Green Garlic Aioli

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dash of hot sauce (optional)
• 4 or 5 stalks of green garlic
• 3 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 and 1/4 cup of light oil (avocado or grapeseed)

Directions

• Wash and clean garlic, roughly chop
• Blend all ingredients except oil
• While blender is still running slowly add oil in thin stream through the opening until incorporated
• Taste and adjust seasoning

Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. soft butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• OPTIONAL: 1 tbsp. orange liqueur

Directions: For 8” or 9” pan

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• On bottom of pan, spread out about 2 cups chopped rhubarb.
• If desired add about 1-2 tsp. grated orange rind
• Beat butter and sugar together
• Add egg and beat until fluffy
• In a small bowl, mix 1 cup all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt.
• Measure milk, vanilla and liqueur into a cup.
• Alternate additions of flour and milk to butter, sugar mix (Always begin and end with flour, usually 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk)
• Spread batter over rhubarb.
• In the flour bowl, mix 1 cup sugar with 1 tbsp. cornstarch and spread evenly over batter.
• Over the whole mixture, carefully pour 2/3 cup  boiling water.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cake rises to top and you can see the rhubarb bubbling around the sides.
• Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 6 cups spring vegetables, cut to about the same size (Try asparagus, peas, zucchini, button mushrooms, etc.)
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Basil and parsley, chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 lb. pasta

Directions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add enough salt to taste like sea water.
• Add pasta and set timer for al dente pasta. (check package instructions)
• In a separate saucepan, heat a little olive oil and 1 of the cloves of grated garlic.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with a little Kosher salt and pepper and heat through.
• Sprinkle with a little basil. Set aside.
• In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil and add 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped.
• When fragrant, add vegetables, and stir fry quickly until just tender-crisp. Turn off heat if pasta is not ready.
• When pasta is cooked, use a large strainer to add to vegetable mixture in frying pan.
• Add the cream and enough pasta water to make a sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add parmesan and basil. Sprinkle with parsley and top with cherry tomatoes.
• Serve with a little more Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Springtime Risotto with Asparagus and Peas

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups short grain white rice (Arborio, carnaroli etc.)
• 4-5 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp. cold butter, cubed
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups asparagus, cleaned, cut into 1” pieces
• 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a small pan with a bit of oil, sauté asparagus just until tender-crisp.
• Add peas, toss for a minute and set aside.
• Heat stock and turn down heat to keep it just simmering.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat butter and oil.
• Add onion and sauté until translucent.
• Add rice and stir until rice is coated with oil and shiny.
• Pour in white wine and allow to reduce until almost dry.
• Add stock, a couple of ladles at a time, and stir until liquid is almost absorbed.
• Add more liquid and continue until rice is cooked but still retaining its’ shape.
• Add butter, parmesan and vegetables.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• If desired, add chopped parsley, grated lemon rind, chopped mint, etc.This recipe is very versatile, and can be adapted to almost any vegetable.

Lemon Sponge Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar, (divided)
• 4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) room temperature butter
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place rack in center of oven.
• Butter 6- 1 cup ramekins or other heat-proof bowls
• Set aside 2 tbsp. of sugar for egg whites.
• Put egg whites in mixer bowl and beat to soft peaks.
• Add cream of tartar and beat to combine.
• Slowly add sugar and beat until
• stiff peaks form. Scrape egg whites into another bowl.
• Without washing the bowl, add remaining sugar and beat with butter until light and fluffy.
• Add three egg yolks, one at a time and beat until incorporated.
• Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.Add flour and salt and beat just to combine.
• Turn mixer on low and gradually add the milk and lemon juice.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in three additions, mixing only to combine.
• Ladle mixture evenly into ramekins and place in  larger baking pan, leaving about 1 inch all around each one.
• Carefully fill the pan with hot water to about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.(I place the ramekins in the baking pan and fill it with hot water after I place it in the oven.)
• Bake at 235 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the sponge is browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean.
• Remove ramekins from the water bath and allow to cool for ½ hour before serving, or allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate until served.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. asparagus, washed well and shaved with a vegetable peeler.
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• ½ cup toasted nuts (pine nuts, sliced almonds, walnuts etc.)
• ½ cup shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
• ¼ cup slivered basil
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: 2-3 cups cooked cannellini beans

Directions:

• Shave the asparagus from the stem end to the tip. Save the ends for other recipes
• Add the other ingredients and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• If not serving immediately, wait to add the basil until just before serving.
• This salad can be made ahead and held in the refrigerator for several hours.