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Ramp and Potato Soup with Saffron, Chives and Tomatoes

Ramp and Potato Soup with Saffron, Chives and Tomatoes

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

2 T. boiling water

2 T. butter

About 4 C. ramps, or 4 bunches, trimmed of the root end and chopped (including leaves)

2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and diced

5 C. vegetable broth

2 C. milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. Tabasco

1/4 C. snipped chives

Good handful cherry tomatoes, quartered

 

In a small glass, combine the saffron and the boiling water and allow to steep for 10 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ramps and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the stock and the saffron along with its liquid. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. With an immersion blender, purée the soup to your desired consistency. Add the milk and season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Heat until it is warmed through, then ladle into bowls and serve sprinkled with chives and topped with tomatoes.

 

 

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Wild Leek Salad with Paprika Vinaigrette

Wild Leek Salad with Paprika Vinaigrette

1/4 C. Tarragon Vinegar

2 tsp. Sweet paprika

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp. Cayenne

1 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

3/4 C. EVOO

~ 1 tsp. Sugar

1/2 lb. Wild Leeks (Ramps), white part only, cleaned and trimmed

3 C. Watercress Sprigs

 

Combine vinegar, paprika, mustard, cayenne and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Very slowly, whisk in olive oil; whisk in sugar to taste. Set aside. Fill a medium saucepan with water. Add remaining tsp. salt and bring to a boil. Add leeks and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Place leeks in a medium bowl and toss with 1/4 C. vinaigrette. Marinate at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. When ready to serve, drain dressing from leeks and whisk into reserved vinaigrette. Distribute watercress among 6 chilled plates. Arrange 6 to 8 leeks on top of each. Drizzle 2-3 T. of dressing on salad and around perimeter of plate.

 

 

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Fiddlehead Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

Fiddlehead Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

 

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4 cups of fiddleheads, cleaned and trimmed of any brown parts

 

Large bowl of ice water

 

1-1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

 

3 large green onions (scallions) cut into thin slices, white parts only – reserve some chopped green ends for garnish

 

Vinaigrette:

 

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

 

3 Tablespoons peanut oil or other neutral oil such as canola or safflower (avoid using peanut oil if there is a concern about peanut allergies)

 

½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil

 

1 Tablespoon dark sodium-reduced soy sauce

 

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)

 

1 teaspoon sugar

 

1 clove garlic, very finely minced

 

 

 

Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside. Fill a saucepan with enough water to just cover 4 cups of fiddleheads and bring to a boil. Add fiddleheads and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain fiddleheads and plunge immediately into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain again and place on a dishtowel or paper towel to dry thoroughly. In a small bowl, prepare vinaigrette. Add rice vinegar, peanut oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar and garlic and whisk until well combined. Place cooked fiddleheads and green onion slices in a bowl and toss with vinaigrette until dressing evenly coats the fiddleheads. Place salads on a plate and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and a sprinkling of green onion slices.

 

 

 

Fiddlehead ferns, caramelized mushrooms and dandelion Pasta Salad

Fiddlehead ferns, caramelized mushrooms and dandelion Pasta Salad

fiddle1 box of pasta

 

3 tablespoons olive oil

 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

 

1 cup Fiddlehead ferns, tips trimmed

 

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

 

1 package button mushrooms, sliced

 

8 large dandelion leaves (about 4 inches x 2 inches), 4 roughly chopped, 4 set aside

 

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

 

parsley for garnish

 

dressing

 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

1/2 lemon, juiced

 

1/8 cup Tamari Soy Sauce

 

1 large clove garlic, crushed

 

1 tsp dijon mustard

 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Cook pasta al dente according to directions. When done, drain and set aside to cool. This salad can be served cold or warm. In a skillet, over high heat, add olive oil. When hot, add garlic and turn down to medium heat. Add mushrooms and fiddlehead ferns and cook until mushrooms are caramelized (a nice golden brown color), about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. When the olive oil disappears add a tab of sweet butter.  Prepare the Dandelions, parsley and the cherry tomatoes, set aside In a large bowl, toss together the pasta and all ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Place pasta in a large serving bowl.  Add parsley as garnish and serve.

 

 

 

Roasted Fiddlehead BLT Salad

Roasted Fiddlehead BLT Salad

apples-fiddleheads-0151 1/2 heads romaine, clean and dry and cut into bite-sized pieces

6 slices bacon, preferably Vermont Smoke & Cure, or other good-quality

Olive oil

1 pt. grape tomatoes, cut in half

3/4 lb. fiddlehead ferns, brown ends trimmed, soaked in 1/2 water, 1/2 white vinegar for 1/2 hour

6 or 8 whole cloves of garlic, with peel

1/2 c. Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen or Bonneview Mossend Blue (Blue Cheese)

 

Place the lettuce on large dinner plates and put aside.  Cook the bacon until crisp.  Use a fork to remove from pan, and place on paper towel to remove extra fat.  Keep pan over medium heat, add tomatoes, fiddleheads, and garlic cloves with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle of kosher salt, and cook until fiddleheads are crisp tender.  (You can do this on the stovetop, or – as I did – in the oven at about 400 degrees.)  Add  tomato-fiddlehead mixture to lettuce, being sure to scrape/spoon out any juices in pan.  If desired (as I did), peel garlic cloves and add to plate.  Crumble bacon over top, add crumbled blue cheese, and serve.

 

Fiddlehead and Wild Leek Salad with Bacon

Fiddlehead and Wild Leek Salad with Bacon

8 oz fiddleheads

8 oz wild leeks (ramps)

4 slices of bacon

1 oz sliced almonds

1 T. Dijon mustard

2 fl oz white wine vinegar

5 fl oz olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Clean and wash fiddleheads and leeks. Blanch both in boiling water for 1 minute. Refresh in cold water and allow to drain Grill the bacon until crispy, then cut into small strips. Combine the mustard, vinegar and oil, season with salt and pepper, and pour over leeks and fiddleheads. Chill for two hours then serve with chopped bacon and almonds sprinkled on top.

