April
Happy April! Welcome to edition #4 of a 12-month series celebrating the seasons! Throughout this series I'll be highlighting my favorite seasonal produce and offering recipe, snack and cocktail suggestions.
“I just can’t stand cooking….’’ moaned Stephen, in between mouthfuls of basil pesto gnocchi. ‘It's just the idea of all those hours sweating away at a stove for it all to be gobbled up within a few minutes’’.
My husband and I had met a few friends for dinner. We chose a lovely Italian spot. We feasted on burrata with early season strawberries, freshly baked focaccia, beets with a pistachio crumb and a colorful selection of freshly made pasta.
“But what about the process of cooking? Don’t you find any pleasure in that?’’
I was trying my best to be positive.
“Absolutely not!” he exclaimed, incredulous. “Every day at 6pm, I find myself dreading the same old routine. I'm simply out of creative ideas!” He deftly speared a perfectly cooked, delicately seasoned piece of charred branzino, before popping it into his mouth and sighing with heartfelt appreciation.
“I really wish I could get excited about cooking as much as eating!’’
With cooking, I’ve found there are two types of people: those who hate it and those who love it. Rarely do I find someone in between. (If you're one of those unusual neutral folks, speak now in the comment section or forever hold your peace.) Despite various reasons for detesting cooking—unequal household chores, demanding jobs, tight budgets, or bad childhood memories—I believe everyone, even the staunchest kitchen haters, can eventually find creative freedom and autonomy in the cooking process by using seasonal ingredients.
Today's newsletter will feature a selection of not-so-demanding recipe suggestions, with a focus on simplicity. There will also be suggestions for artichokes and morels, which do require a little technique, but yield very delicious results. Finally, for those of you who love cooking, I also have a recipe* that comprises several components—admittedly, not the simplest, but you have the option to make all or just some of them. Hint* there is ramp butter involved!
In season produce
Peas - For a speedy lunch idea (or lazy 5pm supper option), I combine uncooked peas with drained, tinned cannellini or butter beans before adding: finely sliced shallots, thinly sliced baby carrots, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
This mixture can not only be stored in the fridge for up to three days (making it a suitable and convenient recipe for food prepping) but the flavor keeps improving.
When it's time to serve, I place the number of portions of beans required into a large serving bowl and top with tinned tuna chunks in olive oil. I like to enjoy this dish on a slice of hot, buttered sourdough toast.
Radish. My affection for radishes and butter has never been a secret, so it should be no surprise that one of my go-to snacks is a thickly buttered baguette topped with sliced radishes—a type of open-faced sandwich. It’s very simple to prepare.
First, try, wherever possible, to purchase a quality European slightly salted (demi-sel) butter. Remove the butter from the refrigerator 5-10 mins before required, then generously spread on a slice of freshly baked baguette. Next, layer thinly sliced radishes atop and finish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel. Alternatively, for a flavor adventure, experiment with French breakfast radishes dipped in white chocolate. Simply dip the radishes in melted high-quality white chocolate before refrigerating for approx. 1 hour. Enjoy with a little Maldon salt to finish.
Arugula: Arugula, with its peppery flavor and tender leaves, thrives in the springtime. On lazy days I toss arugula with a good extra virgin olive oil, a little lemon, freshly ground black pepper and thin slices of parmesan. Enjoy this salad on a crusty piece of thickly sliced sourdough with the possible addition of a few slices of mozzarella. To me, this is the perfect springtime lunch, although served on thin slices of baguette would also make an easy-prep pre-dinner crostini.
Baby carrots. Baby carrots are small, immature carrots harvested early in their growth. They are therefore much prized for their tenderness and sweetness. I prepare baby carrots very simply. After washing (and peeling if you like) I toss them in a mixture of harissa, a pinch or two of sumac, lemon, salt, a little cayenne, melted butter and honey. I then roast them at approx. 475°F for 12-15 minutes. Serve on a bed of homemade tzatziki (recipe here) or a little labneh mixed with salt and olive oil.
Strawberries - Recently, I visited my local farmers’ market and managed to bag a large punnet of spring crop strawberries. Mara Des Bois is a French strawberry cultivar celebrated for its distinctive flavor, blending sweetness with a hint of tartness. They are particularly delicious. I like to enjoy these aromatic strawberries with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Simple.
Rhubarb - I like to roast rhubarb with vanilla and serve this syrupy confection atop small pavlovas together with lemon curd and a little whipped cream or creme anglaise. Simply mix 600g rhubarb, 100-150g white caster sugar and the juice of 2 blood oranges before adding 1 vanilla pod, then spread the fruit on a lined baking sheet before roasting at 400°F for 10-15 minutes. You can then either assemble the dessert in individual dessert bowls/sundae dishes or place the elements in separate bowls for guests to help themselves. Delightful.
Asparagus - a real sign of spring and brighter days. I love asparagus in every way, but simply blanched for 1-3 minutes (depending on the size of your asparagus) in a pot of salted boiling water and served with a classic beurre blanc sauce is really the finest way to enjoy this vegetable. Tip: pop the asparagus in a bowl of ice water straight after boiling to prevent further cooking.
Artichokes - As with most spring produce, this vegetable is best prepared simply. Add lemon halves to a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil then add the artichokes. Cook for 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile, dice some butter and set aside whilst you reduce white wine in a hot pan. Once slightly thickened, reduce heat and whisk in the butter, some grated Parmesan, and lemon juice. Lemon water finger bowls at the ready, serve on a platter garnished with lemon wedges.
