13 Spring Recipes to Add to Your Cooking List - The New York Times

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13 Spring Recipes to Add to Your Cooking List - The New York Times

13 Spring Recipes to Add to Your Cooking List - The New York Times

Posted: 10 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST

The arrival of spring is always a most-welcome event, but, this year, its approach feels even more deserving of celebration. In honor of the warmer weather, bright blooms and vibrant farmers' markets on the horizon, you can and should make these ultimate spring dishes from NYT Cooking, which make the most of the season's verdant produce — and scream "Spring is here!"

Don't think of store-bought frozen puff pastry as a cheat: It's merely a clever shortcut that brings you closer to cutting into this savory tart. Melissa Clark makes expert use of asparagus, that spring superstar, laying it over a tangy and herby crème fraîche base. The result is a dish that is as effortless as it is chic. And if you love the sound of a cheesy, herb-packed tart, but don't love asparagus, look no further than this showstopping feta-and-herb phyllo spiral from Yotam Ottolenghi.

Spring's bounty of vegetables isn't the season's only important marker. It's also the start of grilling season. This recipe from Clare de Boer is a colorful way to celebrate both. Marinated chicken skewers share the spotlight — and the grill top — with a mess of bright scallions. Chicken and scallions alike are nicely charred before they're served atop grilled pitas and dolloped with herby, limey yogurt.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Skewers With Tarragon and Yogurt

For Samin Nosrat, a bowl of ash reshteh signals the arrival of spring. This herbaceous soup of beans, greens and noodles is served leading up to Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which coincides with the vernal equinox on March 20. Like the perfect cardigan, a warm pot of ash reshteh straddles the seasons: It's filled with pounds of fresh herbs, but is thick and hearty like a chili.

Recipe: Ash Reshteh

If canned artichokes are a staple in your winter pantry, then you're probably the type to rejoice when the fresh ones start popping up at stores and markets. Nothing beats simply steamed or roasted artichokes, and this recipe from April Bloomfield employs both methods. First the artichokes are steamed with white wine, then the pot is uncovered so that the liquid evaporates and the vegetables crisp. Capers and mint round out the dish.

Do you hear that? That's the sound of forced rhubarb emerging from the ground — and of farmers' market attendees making their way toward baskets full of the vegetable. Once you've loaded up on tart and tangy stalks, turn to Melissa Clark, who has you covered with a truly piece-of-cake-easy, upside-down number.

Recipes: Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Think of this one-pot minestrone from Kay Chun as a blank canvas for your farmers' market treasures. Swap the green vegetables — asparagus, peas, kale — according to your tastes and what's available. Just don't skip the ginger, which adds a welcome zing to the light broth. For a soup with a similar sensibility, but without the pasta, try Alison Roman's spring tofu soup.

Recipe: Spring Minestrone With Kale and Pasta | Spring Tofu Soup

If a recipe calls for more vegetables than dumplings, does that make it a pasta or a salad? Make these ricotta dumplings with buttered spring vegetables from Alison Roman and decide for yourself. The doughy pillows are the perfect accompaniment for asparagus, peas and pea shoots, and they're a breeze to make.

Recipe: Ricotta Dumplings With Buttered Peas and Asparagus

If cake's not your thing, perhaps you'd rather add Melissa Clark's 45-minute rhubarb and raspberry cobbler to the list instead. Her recipe features cornmeal biscuits, which come together just as easily whisked in a bowl as they do in a food processor. Or go all-in on rhubarb with a pie from Edna Lewis. In her recipe, adapted by Molly O'Neill, Ms. Lewis calls for only eight ingredients (two of which are salt and water). You'll find nary a berry in the mix — just fresh, chopped rhubarb kicked up with a bit of sugar and nutmeg.

Recipe: Rhubarb Raspberry Cobbler With Cornmeal Biscuits | Edna Lewis's Rhubarb Pie

Put some spring in your step with thinly sliced asparagus and a combination of fresh dill, mint and parsley. Ali Slagle takes this 20-minute orzo over the edge by adding garlicky bread crumbs and a super simple lemony dressing. Serve it warm for a light but comforting dinner, or at room temperature for more of an elevated pasta salad feel.