 

 

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Nettle and Sorrel Soufflé Omelet with Feta

Nettle and Sorrel Soufflé Omelet with Feta

Nettle and Sorrel Soufflé Omelet with Feta

4 cups water

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 bunch nettles, leaves picked and washed

6 eggs, preferably free-range or organic

3/4 cups light cream

1 small bunch sorrel, sliced thinly

7 ounces feta cheese, preferably a softer style goat feta

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a pot, bring the water to a boil and add salt. Add the nettles and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and wring out in a kitchen towel to remove as much moisture as possible, then chop roughly. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the nettles and sorrel, reserving a little of the sorrel for garnish. Divide the mixture between two 6 ¼-by-1 ¼-inch-deep round baking dishes. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven immediately. Crumble the feta cheese on top and scatter with the reserved sorrel. Serve straight away. A nice bit of toasted bread on the side is lovely with this.

Prickly Situation- Forager’s Soup with Nettles and Ramps

Prickly Situation- Forager’s Soup with Nettles and Ramps

Prickly Situation- Forager’s Soup with Nettles and Ramps

 

8 ounces stinging nettles

2 tablespoons butter

2 young leeks, white and green parts only, thinly sliced

1 bunch ramps

1 (12-ounce) russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced

4 cups mild vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups warm water

Salt and pepper

2 ounces Spanish chorizo, diced

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Wear gloves and use tongs to transfer the nettles to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the nettles are wilted and tender, 4 minutes. Drain. Use sharp little scissors to clip off the nettles largest stems, discard.  Rinse the ramps well, trim off root end and discard. Thinly slice the bulb end. Roughly chop the green part of the ramps and set aside with the nettles.  In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and white part of the ramps and sauté until they are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the nettles, green ramp leaves, potato, stock, and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the potato is fall-apart tender, 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook or the greens will go drab. Puree the soup, season with salt and pepper. In a small sauté pan, cook the chorizo over medium heat until it has rendered all its fat and is slightly crispy. Drizzle the chorizo and fat over bowls of the soup.

Spring Pea Soup with Nettle-Sorrel Pesto and Pea Vines

Spring Pea Soup with Nettle-Sorrel Pesto and Pea Vines

Spring Pea Soup with Nettle-Sorrel Pesto and Pea Vines

2 T. EVOO

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Kosher salt

1 pound fresh shelled English peas (from 3 pounds pea pods)

1/4 cup heavy cream

12 small pea vines, torn

1/4 cup Nettle-Sorrel Pesto

 

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. When hot, add the shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, season with salt, and bring to a simmer. Add the peas and the cream and return to a strong simmer. Cook until the peas are tender but still bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, then purée until extremely smooth. Season to taste with additional salt, if necessary. Ladle the soup immediately into bowls and garnish each bowl with a little tangle of pea vines and a dollop of the pesto.

Clams Steamed with Garlic Scapes

Clams Steamed with Garlic Scapes

Clams Steamed with Garlic Scapes

3 pounds littleneck clams

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 ounces garlic scapes (a little more or less is fine)

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

crusty bread (for serving)

lemon wedges (for serving)

 

Rinse your clams clean in water. Chop the chives into very small pieces. In a large pot or skillet, add these and dump in the butter. Cook on medium heat until the scapes are fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Add the wine and wait until it starts to simmer. Then add the clams. I like to stir my littlenecks often and pour the liquid over them with a spoon as they cook. This way the lovely broth gets in the shells as they are only slightly open. Stir frequently until they are open all the way (about 15 minutes, depending on the size of your clams). Discard any negative clams that don’t open at all. Then sprinkle the parsley over the clams and stir to combine. Serve with crusty bread and lemon wedges.

Sautéed Blueberries with Lavender Essence and Whipped Cream

Sautéed Blueberries with Lavender Essence and Whipped Cream

Sautéed Blueberries with Lavender Essence and Whipped Cream

1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender flowers

¼ cup boiling water

3 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2–4 tablespoons raw honey

1 cup heavy cream

 

Put the lavender flowers in a teapot or jar and pour the boiling water over them. Cover with a lid and let steep for 10 minutes, then strain into a saucepan.  Add the blueberries, butter, and honey to taste to the lavender infusion. Heat over medium heat until the berries soften and release their juices, 5 to 6 minutes. While the berries are cooking, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Serve the berries hot, in bowls, with generous dollops of the whipped cream.

 

Stinging Nettle Soup with Quail Eggs

Stinging Nettle Soup with Quail Eggs

Stinging Nettle Soup with Quail Eggs

 

1/2 lb. fresh young stinging nettles washed well

4 C. homemade chicken broth

1 T. all purpose flour

1 T. unsalted butter

Pinch toasted, ground fennel seed

Pinch toasted, ground aniseed

Kosher salt to taste

Fresh ground black pepper for finishing

12 hardboiled quail eggs or chopped hard-boiled eggs

Fresh chopped dill or mint for serving

Creme fraiche for serving, optional

 

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then blanch the nettles for a second or two until just wilted, then remove to an ice bath and chill. Remove the nettles and chop finely. in a 2 qt saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Whisk in the chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes until lightly thickened, then add the aniseed, fennel, and salt to taste. Finally add the nettles and heat through, double check the seasoning and adjust as needed, then divide 1 C. portions between heated soup bowls or C., garnish each with 3 quail eggs, fresh cracked pepper, creme fraiche if using and the dill, then serve immediately.

 

Notes: With a recipe with so few ingredients, it’s important to use a strong, high quality chicken or poultry stock, or any stock you want to substitute.   If you really want to drive home the nettle, try pureeing half of the leaves with the soup and chopping the other half to add, you’ll get more of a pronounced nettle flavor.

