Don’t tell me that it hasn’t crossed your mind. Seventy degrees, light wind, warm sunshine, could it really be?
For me it’s also a slight uptick in my correspondence with local growers. Seeds are being germinated, high tunnels and hot houses are being filled, all in preparation for the spring. But it’s being done with a sense of renewed optimism bordering on urgency, and that’s the exciting part.
February is waning, seemingly melting in the warm temperatures and rain. I’m starting to think of menu change, and patio umbrellas, and I opted for a cold beer after work last night, instead of a soul warming bourbon. A small part of me is waiting for the hammer to drop, (ice storms and snow fall) but I can still see the end and appreciate the beginning.
This brief moment happens every season, through all four of them. Each change is marked with a corresponding change in ingredients, meals and techniques. I’m shying away from cream soups and heavy stews and instead fixing purees and even clear soups.
I’m looking at greens, early spring mushrooms and spring onions. I know I’m a bit early for all of that, but calls have been made and information is being gathered as to when things might start happening.
This is noodle bowl season, or a light pasta with grilled green onion, shaved carrot and toasted garlic butter. It’s not too early to think about marinades and spice rubs for the grill. I understand some of you never stop grilling but I like a break. It makes coming back to the grill like a rite of passage into spring. That first grill night may be a bit chilly but you’re outdoors and you’re cooking.
In this moment you’re also shedding a bit of weight. Olive oil may make an appearance again after several months of butter. Flavors tend not to be layered, but clean and up front. This is to get you ready for a long and productive summer, an amuse bouche to get your palate working.
So, what do I look for this time of year?
Greens certainly, earthy and clean with just a hint of bitterness.
Cold weather transforms sugars and make things sweeter than they normally would be. I like the texture of early greens, it has a chew without being thick and stringy. New greens are just developing structure, and the first few cuttings should result in tenderness and clean “greens” flavor, a cross between earth and water with a little new dirt thrown in.
Cooking methods range from a quick blanch and sauté to a chiffonade cut and immersion in a vegetarian noodle bowl. If you’re grilling, dress the leaves with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and lay them on the cooler edges of the grill. They will pick up smoke and a tiny amount of char as the wilt.
Onions come into play early in the springtime with the green onion or spring onion being the first to arrive. Step outside onto your patio and survey your urban lawn, chances are there is some green onion mixed in with the fescue. These onions are ideal for the clean crisp flavors you want for spring. They have a bite when raw and mellow nicely when grilled or sautéed.
As they grow, the flavor deepens, and cooking methods expand to include soups, stews and even short braises. I like to grill larger spring onions, wrap them in paper and sweat the char off the outside. The resulting smoky flavors translate well to salsas and relishes and go particularly well in light cream and butter sauces for fresh pasta. Green garlic comes along behind the onions so watch for them as well.
Mushrooms love the spring, before its hot and muggy or worse dry and oppressively warm for weeks. Just yesterday I got a call from my mushroom guy in Berea, he had 30 pounds or more of local shiitakes, newly harvested after only a few days of warm wet weather. Provided we don’t have another brutal cold snap, this could be the start of weeks’ worth of local mushrooms, both farmed and foraged. They provide umami, or savory flavors to spring dishes. Grilled, roasted, or sautéed, the earthiness and chewy texture provide a foundation for soups, stir fry’s and pastas. A light stuffing for quail or chicken is always better with a little mushroom. Risotto with smoked shiitakes and some fresh herbs, perhaps a little goat cheese to finish, is a great spring dinner, hardy enough to warm you yet not quite the rich heavy dishes of the winter.
Lest we forget, fresh herbs are already popping up in my garden. The first herbs of the season always carry a lot of promise wrapped in a shiny new skin. The parsley seems more vibrant, the oregano has a fresh clean taste and the thyme comes on much more subtly than mid- summer. Get your cilantro early, it bolts at the first sign of heat. Cherish the chervil and dill, they won’t stand the late spring either. Try a chimichurri with the season’s first parsley, add a bit of cilantro to your noodle bowl, finish a pasta with some young oregano and good parmesan.
As with all things spring there is still a certain amount of patience needed to allow the plants to develop. I know that once things get going I have a limited amount of time before summer jumps on us.
Spring should be a time to shed some skin and cleanse the wintertime palate. Look for colors and flavors that are direct and fresh, don’t overcook or over work your ingredients, and enjoy the freshness that cool wet weather can bring to your local products.
Noodle Bowl- this is a dish that only gets better, the less you mess with it.
Start with a simple vegetable and herb stock with celery, carrot and onion, and the stems of parsley and tarragon. Bring the stock to a simmer and let it go for about an hour. Strain the stock and you’re ready to cook. I use a clove of crushed garlic in every noodle bowl and then the choice of vegetables depends on your selection.
Of course, for this bowl I’ll use green onion, shiitakes, and baby spinach, hopefully all local. Shaved carrot and maybe some shaved parsnip for color and texture. These vegetables will be raw and are only cooked for a few minutes in the simmering broth. Season with salt and pepper and finish with some fresh parsley or cilantro leaves.
This “brothy” vegetable mix is poured into a deep bowl that has cooked rice or ramen noodle in the bottom. At The Sage Rabbit, we dress the bowl with our signature red light sauce, or if you prefer, a little soy and siracha at home.
John Foster is an executive chef who heads the culinary program at Sullivan University’s Lexington campus. A New York native, Foster has been active in the Lexington culinary scene and a promoter of local and seasonal foods for more than 20 years. The French Culinary Institute-trained chef has been the executive chef of his former restaurant, Harvest, and now his Chevy Chase eatery, The Sage Rabbit.
To read more from Chef John Foster, including his recipes, click here.