Morels: Morel mushrooms are highly prized by chefs and foragers alike for their rich, earthy flavor and meaty texture. They often grow in wooded areas, particularly around the base of hardwood trees like ash, elm, and oak, typically appearing in the springtime. I like to enjoy morels with crispy fried gnocchi in a white wine and cream sauce. There is a great article on Serious Eats as to how to best prepare them also find my recipe for gnocchi below.
Ramps - Renowned for their robust, garlicky onion taste, ramps are a variety of wild alliums akin to spring onions and leeks. Found predominantly in wooded areas across the Northeast, South, and Midwest of America, they emerge between April - June, depending on the spring weather conditions. If you can find ramps, get 'em. The best way to enjoy ramps, in my opinion, is to make ramp butter. I have a very special recipe for you, see below.
A spring garden
Gnocchi, ramp butter, spinach & asparagus
Each recipe within this composition can be made to enjoy separately or combined to create a perfect spring meal. Please read the full recipe from start to finish so that you can select which elements to include e.g the blanched asparagus. I assure you the effort is worth it.
Ramp Butter
Like garlic butter, but better.
Ingredients
180g ramps ( cleaned + the ends trimmed)
375g unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
kosher salt (to taste)
2 tsp lemon zest
Freshly grated pepper
Additions: feel free to add spices such as cayenne, chili flakes or mixed herbs such as chives or dill etc.
Method
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When ready, blanch the ramps for 30-40 seconds and immediately place ramps into a bowl of ice water to cool for 3-4 minutes.
Drain ramps and dry on a paper towel.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients until relatively smooth.
Either store the butter in a deli container or shape into butter cylinders. Depending on the required size of your cylinders, cut out rectangles of baking parchment then place the butter in the middle. Fold one half of the paper over the butter then delicately squeeze, roll and mold it into a cylindrical/log shape. Secure the ends of the parchment paper by twisting them. Let the butter firm up in the refrigerator before use.
You can store the butter in the freezer for 2-3 months or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Chef Thomas Keller / The French Laundry Cookbook-inspired Gnocchi
I make this at least once a week! It’s just that good.
Ingredients
2 lbs of russet potatoes
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 tbsp dried sage (optional)
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Using a fork, poke a few holes into the potatoes and place on a baking tray. Bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are fully cooked.
Split the potatoes lengthwise, and while hot, scrape out the flesh and pass through a ricer or use a potato masher. Add the optional dried sage, nutmeg and salt.
Now, place the mash in a pile on a flat board or counter. Make a well in the middle and layer approx. ½ cup of flour, followed by the egg yolks, followed by another ½ cup of flour.
Using a dough scraper, ‘chop’ the potato into the flour and eggs until roughly combined. Chef Keller says this should be a 15- 30 second process, but it took me approx. 40-45 seconds.
Please note: Be careful not to overwork the mixture otherwise the gnocchi will become heavy and sticky. This is more a feel rather than a science, so use your own discernment.
TIP: I found that the dough scraper method didn’t fully combine the mixture so I used the back of my hand to finish the process working lightly and very quickly until the mixture became homogeneous. The dough shouldn’t be too sticky on the outside so add more flour if needed.
Shape the dough into a ball and then cut into 4-6 equal sections. On a lightly floured surface roll each section into a long ½ inch snake shape. Cut these into individual ½ inch wide pieces and then gently mould each piece into a round circle shape.
If you have one, use a gnocchi paddle to create indents, otherwise, roll the gnocchi quickly and swiftly across the tines on the back of a fork to create the signature pattern. Now, place the gnocchi pieces on a board or flat surface covered in parchment paper and set aside until ready to boil.
Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for approx. 2 minutes. You will know the gnocchi is cooked when they rise triumphantly to the surface.
Place the cooked gnocchi in a bowl of iced water to halt the cooking process and then drain on a paper towel.
Note: You can store the gnocchi in the refrigerator if using that day or freeze them in appropriate bags or containers for up to several weeks - super useful if you have last minute guests as you can cook the gnocchi straight from frozen - hurrah!
Spinach bites
Another Chef Thomas Keller / The French Laundry Cookbook-inspired recipe.
Ingredients
170g Spinach
¾ tsp olive oil
Two, 2 inch strips of Lemon zest
Unsalted butter
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
Method
In a large pan heat oil with a little lemon zest. When hot, place spinach into the pan and cook for approx. 2-3 minutes. Season with salt.
Remove from the pan, then on a paper towel-lined flat surface or tray, divide into 6 balls (see above). With a tea towel or cheesecloth, squeeze the water out of each spinach ball. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour until ready to use. See below for how best to serve.
Now that all the elements have been prepared, it’s time to plate up.
Assemble and serve
This will involve a little multitasking, but the process is simple enough. On the stove, cook the gnocchi (as stated above this process should take 2 mins max). Whilst the gnocchi bubbles away, place 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and a little butter in a small-medium pan. Once the butter* is sizzling add the spinach balls and pan fry for a few minutes until warm. Keep the spinach bites in a warm place until ready to serve. *tip: for added umami I sometimes add a few dried mushrooms to the butter.
Now, place the cooked gnocchi in a large mixing bowl and combine with a few tablespoons of the ramp butter together with a few tablespoons of pasta water. Season with a little extra salt, according to taste, and optional pepper. The heat of the gnocchi and pasta water will emulsify the butter to create a deliciously unctuous sauce.
Place gnocchi and the spinach bites in a wide-brimmed pasta bowl and, if you wish, add blanched and cooled asparagus tips. I decorated my dish with edible garlic flowers and fried parsley. Lovely!
That’s it for this month’s seasonal update. Thank you for reading. Before I go, what produce are you excited to cook with?
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Reading your Substacks has become my Sunday ritual. Absolutely love your love for food.
Wonderfully written and the photography is really second to none! Agree with Sam, along with the Sunday papers it’s my Sunday ritual as well!