Drunken Rose Hips Jam

Drunken Rose Hips Jam

Drunken Rose Hips Jam

 

1/2 pound rosehips

2 C. red wine

3/4 C. water

1 1/2 C. sugar

 

Days 1-3. Rinse the rosehips well. Cut the dark spot off the end of each and halve them. Remove the inner seeds and hairs using a small, sturdy spoon. In a large bowl, cover the rosehips with the wine. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 days.  Prepare a hot water bath. Place the jars in it to keep warm. Wash the lids and rings in hot, soapy water, and set aside. Strain the rosehips. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the water and strained rosehips. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the rosehips are tender. Run the rosehips and their cooking water through the fine screen of a food mill. Measure and return the pulp to the saucepan. There should be about 1 1/2 C. of pulp. Add the sugar, adjusting the amount, as needed, to equal the pulp amount.  Over medium-high heat, bring the jam to a full, rolling boil. Turn off the heat. Skim off any foam. Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Use a nonmetallic utensil to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean and seal with the lids and rings. Process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the hot water canner. Set aside to cool for 12 hours.  Check the lids for proper seals. Remove the rings, wipe the jars, label, and date them, and transfer to cupboard or pantry. Refrigerate any jars that don’t seal properly and use within 3 weeks. Properly sealed jars will last in the cupboard for 12 months. Once opened, refrigerate, and consume within 3 weeks.

Stinging Nettle Pesto

Stinging Nettle Pesto

Stinging Nettle Pesto

6 C. stinging nettles (about one bunch), stems carefully removed — they do sting

1/2 C. Parmesan

1/2 C. pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted

4-5 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 C. olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

 

Bring a large, salted pot of water to a boil. Add the nettles and blanch for about one minute. Transfer to a colander to drain. Once cooled a bit, give the nettles a squeeze to wring out additional water.  Add the nettles, nuts, Parmesan, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse a few times. Add about half the olive oil and process again. Season with salt and pepper and add the remaining olive oil; process until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. Makes about 2 C. of pesto.

Stinging Nettle Pesto with Seared Scallops

Stinging Nettle Pesto with Seared Scallops

Stinging Nettle Pesto with Seared Scallops

Nettles—weeds that grow throughout the United States—are like something out of a scary children’s story. Their leaves are serrated like teeth and they’re covered with spiky hairs that sting on contact. But the sting is fleeting, and the antidote is the juice of the nettles’ own leaves. Boiled briefly, nettles turn into a rich green vegetable much like spinach. Farmed bay scallops are a good seafood choice because they don’t require antibiotics or other chemical treatment and they clean the surrounding water by filtering out matter.

 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ lb. stinging nettles

¼ C. fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

½ C. pine nuts, toasted

¼ C. lemon juice

â…“ C. plus 3 T. olive oil

¼ C. firmly packed grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

16 farmed bay scallops

 

Fill a large pot halfway full of water. Add 1/4 C. salt and bring to a boil. Fill the sink or a large bowl with cold water. Using gloves or tongs, submerge the nettles in the water and let them sit for 5 minutes. Remove the nettles and discard the water. Wearing rubber gloves, pull the leaves off the stems and discard the stems. Put the nettles in the boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Drain and spread the nettles on a baking sheet. Let cool completely. Squeeze out as much of the water as possible and coarsely chop. Place the nettles in the bowl of a food processor with the mint, garlic, pine nuts, and 2 T. of the lemon juice. Process until the mixture has formed a paste. With the machine running, pour in1/3 C. olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside. Slice off the small side muscle from the scallops, then rinse in cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Season with salt on both sides. Heat a skillet for about 1 minute. Add the 3 T. olive oil and test to make sure it’s hot (a drop of liquid should sizzle when it hits the skillet). Place the scallops in the skillet. They should have plenty of room so that they sear instead of steam. If the skillet is small, sear them in batches. Cook the first side for 1 1/2 minutes, then flip and cook the second side for 1 minute. When done, the scallops should have a brown crust but still be translucent in the center.  Place 4 scallops on a plate and top each with a tsp. of pesto. Season with the remaining lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with a few small mint leaves.

Chive & Chive Blossom Recipes

Chive & Chive Blossom Recipes

Chive Recipes

 

Sautéed Asparagus with Clive Blossoms

A great springtime combination. Trim off the tough bottom ends of the asparagus. If your asparagus is fat, you might want to blanch it for a minute or two. Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a wide sauté pan, and when it’s hot, add the asparagus. Sauté for 3 or 4 minutes, tossing frequently. Add a handful of chopped chives and chive blossoms and sauté for another minute, then finish with a bit of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and Kosher salt to taste. ​

 

Goat Cheese and Chive Blossoms Omelet

Sauté a handful of chopped fresh chives and chive blossoms and set aside. Then make a basic folded omelet with four eggs, and fill with goat cheese and the chive mixture. Garnish with additional chive blossoms. ​

 

Angel Hair Pasta with Chive Blossom Cream Sauce

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter along with some minced garlic, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, then add 2 cups of chicken stock or broth, whisking until well blended. Cook for five minutes or until reduced by one-third, then add 1/4 cup of sour cream and whisk until smooth. Add a handful of chopped fresh chives and chive blossoms, then toss with one pound cooked angel hair pasta. ​

 

Sautéed Chicken Cutlets with Chive Blossoms

Season the chicken cutlets with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a pan with a knob of butter along with a tablespoon of oil, until the fat is sizzling hot, then add the chicken cutlets and cook for three minutes or until golden brown, then turn the cutlets and add a handful of chopped fresh chives and whole chive blossoms to the pan. Continue cooking another few minutes until done. Remove cutlets from pan and set aside. Add some chicken stock to the pan and reduce for a minute or so. You can add more butter at this stage if you wish and season the sauce to taste with salt. Drizzle the chive blossom sauce over the chicken and serve. ​

 

Chive Blossom Mashed Potatoes

Chives and potatoes: a classic combination. In this case, not only do the chive blossoms add flavor, but they also add color to the mashed potatoes, which otherwise don’t have much color to them. Just chop the chives and chive blossoms and stir into the mashed potatoes.

