched on its “points d’amour”

And who among us, when we were in our  green goddess salad days, has not sat down to a feast surf and turf with a side of steamed asparagus smothered in Hollandaise, or casually punctuated a salient point while twirling a tender stalk, acutely aware that it is permissible –if not expected– to nibble this illustrious vegetable with one’s fingers?

Whether steamed, sautéed or grilled on the barbeque, this is a quick cooking veggie. Even a minute too long on the fire will render it soggy and sad. There is a reason that Caesar Augustus coined the term “faster than cooking Asparagus”

My chariot is faster than cooking asparagus!

We love to grill asparagus but if sticking indoors, prefer a pan sautee method rather than steaming, and one of the simplest methods to cook it is provided by Edna Lewis courtesy of Saveur. This preparation is so simple, straightforward and delicious, you will never go back to steaming it again.

Edna Lewis’ Skillet Asparagus

2 lbs. asparagus

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Rinse asparagus in cold water and trim off tough ends of stalks. Put butter in a heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid and heat until butter is foaming. Lay asparagus in the pan and shake from side to side to coat asparagus gently with melted butter; cover tightly and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Check asparagus and turn as needed to make sure the stalks cook evenly and don’t burn.

2. Continue cooking 5 minutes longer, or until asparagus is tender but still crisp and bright green. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.

So get in on a little history. Grab a bundle of Asparagus and cook it up while it is still fresh and readily available.

Many of us of a certain age were brought up with canned vegetables. In the pantry sat can stacked on can of various veggies, from creamed corn to something called “niblets” to canned peas. Perhaps canned vegetables were popular because the can represented modern technology, could be stored at room temperature and locked away in a subterranean bunker while the family waited out a little black rain.

Of all the canned vegetables, canned peas were probably the worst. Open the can and a peculiar aroma would waft out, unlike anything of this world, a smell that could gestate in the can for untold eons. The colour of canned peas is also its own special hue, something in between Khaki and bile, and the texture of the canned pea is also otherworldly; there is a reason the Brits fancy something called Mushy Peas, but you had to be there.

It is no wonder getting a kid to eat a side of canned peas is a herculean task that would tax the patience of a saint. Neither is it a mystery why it took several years before I could muster up the nerve to revisit the humble pea. And now, fresh peas, purchased from the grocer or farmers market are about the most beautiful little vegetable imaginable. The only problem is, they are only in season for a short time, and that time is a few months away. Thankfully, somewhere between the frightening canned pea and the beautiful, fresh out of the pod little emerald is a pretty good approximation to the real thing. Frozen peas.

When buying frozen peas you shouldn’t skimp on quality. There are some brands that are better than others-to each his own-but a good rule of thumb is this: buy frozen baby peas.

The large peas are often picked well past their prime and are borderline bitter. Baby peas are delightful. Plump and juicy, they pop when you bite them and are tender, bright green little gems.

The trick is to not overcook them. Bring your water to a furious boil and add your peas. A few minutes after the water has returned to the boil your peas will be ready. Strain them and you are good to go; season, maybe add a little butter and chopped mint and chives and eat them right away. Don’t reheat them, they will lose their colour and become wrinkled!

You can also shock them with an ice bath to prevent them from overcooking if you are not using them right away, or plan on making a soup or puree out of them. An ice bath will also make sure they keep their beautiful vibrant colour.

Here is one of our favourite ways to enjoy this amazing legume, courtesy of Martha Stewart. Try this and you will never open another can again. It is the perfect recipe for a meat-free Monday meal in springtime when we want green things on the plate. If you’ve got fresh Ontario asparagus or fiddleheads saute them in the pan with the wild mushrooms for a beautiful feast.

Save the mushy peas for your great aunt from Cornwall.

Pea Flan with Wild Mushrooms

For The Flan

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup whole milk

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups shelled fresh garden peas (from 2 pounds in pods)

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

For The Mushrooms

1/2 stick unsalted butter

10 ounces wild mushrooms (such as oyster, chanterelle, or morel), halved if small, quartered if large

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges and fine strips of lemon zest, for serving (optional)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 6)

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Make the flan: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter six 6-ounce ramekins, and place in a roasting pan. Combine cream and milk in a bowl.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the peas. Reduce heat, and vigorously simmer until peas are very tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and immediately transfer to a food processor. Add butter, 1 tablespoon cream mixture, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Puree until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour puree through a coarse sieve. Measure out 1/2 cup strained puree into a bowl, and whisk in eggs, then remaining cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve (this will result in the finest-textured flan). Divide among ramekins.

Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place pan in oven, and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are almost completely set (the centers should still wobble, but not be liquid), 25 to 30 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer ramekins to a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cool (flans can be refrigerated in ramekins up to 1 hour); dip bottoms in hot water to loosen before unmolding.

Make the mushrooms: When ready to serve flans, melt butter in a large skillet over high heat until foamy. Add mushrooms and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are golden brown and tender, stirring once or twice, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in scallions, and saute 1 minute more. Add cream, and cook 1 minute. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve flans with sauteed mushrooms and lemon wedges. Garnish with lemon-zest strips.

At this time of year, the usual subjects congregate to debate the signs of spring. Maybe it’s the sight of the first red-breasted robin. Some don’t consider winter officially over until the arrival of wild leeks, while others practically burst into a jig at the sight of a fiddlehead. But for us it is the humble and irrepressible chive that truly means spring is here.