At the risk of sounding like asparagus superfans, here's yet-another recipe where it's the star. Asparagus (obviously) and a lemony herb and arugula salad top this pizza-focaccia hybrid from Susan Spungen, and pancetta, green olives and serrano chiles make for a solid supporting ensemble. Using store-bought pizza dough means dinner can be ready in just 35 minutes.

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Pizza With Asparagus and Arugula

Zesty Lemon Recipes That Take The Citrus Beyond Garnish - Here And Now

Posted: 09 Mar 2021 08:44 AM PST

It's that in-between season for so many East Coast and Midwesterners. The time of year when it's no longer the dead of winter, but it's not spring yet. All the luscious, green spring foods have yet to show up in markets, leaving us in a kind of culinary no man's land. But still we seek brightness and color after a long winter of soups, stews and many root vegetables.

A solution? Lemons are one of the best ways to wake things up in the kitchen. Bright yellow, with a zesty, sour, tart, bright and acidic flavor, lemons can lift the taste of virtually everything we cook — from soups and sauces to meat and fish dishes to cakes, puddings, marmalade, souffles and pies.

This fruit, so often relegated to the side of the plate or squeezed into hot tea or a cold glass of lemonade, offers so many more possibilities.

Here are a few tidbits about lemon:

  • Although they are grown year-round, lemons are considered winter food. The entire fruit can be eaten — the juice used in savory and sweet dishes, and the peel can be candied or zested to add punch to drinks, sauces and cakes.
  • You should always wash the outside of the fruit before you zest it to wash away any chemicals the fruit might have been sprayed with.
  • Most of the lemons we buy in American grocery stores are Eureka or Lisbon lemons. Meyer lemons, which are like a cross between a lemon and an orange, are in season from November until the beginning of May. They have a thinner, smoother peel than regular lemons and are a yellowish-orange color. The flavor of a Meyer lemon is almost floral, sweet and sour. Meyer lemons tend to be very juicy.
  • Lemons are native to Asia.
  • A single lemon tree can produce up to 600 pounds of fruit a year.
  • Lemons happen to be a great source of Vitamin C (one lemon = over 30 milligrams of vitamin C), calcium, fiber, potassium and zinc. They are also considered an antioxidant that boosts your general health.
  • One lemon has about 20 calories.

Fillet Of Sole Piccata

Fillet of sole piccata. (Kathy Gunst)
Fillet of sole piccata. (Kathy Gunst)

Piccata is an Italian word meaning "to be pounded flat." This Italian classic is traditionally made with chicken or veal with a lemon, butter and caper sauce. The same technique and flavors can be used with fresh fish fillets.
The combination of paper thin lemon slices, capers and a splash of white wine makes a simple sauce for lightly sauteed fish fillets.

You can use any type of flat fish fillets; I used a delicate fillet of sole with paper-thin slices of lemon (or Meyer lemon), but flounder, mahi-mahi or snapper also works well. The whole dish takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, and is excellent served with orzo, pasta or rice.

Serves 2 to 4, but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients

  • About ⅓ cup flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound fillet of sole, flounder, red snapper, mahi-mahi, petrale sole, or other flat fish fillet
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ½ tablespoons butter, divided in three pieces
  • 1 large lemon or Meyer lemon, washed and sliced paper thin, seeds removed and each slice cut in half
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • ½ cup dry white wine

Instructions

  1. On a plate mix the flour with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the fish fillets in the seasoned flour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  3. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over high heat until the butter is melted and almost sputtering. Add half the fish fillets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip the fish over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet; the fish should be golden brown and flake easily. Place the cooked fish on an ovenproof serving plate and keep warm in the oven. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and cook the remaining fish. Remove the fish to the plate with the other fillets in the oven; keep warm.
  4. Over high heat, add half the remaining tablespoon of butter and the lemon slices to the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the capers and then the wine and let boil for 1 minute, or until slightly reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter. Spoon the lemon-caper sauce over the fish fillets and serve hot.