 

Chive Compound Butter

You may love garlic butter, but you haven’t lived until you make a compound butter using chive blossoms. Make it by simply chopping up chive blossoms and adding them to melted butter. Make it at least one hour ahead of time, which will allow time for the flavors to develop. You can then reharden the butter in the refrigerator to use as a spread. Chopped chive blossoms marry well with garlic and other spices, holding up the other flavors without becoming too overpowering.  Chive blossom butter makes a wonderful coating for any steamed vegetable. Simply slice off a pat and allow it to melt under the warmth of the fresh sauté. This butter can also finish a cheese sauce with a taste that your guests will enjoy immensely, even if they can’t identify it.

Sautéed Pea Tendrils and Morel Mushrooms 

Sautéed Pea Tendrils and Morel Mushrooms 

Sautéed Pea Tendrils and Morel Mushrooms

Years ago, after I first encountered pea vines in Vancouver’s Chinatown, I discovered that adding a few of them to any dish of peas provides an extra green kick. Fresh morel mushrooms are available only in the spring; dried morels may be substituted for fresh, but they should be soaked for 10 minutes in boiling water before cooking. The liquid in which the dried morels were soaked should be used in the sauce; if you use dried morels in this recipe, the soaking liquid can be used in place of the chicken broth.

 

1 pound tender young pea vines, or tender spring greens

½ cup chicken broth or morel-soaking liquid

2 tablespoons Chinese oyster sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ pound small fresh morels

 

Rinse the pea vines and shake off the excess water. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, and cornstarch and place near the stove so the liquid will be ready to add when the time comes.  Heat a large sauté pan or a wok over medium-high heat. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the pan and sprinkle on generous pinches of salt and pepper. Toss in the morels and sauté until they are heated through, about 2 minutes.  Add the pea vines and the remaining olive oil. Move the greens quickly around the pan with tongs just long enough to distribute the oil evenly over the surface of the vegetable, about 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth mixture all at once to the hot pan. Toss for 1 minute, or until the liquid is reduced to a shiny glaze and serve with green pea flans.

Iron Builder Tonic

Iron Builder Tonic

Iron Builder

6 fresh peppermint sprigs

4 fresh stinging nettle tops (4 to 6 inches each)

1 fresh yellow dock or dandelion root, scrubbed

1 small fresh burdock leaf, chopped

1 C. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 C. chopped fresh sweet cicely, optional

4 C. boiled water

 

In a nonreactive teapot or heatproof jar, combine herbs and pour water over. Steep, covered, for at least 12 hours (the longer steeping time is necessary to extract the minerals from the herbs). Strain and drink 1/2 C. twice daily. Store tonic in a clean jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Rose Petal Jam

Rose Petal Jam

Rose Petal Jam

2 ounces (approx. 2 C. lightly packed or to what would be a perfectly comfy fairy bed) wild rose petals (preferably collected 50 feet from roads and in a pesticide free area)

2 C. organic cane sugar

3 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. Pomonas fruit pectin

 

Place water and roses in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 ¾ C. of sugar into the simmering petals. Stir to dissolve the sugar crystals. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Pay attention to the gorgeous vibrant color that emerges. Simmer 10 minutes. Mix the remaining ¼ C. sugar and pectin in a bowl. While stirring the jam add the pectin/sugar mixture sprinkle by sprinkle to ensure pectin incorporates without clumping. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. It may seem quite loose for jam, it will firm up as it sets but does remain more of a silky syrup with luscious bits of petals. This keeps for 2 months in the fridge, also freezes beautifully and canning is always a brilliant option. Notes: you can use dried petals…. 1/3 C. dried = 1 C. fresh (readily available in natural food stores, in the bulk herb section) Try it on vanilla ice cream.

Fiddlehead Fern Fritters with Ad Hoc Green Sauce

Fiddlehead Fern Fritters with Ad Hoc Green Sauce

fiddlehead fern fritters with ad hoc green sauce

3 cups (about 2 bunches) leafy herbs: any combination of cilantro, basil, mint, and/or parsley, washed, dried, and stemmed

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled ginger

Juice of 1 lime, plus more as needed

1/4 jalapeno pepper, seeded (optional)

1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

 

1 cup chickpea flour (also sold as gram flour)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

A few pinches of ground cayenne

3/4 to 1 cup cold water

1/2 pound Ladyfern or Ostrich fiddlehead ferns (50 to 60 pieces)

2 cups neutral oil

Coarse sea salt, for finishing

 

To make the sauce, combine the herbs, garlic, ginger, lime juice, jalapeno, and oregano in the bowl of a food processor or blender and whiz until smooth and well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add V4 cup of the olive oil, and process again until blended. If the sauce seems too thick, add the remaining olive oil gradually. Season with the salt. Taste and add more salt or lime juice as needed. To make the fritters, in a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, salt, dill, coriander, baking powder, black pepper, and cayenne with a fork until well mixed. Add % cup of the cold water, stirring until absorbed. Add more water as needed; you want it to resemble pancake batter—neither too thick nor too thin. Stir in the fiddlehead ferns until well coated and let sit until you’re ready to fry. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan or arrange a few paper towels under the rack to catch any oil. Heat the oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over high heat to 275 to 300 degrees F. (A candy thermometer is helpful here.) The oil is ready when a drop of batter bubbles immediately upon contact. Using tongs and in small batches, drop the battered fiddleheads into the oil and fry until golden and crispy, about 90 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the rack to drain. Skim and discard any burned bits floating in the oil.