The great thing about chives is you don’t have to go foraging for them in mushy bogs or root around forest floors that still have a covering of snow. Ok, that’s actually a pretty great activity too, but there are days when you want to get that spring in your step without having to trudge into the hinterlands, and chives, resilient and prolific, the smallest of the edible onions, are just the herbs to do put it there.

blanched chives can be blitzed with olive oil to make a vibrant green infused oil

If you planted them in your yard a few years ago, they are there now, spreading, waiting for you to snip them and adorn your salads or add that first touch of authentic semi wilderness to your soups. If you planted them in a planter on your porch, they will still be thriving in it long after the planter has been neglected or cracked apart and ready to retire. The pot may be ready for the bin, but the chive is indestructible.

Of course, you can buy chives year round in the grocery, just like most herbs, but there is something quite satisfying about not having to do that.

No need to get smug about it though, with chives you don’t really get to boast about growing them yourself; they did that all on their own, they are hearty little fellas.

And when they go to bloom, a pink chive flower is a lovely addition to your cuisine, adding colour, flavour and charm to almost anything. 

More than just one third of the ubiquitous triumverate topping a baked potato, chives also have a high falutin’ pedigree in French cooking, as they are one of the fines herbes (along with tarragon, chervil and parsley) and are so versatile that once you get used to using them on a regular basis, you won’t consider a dish complete unless you can add the touch of colour, green or pink, to your plate.

So move over ramps and fiddleheads, for me, chives are the true harbingers of spring.

We’ve been obsessed with radishes and butter lately, ever since tweeting this recipe. Here is another great recipe from Martha that lets the chive take centre stage, perfect for an afternoon of April showers or May flowers.

Almonds may be one of the most versatile and delicious superfoods around. In fact, they are so good it is possible you have just regarded this cat-eyed beauty as a nice little snack, a topping for a sundae or a key ingredient in your favorite chocolate bar. But the fact is they have a multitude of uses, and come in various forms; right out of the shell, roasted, ground into gluten free flour, made into almond milk, or harvested for their delicate and flavourful oil.

almond milk

In addition, a small handful of almonds may help to keep your cholesterol in check. Just 1 ounce, about 23 almonds, contains 8.8 g monounsaturated fats and 3.4 g of polyunsaturated fats as well as only 1 g of saturated fat and 3.5 g of fibre.  They are also  rich in  alpha-tocopherol vitamin E, the anti-oxidant that helps reduce free radicals, and an ounce provides you with 6g of protein.

All this and they’re cholesterol free! So eating an ounce a day will help to keep the heart doctor away.

Maybe you’re not the type to walk around munching a handful of nuts, no problem, this little gem can be worked into your diet in a variety of delicious ways. Here are a few of our favourite ways to get your nut on;

Whole and natural; perfect for snacking

Blanched and or roasted, sliced, slivered or chopped, they are great as a topping for salads, desserts or a crunchy coating for meats and seafood

Ground into flour makes a great thickener for sauces or coating for fried foods, or used instead of wheat flour for gluten free baked goods

Almond butter is a nice change from peanut butter, either in a sandwich or cookies

Almond oil is a tasty alternative to vegetable oils for your salad dressings, and can be drizzled into a vegan soup instead of butter.

Almond milk is also a great way to get your daily dose, either on your cereal, smoothies and shakes, or my favourite, tipped right out of the carton

You will probably soon be planting basil and in a few months your garden will be overflowing with the stuff, here is a super easy little recipe that will help you use up all that delicious herb.

Basil Pesto Almonds

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

¼ c packed whole basil leaves

2 cups whole almonds

¼ c fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

½ tsp garlic powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 225 F.

Combine egg whites and basil in blender, process until smooth.

Toss egg-white basil mix with almonds and drain excess in a colander.

Stir together cheese, salt and garlic powder, add drained almonds and toss to coat.

Spread almond mix  in a single layer on parchment-paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 1 hour, gently stirring every 15 min.

Cool completely and store in airtight container. ]]> http://fiestafarms.ca/7279/food/sometimes-you-feel-like-a-nut/feed 0 http://fiestafarms.ca/7244/food/poached-eggs-on-everything http://fiestafarms.ca/7244/food/poached-eggs-on-everything#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:30:30 +0000 Ivy Knight http://fiestafarms.ca/?p=7244

To put poached eggs on everything you first need to learn how to perfectly poach an egg and the best way to learn is through practice.

Get your water simmering, you want a little movement in the water but not a bubbling, boiling inferno.

Make sure the water is salted and a teaspoon of vinegar has been added. If you need more than four eggs, poach in batches to ensure best results. With a spoon stir the water so that it is swirling in one direction around the pot. The swirl is what helps to hold the whites to the yolk as they cook and set.

Crack the eggs into a bowl, this is the neatest and quickest way to get the eggs into the water while it is still swirling. Pour the eggs into the swirling, simmering water one at a time. Let them cook. The best way to check for doneness is to press the yolk.

Gently lift the egg from the water with a pasta spoon, they are perfect for this, and gently press on the yolk, if it feels super soft give it some more time and test again. You want some resistance as the yolk should be just starting to set when you pull it from the pot. Pat the egg dry with a towel and set atop whatever brilliant dish you’ve decided to make.

a slotted spoon or pasta spoon works great

For the perfect poach technique they use at Thomas Keller’s restaurants go here.

Once you’ve got your eggs it is time to eat and they go so well on so many dishes, a plate of eggs Benedict, a spinach salad with mushrooms and buttery croutons, or a piece of poached salmon over greens. The possibilities are endless.

Here are some of our favourite innovative recipes that call out for a poached egg:

Fried cauliflower steaks with poached egg

Sauteed mushrooms on fried ciabatta with poached egg

Frisee salad with poached egg and bacon

Eggs Hussarde

Bacon and leek risotto with poached egg