[cape chef]

Asparagus, Ramps, baby tender leeks, easter radish, fiddle heads, morels and on and on and on!!!!

So, what's on your spring menus? and, if you don't have a menu, who cares! How do you take advantage of the tender part of spring?
cc

 

[suzanne]

SHAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the most adorable little tiny baby potatoes, with skins so delicate you can just rub them off, ever so gently, with a plastic scrubby.

 

[cape chef]

Suzanne,

Shad is an interesting fish to say the least,

Are you refering to the roe, or the flesh, or both?

Shad is the trickiest seafood I have ever had to fillet.

As for the spuds, soon the baby creamers will be all over the market
cc

 

[shroomgirl]

I've been eating creamers for a couple weeks.... I had favas and baby peas last week at a Tuscan shroom meal.
it's getting down to 12* tonight...what is with this crazy weather.
I've been cooking sprouted pea,bean,wheat mix.....funky mexican dish...saute with garlic, onion, cumin, chipotle powder throw in the sprouted mix saute for 5 minutes or so, add either salsa or pasta sauce...I know but it's quick and taste ok to me.
Cippione onions are STILL good from NYC...
Spring absolutely morels and cream over a crouton....amazing how every year I get requests for the recipe.
Shiitakes should be coming in next month....Dankos usually show up in the Spring.
Lamb is a super spring meat.....made into a stew with tender green beans, peas, onions, new potatoes added at the end.
Soft shells should be appearing soon too....oh how I adore soft shell crabs.....pan fried with alittle butter and lemon, hit of parsley.
or crab on crab....soft shell stuffed with crabmeat filling or topped with lump.
Rhubarb, frais du bois, gooseberries!!!!! I adore spring fruit.

 

[risa]

Some spring... I'm a popsicle and haven't been able to get warm despite several mugs of ginger tea.

I haven't seen good spring produce at the stores yet. The asparagus looks only so-so. I did find some nice sugar snap peas, shiitakes and baby bok choy. I just do simple stir fries to take advantage of the sweet veggies plus I'm supposedly on a diet.

 

[kuan]

BAH!

 

[marmalady]

Bah?

 

[shroomgirl]

lamb is definately a spring thing. Bah bah

 

[kimmie]

I'm not sure we're on the same planet as you guys, south of our borders. The clock has turned back to December! We've had more snow this week than the whole winter combined!!

I guess I'll have to wait a few more weeks for my favorite dish: bah bah bah bah

 

[nancya]

Not in Wyoming it hasn't. But I know I count on Spring by the third week in June. I personally have never seen snow here after the first week in June...but I have heard stories of snow on July 4th.

Bah! Indeed.

Still, I got some wonderful pencil thin asparagus last week...so it made me think about spring.

Sigh.

 

[kimmie]

Pencil thin Asparagus, hmmmmmm

How did ya cook'em, Nancya?

 

[isa]

Have you thought of soup? The creme of asparagus from Splendid Soups is so good. :lips:

 

[kuan]

Yeah, take a look at the weather map lately? Bah! For us up Nordt here.

Kuan

 

[nancya]

Kimmie...

Steamed them till just al dente [can you say that about asparagus?] and served with a dill hollandaise.

I like my veggies pretty simple.

 

[monkeymay]

Artichokes, artichokes, artichokes, asparagus, fava beans, pea sprouts, peas,
baby gold and Chiogga(sp?) beets, leeks, red spring onions and green garlic...lovely tiny potatoes...
What we really need in SoCal is some rain...

 

[peachcreek]

Around here it is mud season. And what better way to warm up and de-goop than with a big steamy bowl of Spring Leek Soup....

 

[kuan]

I keep coming back to this thread every morning in the hope that I'll look out and that four foot snowpack outside my front door is gone. No luck yet.

Kuan

 

[matthew357]

Artichokes for sure. I had a very tasty open faced artichoke sandwhich in Paris when I was 14...been hooked ever since. That sandwhich is on my top 10 food experiences list. Nothin like a simple meal in view of the Arc de Triumph.

Matt