Sprinkle the fritters with the salt and eat while still warm, served with the sauce.

Dandelion Greens with Guanciale, Pecorino, and Black Olives (Cicoria con Guanciale, Pecorino, e Olive)

Dandelion Greens with Guanciale, Pecorino, and Black Olives (Cicoria con Guanciale, Pecorino, e Olive)

Dandelion Greens with Guanciale, Pecorino, and Black Olives (Cicoria con Guanciale, Pecorino, e Olive)

 

1 1⁄2 T. (20 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 ounces (60 g) guanciale or pancetta, cut into fine dice

1 large bunch dandelion greens, trimmed and roughly chopped

Kosher salt

1⁄4 C. grated pecorino cheese

1⁄4 C. black olives, such as niçoise, pitted and quartered lengthwise

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Heat 1/2 T. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the guanciale and cook until it has rendered its fat and is just beginning to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off the fat from the pan. Heat the remaining 1 T. of oil in the pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the dandelions and a pinch of salt and cook, covered, until the greens have wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the guanciale back to the pan along with the pecorino cheese, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the greens are very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the olives to the pan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Serve on a platter.

Puntarelle and Dandelion Greens Salad with Honey and Olive Vinaigrette

Puntarelle and Dandelion Greens Salad with Honey and Olive Vinaigrette

Puntarelle and Dandelion Greens Salad with Honey and Olive Vinaigrette

Zest of 1 lemon, plus 3 tbsp. juice

1 1⁄2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. honey

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tbsp. olive oil

1⁄4 C. Castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly chopped

6 oz. dandelion greens, trimmed

4 oz. puntarelle or regular chicory, trimmed

1⁄2 tsp. bee pollen

 

Whisk lemon zest and juice, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil until vinaigrette is emulsified. Stir in olives. Tear dandelion greens and chicory into bite-sized pieces and add to bowl. Using your hands, toss greens with vinaigrette, coating leaves completely; transfer salad to a serving platter and sprinkle with bee pollen.

Stuffed Tomatoes with Marigold Blossoms

Stuffed Tomatoes with Marigold Blossoms

Stuffed Tomatoes with Marigold Blossoms

12 Roma or cherry tomatoes, cut in half, seeds scooped out

1 small (4 oz.) package cream cheese, room temp.

1 sprig (about 4 inches long) Sweet Basil, stem removed

1/2 C. pecan halves

Petals from 2 French marigolds (petals only: snip off with scissors, leaving the green base behind)

In small food processor, put the pecans, marigold petals and basil and pulse-process until the material is chopped fine. Put in small bowl and combine with the cream cheese, then stuff each tomato half, rounding up like with deviled eggs.

Sorrel Soup

Sorrel Soup

Sorrel Soup

 

1-2 T. butter

1 large onion, diced (or 1 leek, white part only, chopped)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 C. water

1 large bunch chard, stemmed and chopped

2 bunches sorrel, stemmed and chopped (about 2 dozen leaves)

1-2 C. milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of nutmeg, optional

Dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream, optional

 

Heat the butter in a soup pot. Add onion and potato, and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5-8 minutes. Add water, chard and sorrel and several pinches of salt to the pot. After the greens have wilted, simmer for about 10 minutes. After simmering, puree soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender or food processor. Return pot with pureed soup to stove and over medium heat, stir in one C. of milk. Add more milk or water until the soup reaches a desired consistency (it is usually served rather thin). Season to taste with more salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, if you desire. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream, if you wish.

Nettle Risotto

Nettle Risotto

A good use of cooked stinging nettles is in risotto. Blanched, nettles will keep their emerald loveliness even after a good 15 minutes of cooking, which makes this risotto visually stunning.

The dish itself is pretty simple: Risotto rice, cooked nettles, butter, shallot, garlic, a little pecorino cheese and beef stock. The basic structure of this risotto holds with all sorts of variations. You could use a different grated cheese, such as parmigiano or a Greek mizithra. You can use onions instead of shallots. You can switch out the nettles for spinach or any other delicate-leafed green (orach, chard or herbs work well). You can even use vegetable or chicken stock if you must, although the flavor will not be the same.

One thing you cannot switch out, however, is the rice. You absolutely must use short-grain rice to make risotto — long grain rice lacks the particular starch that sloughs off with constant stirring, and without it, you have no creaminess. No creaminess, no risotto. You can buy risotto rice in many supermarkets.

This recipe serves two as a main course, or four as an appetizer. It can be doubled.

1 C. risotto rice
1 C. cooked, drained nettles or spinach (see below)
2-3 T. unsalted butter
2-3 T. grated pecorino cheese
1 large shallot, minced
3 minced garlic cloves
4 C. beef stock
Salt

