Green Garlic Aioli

CF9rhrFWgAEk76BIngredients

  • 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

CF-A2MbWgAAJMHh

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

CF97tnsW0AA7G99

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

CF9_ByiW8AAV66C

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.