Spring Peas

Spring Peas by Dan Barber, chef-owner Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Ingredients (8 portions)

1 T vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 peeled shallots, thinly sliced
4 lbs. peas, shucked
1.5 quart rich vegetable stock
1 bouquet garni
2 T fresh mint, chopped

Procedure
1. Heat vegetable oil and add thinly sliced shallot with garlic. Sweat gently.
2. Add half of the peas and continue to sweat on low heat for 3 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup vegetable stock, bouquet garni and remaining peas. Cook until tender.
4. Remove the bouquet garni and blend until smooth, adding remaining vegetable stock until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in mint just before serving. Peas can be served as a puree, soup or sauce.

Lettuce and Chive Salad, Korean-Style

Lettuce and Chive Salad, Korean-Style Mark Bittman, NY Times)

Time: 15 minutes

2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or other mild vinegar
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces fresh chives, at least a couple of large bunches
4 cups any tender lettuce or mixed lettuces
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional.

1. Make dressing by combining sesame oil with chili flakes, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sugar and about a tablespoon of water.

2. Wash and dry chives, then cut them into 1- or 2-inch lengths. Wash and dry lettuce. Toss chives with lettuce, then pour dressing over all and toss again. Garnish with sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES WTH FETA SAUCE

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES WTH FETA SAUCE


3 oz mild feta cheese (preferably French; 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 medium zucchini (1 lb total)
3/4 lb cherry tomatoes (preferably on the vine, cut into 4 bunches)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).
(If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal.

When Charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows: Hot: When you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds; Medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds; Low: 5 to 6 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.)

Purée feta, sour cream, water, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor until smooth, then, with motor running, add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a slow stream. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste and pulse until just combined.

Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise (just under 1/8 inch thick) using slicer.

Toss zucchini and tomatoes (on the vine) in a large bowl with salt and remaining tablespoon oil.

If using loose cherry tomatoes, thread onto skewers.

Grill vegetables, in batches if necessary, on oiled grill rack, turning over once with tongs, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes total per batch.

Serve with sauce.

Makes 4 first-course servings.

Shopping List

Lemon-infused olive oil
Preserved lemons
Dishwasher Rinsing Agent

Hot and Cold Spinach

From New York Magazine

When it comes to leafy greens, spinach has always lacked broccoli rabe’s sex appeal. Blame that on the way it’s typically (over-)cooked. With the right light touch, spinach surprises—even as a cold side dish like Japanese oshitashi. In the spirit of that sushi-bar staple, Lupa’s Mark Ladner makes a hot-and-cold spinach that gets its heat from chili peppers and its refreshing cool from a stint in the deep freeze. Dress it with a smooth Italian lemon oil or, in a nod to oshitashi’s bonito flakes, garnish it with bottarga. Either way, Popeye would approve.

Mark Ladner’s Hot-and-Cold Spinach
2 bunches fresh young spinach
1 1/2 tablespoons crushed red-pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
large pinch sea-salt flakes
1 fresh medium-size finger chili
chopped zest of 1 lemon
chopped1/2 cup lemon
Agrumato (available at Bellavitae and Eli’s Vinegar Factory)

Remove roots from spinach.

(1) Soak the leaves, then rinse and dry them well. Place in large bowl and season with pepper flakes. Heat olive oil in a pot or pan until the surface starts to develop a shimmery sheen (but before it starts to smoke. Add salt and then

(2) pour hot oil over spinach. Stir vigorously with a fork, coating the spinach until partially wilted. Place bowl in warmest part of freezer for about an hour and a half. Remove from freezer and

(3) stir in fresh chili, lemon zest, and Agrumato. Adjust seasoning. Return to freezer for three quarters of an hour (or less, if the spinach starts to freeze). Remove from freezer, mix well, and serve immediately on a cold platter, or transfer to refrigerator. If desired, garnish with shaved bottarga di muggine (dried gray-mullet roe), available at BuonItalia.