Depending what variety your nettles are, you will need four or five big tong-fulls of fresh nettles to get your cup of cooked nettles. Regular nettles (urtica dioica) are more substantial than their daintier cousins, the dwarf nettle (urtica urens) and retain more of their volume when cooked. I say tong-fulls because you do not want to pick up fresh nettles, as they will sting you. Thus the name. Get a large pot of water boiling and add a handful of salt. Grab the nettles with tongs and put them into the boiling water. Stir around and boil for 1-2 minutes for dwarf nettles, about 5 minutes for regular nettles. Fish them out with a skimmer or the tongs and immediately dump them into a big bowl with ice water in it. Once they are cool, put them in a colander to drain. Get a cloth towel, like a tea towel, and put the nettles in it. Wrap one end of the towel one way, then the other end of the towel the other (like a candy wrapper) and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Chop the nettles finely — don’t use a food processor or you will get a mush. The finer you chop, the smoother your risotto will be. Remove any stray stems. To make the risotto, heat 2 T. butter in a large saucier or heavy pot set on medium-high. Wait until the butter stops frothing and add the shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and the rice and stir to combine. Stirring constantly, cooked everything for a minute or so or until all the rice is well coated with butter. Add 1 tsp. salt and your first C. beef stock and turn the heat to high. Stir it into the rice. When it starts boiling strongly, turn the heat down to medium and stir often, at least every minute or so, until the rice absorbs the stock. Repeat with a second C. stock. When the second C. is absorbed, add the nettles and the third C. stock. Stir well to combine. Keep stirring constantly now to develop the creaminess in the risotto, and to distribute the nettles evenly. Let the stock absorb. Taste the risotto, and add salt if needed. It may need that fourth C. stock, as you want the dish to be loose, not firm. At any rate, you will need at least a little more stock to loosen the risotto for the cheese and the final T. butter, which you add now. Stir everything well and let the butter and cheese melt in the risotto for about 4 or 5 minutes, still stirring often. Serve at once. If you have leftovers, you can add the risotto to a beaten egg, form into patties or balls, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in olive oil. It is delicious.

Fiddlehead Fern and Mushroom Soup

Fiddlehead Fern and Mushroom Soup

fern5 C. low- sodium chicken stock

2 C. cleaned fiddlehead ferns, large ones cut in half

2 C. crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 T. olive oil

2 large long white or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed into small bite sized pieces

1/2 C. sweet onion, finely diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp. dried

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

 

Bring the stock to a boil in a soup kettle. Add the potatoes, onion and thyme. Cook on a low boil, covered until the potatoes are very, very tender Рthis takes me from 20 to 25 minutes. While doing that, in a large skillet, saut̩ the sliced mushrooms, ferns and garlic in the olive oil with a generous sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper for about 1 minute. Add two large spoons of stock, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover, stir and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. At this point, the mushrooms and ferns should be cooked. Add the lemon juice and taste for salt and pepper. Note: if not making a soup Рthis is a wonderful side dish as-is! Set aside until the potatoes are done. When the potatoes are very tender (at the point of mushy) take off the heat, remove the thyme stems if using fresh and allow to cool off for a few minutes. Carefully cream with the immersion blender (or do so in batches in a food processor). Avoid splashing the hot liquid on yourself! Add half the fern/mushroom mixture, and again with the immersion blender, whiz down into small pieces. Add the remaining fern/mushrooms, stir and taste for salt and pepper. This process will give you a creamy textured, full bodied yet low-fat soup. If cooled down too much, heat on low until just heated through and serve. Enjoy!

 

 

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Cherokee Ramp Biscuits

Cherokee Ramp Biscuits

Buttermilk-RampBiscuits4 C. all-purpose flour

1 T. baking soda

1 tsp. Sea salt

2 heaping T.  baking powder

1/2 C. shortening or vegetable oil

2 C. buttermilk

1 C. uncooked minced fresh ramps

 

Sift flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together. Cut in shortening until mixture is the size of coarse crumbs. Add ramps and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough ball, making sure ramps are mixed well into the dough. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead dough from north to south, east to west, adding flour if too sticky. The more you knead, the lighter the bread. Flatten the dough and cut out biscuits or just leave as flat bread or “pone”.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place biscuits on a lightly greased pan.  Lightly caramelize a small amount of ramps in a bit of butter. Strain the ramps and brush the top of the raw biscuits with the ramp infused butter before baking them 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Actual baking time depends on your oven and the thickness of the biscuits – when the bread is done, the ramps will be also. Serve immediately with real butter.

 

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Wild Leek Biscuits with Cracked Coriander Seeds

Wild Leek Biscuits with Cracked Coriander Seeds

biscuit3/4 cup chilled buttermilk

3/4 cup thinly sliced ramps (approx. 25 grams)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

6 T. (3/4 stick or 85 grams) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg, beaten (for glaze)

1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, cracked

 

Preheat oven to 425°F/215°C.  Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add butter and break down the butter with your fingers, until a fine meal forms. You can also use a food processor for this if you wish. Add buttermilk/ramps stirring until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and press out to 7-inch round, about 1/2 inch thick.  Using 2-inch diameter biscuit cutter dipped in flour, or a glass, cut out rounds. Gather dough scraps; press out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out additional rounds. Transfer rounds to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush biscuit tops with some of egg and sprinkle with cracked coriander seeds. Bake biscuits until golden brown (between 15-20 minutes). Serve warm with butter.

 

 

 

Ramp-Sesame Pancakes with Miso Dipping Sauce

Ramp-Sesame Pancakes with Miso Dipping Sauce

leek_pancakes_jpg_492x0_q85_crop-smart1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup boiling water

About 20 ramps, white and pink parts finely chopped to yield about 1/3 cup

Bacon fat, peanut oil, or canola oil

 

For Miso Dipping Sauce

 

3 tablespoons yellow or brown miso paste

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

3 dashes toasted sesame oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Ground cayenne pepper (optional)

 

For the pancakes, combine the flour, sesame seeds, and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly pour in the boiling water, stirring with a fork to combine. The mixture will be thick and hard to work, but keep at it until its cool enough to start kneading by hand. If it’s too tacky, add in another tablespoon or two of flour until the dough is workable. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest, covered with damp towel in the bowl, for 30 minutes. In the meantime, combine the ingredients for the miso sauce, adding in ground black pepper and cayenne to taste. Mix well. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use. When the dough has rested, divide it equally into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured board, roll a dough ball out to a flat circle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread a heaping teaspoon of the ramps all over the dough. Starting at the edge of the circle, roll the dough up into a tight cigar. Coil the cigar into a snail or a cinnamon roll shape. Flatten the snail/roll and roll it out again to about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add in a half teaspoon of bacon fat, peanut oil, or canola oil. Cook the pancake for 60-90 seconds on each side or until golden brown, adjusting the heat as necessary. Move the finished pancake into a warm oven until the rest of the pancakes are done. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Slice the pancakes into quarters and serve with the miso sauce.

