Each spring, my family eats at least one mad meal, an extreme affair based on the season`s first arrivals. When new asparagus appears, we might celebrate with asparagus soup, an asparagus-and-bacon omelet and, best of all, inch-long chunks of gently steamed asparagus lightly braised in pepper and cream.
When the first strawberries ripen, we eat cold strawberry soup, strawberries with fresh mint and strawberry shortcake. Neither of these, you will note, is a balanced meal, nor healthful, but the foods of spring are enough to unbalance the most stable among us.
Over the course of these extravagant gambits, we have managed to gather the best and most compatible of our specialties into a menu that captures the heady essence of the season while maintaining nutritional equilibrium. Because local young lamb is a much-anticipated delicacy, we briefly grill or broil it, playing up its flavor with a spunky, seasonal rhubarb chutney. Still, vegetables remain the cornerstone of the meal: tiny potatoes and new peas, and greens. Afterward, we can bring out a ginger sorbet.
In the hesitant season of spring, these foods are welcome harbingers of the warmth and plenty yet to come, as well as the perfect trimmings for an Easter feast.
BROILED LAMB CHOPS OR MEDALLIONS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
If the weather vagaries of late spring are not too daunting, the lamb may be grilled. Cracked peppercorns make a crunchy outer coating for the meltingly tender meat.
12 loin or rib lamb chops, trimmed of fat, 4 ounces each and about 1-inch thick, or 1-inch-thick medallions, 1 1/2 pounds total, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed with the underside of a heavy pot
Rhubarb chutney sauce, recipe follows
1. Pat lamb chops or medallions dry. Insert slivers of garlic into each one, making small punctures with a paring knife and poking in the garlic. Brush the tops lightly with half the olive oil, then pat on half the cracked peppercorns. Repeat with the other side of the lamb, using remaining oil and peppercorns.
2. Heat broiler and broil for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the lamb is browned but pink inside. Serve with rhubarb chutney sauce.
RHUBARB CHUTNEY SAUCE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 cups
A thick, spunky sauce that is a standby-good with grilled lamb, chicken or halibut. It can be made with frozen rhubarb. This recipe makes a small batch, which you can adjust for heat and sweetness.
5-6 stalks rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces, about 4 cups
1 onion, chopped
1/3- 1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4- 1/2 cup golden raisins
1-3 jalapeno chili peppers, seeded or not
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 whole cardamom pods (white or green), tied in a cheesecloth bag
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Mix rhubarb, onion, 1/3 cup honey, vinegar, raisins, 1 chili, garlic and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until rhubarb is very tender, about 15 minutes. Taste, adding more chilies and honey as desired. Cook, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, remove from heat, stir in cilantro and remove cheesecloth bag.
2. Serve warm or cold. The chutney can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
NEW POTATOES AND PEAS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Cut large potatoes into 3/4-inch-diameter pieces. Use only the lightest seasoning: butter for richness, mint for sweetness, and pepper.
1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled
12 new onions or green onions, bulbs whole, tops chopped, optional
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or more to taste
1. Place potatoes and onions in a small saucepan, barely cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat just until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add peas, cover and cook for 1 minute, or until tender. Drain, add butter, pepper and mint. Heat for 1 minute and toss gently.
WARM DANDELION GREENS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Dandelion greens are at their best from first emergence through mid-spring, when the maturing leaves begin to turn tough. Use them soon after picking, for they lose their pleasant texture within hours. Like any greens, they cook down, so what seems a large amount makes a modest serving. If large, store-bought dandelion greens are used, blanch them for 1 to 2 minutes in boiling water before sauteing.
2 ounces lean back bacon or Canadian bacon (three 3-by- 1/4-inch slices), diced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
12 cups young dandelion greens, rinsed well and briefly shaken dry
2 tablespoons balsamic or rice-wine vinegar
6 dandelion flowers and 12 small, whole leaves for garnish, optional
1. Fry bacon in a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until edges curl, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess fat from the skillet and add olive oil. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown.
2. Add rinsed greens (which are still damp), stir to coat them with the oil, cover pan and steam about 3 minutes, or until just limp. Add vinegar and bacon, toss lightly and serve at once on small plates or in bowls, garnished with flowers and small leaves (if using).
GINGER SORBET
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Freezing time: Varies
Yield: 5 cups
This simple ice has a vivid, lively flavor and makes a spirited palate cleanser between courses as well as an invigorating dessert. Use more or less ginger to vary the effect. Strain for smoother texture, less fire. It`s also delicious with fresh blueberries on the side, though there`s no hope of that in April.
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
4 cups water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1. Mix sugar, ginger, lemon rind and water in a heavy non-aluminum saucepan. Heat to a boil, stirring often. Boil, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Cool. Stir in lemon juice. Freeze the mixture in an ice-cream maker, following manufacturer`s directions. Alternatively, transfer to a shallow metal cake pan or metal ice-cube tray and freeze until almost solid, about 6 hours. Break into chunks and whirl in a food processor until smooth. Transfer it to a chilled airtight container and return to the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm.
3. The sorbet can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for up to 4 days. Thirty minutes before serving, transfer it to the refrigerator to soften slightly.
