If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions with respect to the May recipes or any of the ingredients used in the recipes, please feel free to post them here:
Spring is definitely here! Not only did I find beautiful local asparagus at the farmers' market, but fiddleheads! What shall I do with them? The bruschetta? The pasta?
PS The spouffle and merguez fries were huge hits here though I'm not sure I would parboil the potatoes for the fries again.
Zosi, now I am really jealous. We cannot get fiddleheads here but I have eaten them in Québec a long time ago and I loved, loved them so much - I am still trying to find a source around here. Fiddleheads lend themselves to many of the same preparations as asparagus. You can serve them warm or with a lovely in a vinaigrette. Of course, you could also add them to the pasta and substitute them for the broccoli or add some to the pearl barley soup. Or top the bruschetta with them. Just a few suggestions. I am hungry and even more jealous.
So, we finally ate the Merguez fries today - although I was planning to make them first. I can only repeat what Zosia already said - a huge hit, the kids loved, loved them! And I agree that the par-boiling of the potatoes was probably not really necessary.
I made the pearl barley soup today - quite nice but somewhat substantial - it certainly thickens quite a bit if you let it sit in the fridge for a while, but then just thin it out with more stock just before serving. Also I added a bit of Spanish sweet smoked paprika for a bit of umami taste. And I used a well-seasoned beef stock instead of the vegetable stock so it would not be too bland.
Made the Griddled asparagus spears with lemon dressing (page 339) for lunch today - served as a side dish - presently we are inundated with asparagus and I had no trouble finding it. I did par-boil the asparagus and then plunged it into ice water to prevent it from becoming too soft. Then dried it off very carefully before grilling it - what a treat of a dish (but I am extremely biased as we live in a country of asparagus worshippers (and that´s no exaggeration).
Made the Kohlrabi carpaccio (page 116) yesterday - if you like raw veg and you like kohlrabi, this one is for you - nice and fresh and crunchy and an absolute cinch to put together. I cut the slices with a large knife instead of my beloved mandoline (which I dropped on the floor and broke...) - it still worked fine.
OK my lovely fellow Cottage Cooking Club members - since I have been talking to myself for a few weeks now, I might as well continue my lonely conversation: if you make only one recipe this month and if you like Asian inspired dressing, do make the Herby, peanutty, noodly salad (page 71) - so, so good and so, so versatile. Change the veg, change the noodles you use, use what you have on hand/in your cupboard and what is in season and you will not be disappointed. Klara took the leftovers to school the next day and all her friends wanted the recipe after they had a taste.
I don't want you to feel lonely Andrea! I made the 'spouffle' and it was delicious! Tomorrow I will make the salad to take to a pot luck. It is raining like mad here. I hope you are dry:)
Thank you, Guyla - feeling better already! The Spoufflé is the second to last recipe on my list - we get a lot of fresh spinach these days and I cannot wait to try it on Wednesday. Thank you Guyla, for a while, I thought I was talking to myself here... Andrea
Spring is definitely here! Not only did I find beautiful local asparagus at the farmers' market, but fiddleheads! What shall I do with them? The bruschetta? The pasta?
ReplyDeletePS The spouffle and merguez fries were huge hits here though I'm not sure I would parboil the potatoes for the fries again.
Zosi, now I am really jealous. We cannot get fiddleheads here but I have eaten them in Québec a long time ago and I loved, loved them so much - I am still trying to find a source around here. Fiddleheads lend themselves to many of the same preparations as asparagus. You can serve them warm or with a lovely in a vinaigrette. Of course, you could also add them to the pasta and substitute them for the broccoli or add some to the pearl barley soup. Or top the bruschetta with them. Just a few suggestions. I am hungry and even more jealous.
DeleteSo, we finally ate the Merguez fries today - although I was planning to make them first. I can only repeat what Zosia already said - a huge hit, the kids loved, loved them! And I agree that the par-boiling of the potatoes was probably not really necessary.
DeleteI made the pearl barley soup today - quite nice but somewhat substantial - it certainly thickens quite a bit if you let it sit in the fridge for a while, but then just thin it out with more stock just before serving. Also I added a bit of Spanish sweet smoked paprika for a bit of umami taste. And I used a well-seasoned beef stock instead of the vegetable stock so it would not be too bland.
ReplyDeleteMade the Griddled asparagus spears with lemon dressing (page 339) for lunch today - served as a side dish - presently we are inundated with asparagus and I had no trouble finding it. I did par-boil the asparagus and then plunged it into ice water to prevent it from becoming too soft. Then dried it off very carefully before grilling it - what a treat of a dish (but I am extremely biased as we live in a country of asparagus worshippers (and that´s no exaggeration).
ReplyDeleteMade the Kohlrabi carpaccio (page 116) yesterday - if you like raw veg and you like kohlrabi, this one is for you - nice and fresh and crunchy and an absolute cinch to put together. I cut the slices with a large knife instead of my beloved mandoline (which I dropped on the floor and broke...) - it still worked fine.
ReplyDeleteCourgette (zucchini) bruschetta (page 200) is just wonderful - enjoying it alongside grilled chicken today.
ReplyDeleteOK my lovely fellow Cottage Cooking Club members - since I have been talking to myself for a few weeks now, I might as well continue my lonely conversation: if you make only one recipe this month and if you like Asian inspired dressing, do make the Herby, peanutty, noodly salad (page 71) - so, so good and so, so versatile. Change the veg, change the noodles you use, use what you have on hand/in your cupboard and what is in season and you will not be disappointed. Klara took the leftovers to school the next day and all her friends wanted the recipe after they had a taste.
ReplyDeleteI don't want you to feel lonely Andrea! I made the 'spouffle' and it was delicious! Tomorrow I will make the salad to take to a pot luck. It is raining like mad here. I hope you are dry:)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Guyla - feeling better already! The Spoufflé is the second to last recipe on my list - we get a lot of fresh spinach these days and I cannot wait to try it on Wednesday.
DeleteThank you Guyla, for a while, I thought I was talking to myself here...
Andrea