Fiddleheads with Artichokes and Wild Leeks

Fiddleheads with Artichokes and Wild Leeks

1 T. olive oil

3 or 4 wild leeks, chopped

6 mushrooms, chopped

2 ounces white wine

2 ounces vegetable stock

1 ounce of lemon juice (optional)

1 cup or so of fiddleheads

3/4 cup or so of artichoke hearts

Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

 fiddleheads

In a large skillet heat olive oil until it shimmers. Add wild leeks and cook until softened, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have thrown off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and vegetable stock and heat through. Add fiddleheads and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until the fiddleheads are almost tender about 10 minutes. Add more vegetable stock if it is too dry. Add artichokes and cook until they are heated through and fiddleheads are completely cooked, about 5 minutes.  Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Rainbow Trout with Wild Leeks

Rainbow Trout with Wild Leeks

trout1 fillet of rainbow trout

6 wild leeks, chopped (ramps)

1 T. olive oil

1 T. pine nuts

Juice of 1/2 a lemon, or to taste

1 T. fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Place fish in an oven proof pan. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. Spread evenly over the fish and place in the oven. Bake until the fish is cooked through, about 15 or 20 minutes, depending

Lilac Jelly

Lilac Jelly

Lilac Jelly

4 c. lilac flowers

4 c. sugar

1 pkg. or 6 tbsp. powdered pectin

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. butter

 

Rinse lilac flowers in a colander and remove stems. Place flowers in a bowl and cover them with 4 cups of boiling water. You are essentially going to make “lilac tea.” Let the lilac mixture sit for about an hour. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lilac flowers. You should end up with a clear liquid. If not, try pouring it through the strainer again. Measure the tea, adding a little water if necessary to get exactly 4 cups of liquid. Stir in lemon juice. The liquid should change in color to be similar to the original color of the lilacs. The darker the lilacs, the darker the color of the jelly. Violet colored lilacs will make a rose colored jelly. Experiment with different flower colors! Pour liquid into a large stock pot. Sprinkle the pectin on top of the juice and use a whisk to mix it together. Stirring constantly, heat until boiling. Boil for one minute. Add the pinch of butter and return to a boil. Add the sugar to the pot all at one time (measure it and have it ready ahead of time). Stir until sugar is dissolved. Return to a boil and boil for one minute.  How to make and can homemade lilac jelly from fresh lilac flowers. A unique gift idea with a wonderfully floral taste and scent!

 

Canning Instructions:  Remove the pan from the heat. Remove any foam with a metal spoon. Ladle the jelly into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch head space, and process in boiling water canner for 5 minutes.  Remove the jars from the canner and place on a towel on the kitchen counter to cool. Sealed jars can be stored in the pantry for 1-2 years. If you have any jars that do not seal, just place them in the refrigerator to eat in the next month or two.  Jelly can take a day or two to set completely, so don’t disturb it for a couple days even if it doesn’t set completely.

Pickled Fiddleheads with Ground Pork

Pickled Fiddleheads with Ground Pork

1/2 lb. Sfiddle5ichuan pickled fiddleheads
1/4 lb. ground pork
1/2 tsp. rice wine
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 T. peanut oil
3-4 dried chiles, halved and deseeded
1/2 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns

Mix pork with rice wine, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl. Add 1 T. oil to wok over high heat until smoking. Add pork and stir-fry until dry and crumbly, a few minutes. Return meat to bowl. Add 1 T. oil to wok over medium heat and quickly stir-fry Sichuan peppercorns and chiles until fragrant, careful not to burn, less than a minute. Add pickled fiddleheads and cooked pork into wok and continue stir-frying another couple minutes. Fiddleheads should remain tightly scrolled; serve before they start to unwind in the wok. Serves 2 with another dish and rice, or 4 with a few additional dishes.

Sichuan Pickled Vegetables

Sichuan Pickled Vegetables

1 quart-sized jar with lidfiddle1
2 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rock or sea salt
4 dried chiles
1/2 tsp. whole Sichuan peppercorns
2 tsp. rice wine
1/2 star anise
1 T. brown sugar
1-inch piece of unpeeled ginger
1/3 cinnamon stick
1 lb. or more vegetables, such as string beans, slice carrot, daikon radish, etc.

Dissolve salt in boiling water and set aside to cool. Add pickling spices to jar and add cooled water. Cover and shake to mix. Fill jar with vegetables (e.g., fiddleheads), making sure brine covers them. Tighten lid and put aside in a cool, dark place for a minimum 24 hours; a week is better. You can continue to replenish the jar with vegetables by adding more salt, sugar, and wine.

Tomato Dandelion Salad

Tomato Dandelion Salad

½ medium sized onion cut in half and sliced thin
2 T. light vinegar, (apple cider, rice, or white wine)
1 C. hot water
2 large red ripe tomatoes
3 C. chopped young dandelion greens
2 T. fresh basil cut into large pieces

1½ T. balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. coarse cracked black pepper
extra virgin olive oil to taste
Optional 1 oz. crumpled Chèvre goat cheese

Thinly slice onion and place in a small bowl. Pour 2 T. light vinegar and 1 C. hot water over onions and marinate while making rest of salad. Whisk together dressing ingredients adding oil at end a little at a time. Rinse and chop dandelion greens. Slice tomatoes and place on greens. Chop dandelion greens, place in basket of a salad spinner, rinse and spin dry. Toss dandelion greens with 2/3 of the dressing. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out juice. Cut into quarters, remove inner pulp and slice. Place on greens. Squeeze dry marinated onions and lay on top of sliced tomatoes and greens. Drizzle the rest of the dressing over tomatoes, onion and top with basil and goat cheese if desired.

