Springing into... something. · 22 May 2009, 12:07
I know I’ve been awfully quiet lately! It’s been a fairly cranky season so far, with work being flung at me from all corners, Tim putting in massive amounts of overtime and last-minute travel, and no sign of a respite for either of us. I really hope we get to take a real vacation this summer, or I might go to pieces. The last time I took a week off to travel was our trip to California… in 2006. So, er, yeah. It’s time.
Not that springtime in New York City hasn’t been beautiful. One of my new favorite things is the smell of a spring night-time rainfall on cherry trees out in Red Hook; it’s just so exquisitely fresh and briny and funky, it’s like a tonic.
And the farmer’s markets are beginning to really wake up with baby garlic shoots, ramps, fiddleheads, new asparagus, chard, rhubarb… mmm! The Brooklyn Kitchen’s foodie book club has me reading a biography of Alice Waters, so I’m especially keyed up about seasonal foods right now.
Primavera
This is less a recipe and more of a guideline. Choose whatever looks fresh and delicious! Between the farmer’s market and the Food Coop, this is what happened:
2 fat garlic shoots, chopped into rounds
2 handfuls of shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 thick bunch of asparagus, chopped into short pieces
2 chicken sausages, chopped into small rounds
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Parmigiano
Serves 2. Quantities easily adjustable. The most ridiculously simple cooking instructions ever: While pasta is cooking, saute all ingredients (except cheese) in olive oil till asparagus is tender and sausage is hot. Season to taste, toss over pasta, and sprinkle generously with grated Parmigiano. Goes splendidly with a light white wine (it was great with Gruner Veltliner).
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