Is;tv to

New vegetables clot%
are the taste of the season.

"baby" and
spring" are
scribbled on
signs at the fruit
and vegetable
market, you
may feel tempt-
ed to pick up
some baby
squash or even a
pound or two of
fresh peas or
fava beans. What a way to party!

"

ANNABEL COHEN
Special to the Jewish News

C

omedian Robin Williams
once said, "Spring is
nature's way of saying,
`Let's party!' "
Our instincts tell us that the time
to fuel for warmth with foods that
include in their names "hearty" or
"comfort" has passed. An innate
sense also moves us, unprovoked, to
crave fresh, young vegetables —
spring vegetables.
Every vegetable of spring is smaller
than their full-grown counterparts. It
may seem indulgent to eat tiny zuc-
chini and baby bell peppers before
they've had a chance to grow. Then
again, nothing is so sweet as nature's
first green.
Still other vegetables only make
their appearance in spring. Asparagus
is decidedly an April/May crop in
these parts. Yes they're available all
year round, thanks to modern meth-
ods of farming and transportation,
but the best is homegrown, native to
where you live.
Only in spring do morel mush-
rooms, what food writer Molly
O'Neill calls "Mushrooms a la
Disney," peak their pocked caps
through the forests' leafy floors. And
absolutely nothing tastes better than
the thin-skinned baby new potatoes
with their firm, white flesh served
simply with a sprinkling of salt and a
dab of sweet butter.
With spring festivals like Shavuot
ahead and a season where names like

BABY SQUASH TRIO WITH
SHALLOTS AND FRESH HERBS
Eat this quick, fresh dish hot as a
vegetable or at room temperature as
a salad.
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds mixed baby squash (such
as zucchini and pattypan)
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
4-6 T. drained capers, minced (to
taste)
1/2 cup fresh chopped fresh parsley
1 T. fresh rosemary
3 T. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large skillet over medi-
um-high heat. Add the squash, shal-
lots and broth and cover the skillet
with a lid or cookie sheet. Cook
squash for about 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Uncover the skillet, and
sauté the vegetables until the liquid
evaporates. Remove the skillet from
heat and add remaining ingredients
and toss well. Serve warm or at room
temperature. Makes 8

MINTED AND DILLED PEA
AND NEW POTATO SALAD
A simple and lovely salad to accom-
pany most anything, especially
poached or broiled fish.
2 pounds small new potatoes, any
color, unpeeled
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup regular or light mayon-
naise

1/4 cup regular or light sour cream
2 T. light olive oil
4 cups shelled fresh peas or frozen
peas, thawed
1/3 cup fresh chopped mint leaves,
any variety
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Place whole potatoes in a large
pot. Add enough water to cover
them by about 2-3 inches. Bring the
water to a boil over high heat,
reduce heat to simmer and cook the
potatoes gently until just tender,
about 15 minutes. Drain the pota-
toes and cool slightly. Cut the pota-
toes into large chunks and transfer
to a large bowl.
While the potatoes are cooking,
bring a saucepan of water to a boil
over high heat. Drop the peas into
the boiling water and cook for 5
minutes, until tender. Drain and
rinse with cold water. Add the peas
to the potatoes and toss. Add
remaining ingredients and toss the
potato salad. Adjust seasonings and
serve. You may make this up to a
day ahead, but re-mix, adding more
lemon juice, olive oil and seasonings
if needed. Makes 8 servings.

GARLIC HONEY ASPARAGUS
WITH CHIVES AND ASIAGO
CHEESE
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
1 t. minced garlic
2 pounds very thin asparagus,
tough ends removed or 3-4 large
asparagus per person, tough ends
removed and stalks peeled with a
vegetable peeler
1 T. honey
kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 T. minced chives
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago
cheese
Heat butter and olive oil in a large
skillet. Add the garlic and saute for
1 minute. Add the asparagus spears
and saute, moving the asparagus
around so that it's all coated. Reduce

heat to medium and cover the skillet
with a lid. Remove lid and drizzle
honey over. Cook, stirring, until the
honey is dissolved and the asparagus
is coated again.
Remove the asparagus to a heated
platter and sprinkle with salt and
pepper and minced chives. Serve
with freshly grated Aisago cheese on
the side. Makes 8 servings.

SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP
2 T. olive oil
1 t. minced garlic
3 cups thin sliced leek rounds
(white and light green parts only)
1 cup thin sliced carrot rings
5 cups water or vegetable broth
1 can (14-oz. approx.) diced toma-
toes (in juice)
2 cups shelled fresh fava beans or
one 10-oz. package frozen baby
lima beans, thawed
5 oz. thin French green beans
(haricot vert), trimmed, cut into
1-inch pieces
8 oz. asparagus, tough ends
removed, spears cut diagonally
into 1-inch pieces
3 fresh morel mushrooms, sliced
into thin circles (or 1 cup mush-
rooms, sliced thin)
1/2 cup dry orzo (or 1 cup cooked
wild rice)
2 t. fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
kosher salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
(optional)
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan
over medium heat. Add garlic, leeks
and carrot; saute until vegetables are
tender, about 6 minutes. Add water
or broth and tomatoes with liquid
and bring to boil.
Add fava beans and green beans,
reduce heat and simmer for 10 miri-
utes. Add asparagus, mushrooms,
orzo, oregano, basil, salt and pepper
and cook for 10 minutes more.
Adjust seasonings and serve hot with
freshly grated cheese sprinkled on
top. Makes 8-12 servings.

❑

4/5
2002

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