Red Clover Tea

Red Clover Tea

1 C. dried blossoms
Dried mint
Honey

Place the blossoms and mint into a bag or into a tea leaf strainer. Lower into a pot of boiling water. For each person drinking the tea, there should be 1 C. dried blossoms to 4 C. water. When the leaves have been in the hot water for 10 minutes, strain, and then add the honey to the tea. It is also possible to make clover tea just using fresh-picked blossoms, although you will need to use 2 C. flowers for every 4 C. water if they are fresh. It may also be more difficult to remove stalks and other tough fibers if the blossoms are not dried. Making a long-term clover tea is also very simple: place the dried blossoms and a few clover leaves at the bottom of a glass jar. Fill with boiling water, and then close the lid tightly, allowing the herb to remain in the water overnight. The next day, strain out any clover material, and then drink as often as required. New batches can be made regularly.

Making Use of Greens – Garden, Forage or Bartered

Making Use of Greens – Garden, Forage or Bartered

If using foraged greens – please be sure you are CERTAIN of what you are harvesting. Some of these plants have look alikes that are most definitely NOT safe to eat.

2 large bunches Greens. So many options — Swiss Chard, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Dandelion Leaves, Purslane, Lamb’s Quarters, Milk Thistle Leaves (Just handle carefully, use scissors to snip off the edges), Plantain (the wild plant, not the banana like food), Collards, Chickweed, Garlic Mustard, Field Mustard, Wintercress, Burdock, Broadleaf Dock, Curly Dock

2 T. cooking fat (I like olive oil, but coconut oil, leftover bacon grease, whatever you have)
1 (15-oz.) can butter beans or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or soak overnight and boil until ready to use from dried)
2 T. tabasco brand Green Jalapeño Pepper Sauce
1 tsp. salt

If dealing with a green that has a thick stem that extends into the leave, remove this first, then coarsely chop. Heat oil in 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add greens and cook until wilted, but still bright green, stirring frequently. Stir in beans, tabasco Green Sauce and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture is heated through.

Lilac Scones with Rhubarb Curd

Lilac Scones with Rhubarb Curd

LILAC SCONES

3 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (or use turbinado, on top)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 Tbs. salted butter, well chilled
1 cup full-fat buttermilk, well shaken
1 cup of lilac blossoms

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Over bowl, cut butter into small bits, dropping them into the flour mixture as you go. Work butter and flour together with fingers, until butter is about pea-sized at its largest. Add your lilac blossoms, removed from the stems (no green part). Give buttermilk a good shake, then pour into the flour-butter mixture, and fold together until you can pull the dough into a rough ball (mix as little as possible). Dust surface with clean flour and roll out to a half inch of thickness. Cut into triangles and place on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with coarse sugar (turbinado is best) and a few more blossoms if you wish, and bake until golden at the edges, around 12-16 minutes. Eat when warm out of the oven.
RHUBARB CURD

3 cups chopped rhubarb
A handful of strawberries for colour and flavour (otherwise, the curd can be quite yellow from the yolks – I also used a few drops of beet juice to add rosiness)
Juice from one small lemon (around 2 tbsp)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

7 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
Pinch of sea salt

Put the rhubarb, juice of half a lemon, sugar and water in a small pot and simmer gently until rhubarb is soft. Blend into a smooth puree.

Whisk egg yolks, remaining sugar, and salt in a double boiler until warm. Gradually add the rhubarb puree, stirring vigorously between each addition. Do not allow the mixture to boil or the eggs will curdle (yuck! rhubarb omelette!)

Once the consistency is rich and thick, remove from heat and gradually add butter, stirring until melted. Cool the curd and bottle up in jars. Refrigerate.

Pickled Ramps

Pickled Ramps

Clean your ramps well. They get muddy and sandy so make sure to peel the outer layer and give them a good rinse/soak. Just use the bulbs here but don’t throw out the leaves! The greens are amazing in pesto or risotto, in any kind of pasta, mixed with butter to top fish. Use any combination of spices you like (allspice and juniper are nice additions).

1 C. white wine vinegar
1 C. sugar
1 C. water
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. pink peppercorns
1 tsp. black peppercorns
â…› tsp. hot chili flakes
2 bay leaves
1 pound ramp bulbs, cleaned and trimmed
Kosher salt for blanching

Trim the root ends off of the ramps and cut off the leaves, saving the green ends for another purpose (like pesto or risotto). Rinse the ramps well under cool, running water. Bring a 2-3 quart pot of water up to boil and add 2 tsp. salt. Drop in the ramps and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on size) They should be tender but not mushy. Remove and shock them in ice water until cool. Drain the ramps well and place them in the jar you’re going to pickle them in. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and all the spices. Turn off the heat. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ramps in the mason jar and let cool on the counter (30 minutes or so). Then seal tightly and transfer to the refrigerator. They’ll be ready to eat in a day or two. The refrigerated pickled ramps will last a few weeks to a couple of months.

Sweet & Spicy Pickled Ramps

Sweet & Spicy Pickled Ramps

Serves 1 quart jar
1 C. sugar
2 C. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seed
2 pieces dried red chili peppers
1/2 pound ramp bulbs (with stems)

Wash the ramp bulbs very well, discarding any loose membrane around the bulb. Make sure the leaves and any root material is trimmed away. Mix sugar, vinegar, mustard, fennel, coriander, fenugreek, chilies and cloves in a suitably sized pot. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, put the ramp bulbs into a clean, sanitized glass quart jar. When the brine comes to a boil, carefully pour it into the jar, covering the ramps. Leave at least 1 inch of space at the top of the jar, then cap tightly, allow to cool and refrigerate for three or more days. After three days, your ramps should be ready to enjoy on their own or as a condiment, but you can brine them for longer, and they’ll keep (chilled) for months.