Lemon Pudding With Candied Lemon Zest

Lemon pudding with candied lemon zest. (Kathy Gunst)
Lemon pudding with candied lemon zest. (Kathy Gunst)

This is comfort food at its best. Creamy, smooth and bright with the flavor of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. If you want to up this pudding a notch, make a simple batch of candied lemon zest and sprinkle on top. The pudding can be served at room temperature, but I prefer it chilled. The pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. The candied lemon zest will keep for several weeks.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

The Lemon Pudding:

  • 2 large lemons or Meyer lemons, or 3 small
  • ¾ cup sugar (150 grams)
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 ½ cups milk
  • 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • Pinch salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature

The Candied Lemon Zest:

  • 1 large lemon or Meyer lemon, or 2 small
  • ¾ cup sugar (150 grams)

Instructions

  1. Make the pudding: Using a microplane or the smallest knob of a cheese grater, grate the lemons making sure to grate only the yellow peel and not the bitter white pith. Set aside. Juice the lemons and set aside; you should have ½ cup.
  2. Sift the sugar and cornstarch into a medium saucepan. Whisk in the milk, egg yolks, the reserved lemon zest, salt and vanilla extract, and heat over medium-high heat. Whisking frequently, cook the pudding for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved lemon juice and butter and mix until smooth.
  3. Place the pudding into four 1-cup ramekins or 1 medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours and up to 3 days.
  4. To make the candied lemon zest: Using a wide vegetable peeler, remove strips of each lemon making sure to peel off only the yellow peel and not the bitter white pith. Save the lemons to use for another dish. Place the lemon zest in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the water.
  5. Place the zest back into the saucepan with ½ cup of the sugar and ½ cup water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove the lemon peel strips.
  6. Meanwhile, place the remaining ¼ cup of the sugar onto a large piece of parchment or wax paper.
  7. Place the strained lemon strips on the parchment paper with the sugar and roll it in the sugar making sure it adheres to all sides. Remove the candied peel from the sugar, The candied zest will keep in a tightly sealed jar for several weeks. Be sure not to throw out the sweet syrup the zest cooked in; a teaspoon is delicious spooned on top of the pudding, or drizzled on top of pancakes or waffles, or added to drinks.
  8. Serve the pudding cold or room temperature sprinkled with the candied lemon zest.

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake With Pistachio-Lemon Glaze

Lemon, or preferably Meyer lemon, is used in several ways in this sweet and sour cake: Grated zest is used to flavor the cake, lemon juice is used in the cake and then poured into tiny holes in the cake just after it cools from the oven. A quick glaze — made by simmering thin strips of lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar and chopped salted pistachios nuts — is poured on top of the cooled cake.

The cake will last, covered and refrigerated, for about 5 days.

Serves 6 to 8.

Meyer lemon pound cake with pistachio-lemon glaze. (Kathy Gunst)
Meyer lemon pound cake with pistachio-lemon glaze. (Kathy Gunst)

Ingredients

The Lemon Cake:

  • 2 large Meyer or regular lemons
  • 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (224 grams)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Lemon-Pistachio Glaze

  • 1 large Meyer or regular lemon
  • 1/3 cup shelled, salted pistachios, chopped or finely chopped*
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)

Instructions

  1. Generously butter or use canola oil spray to grease a 9 X 4 loaf pan; set aside.
  2. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Using a microplane or the smallest knobs on a cheese grater, zest the lemons. Juice one or two of the lemons to get 3 tablespoons of lemon juice; set aside.
  4. Place the sugar in a small bowl. Add the lemon zest to the sugar and, using your fingers, blend it into the sugar to infuse it with a lemony essence.
  5. Using a mixer or a hand held mixer, blend the butter until soft. Add the lemon sugar and blend for 4 minutes; the mixture should look creamy and soft. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
  6. In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  7. Add half the flour mixture to the butter/sugar and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla extract; mix well. Then add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until there are no visible signs of flour in the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and, using a soft spatula, smooth out the top.
  8. Place the cake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, turning the pan once about halfway through baking. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the center of the cake doesn't look gooey or moist and the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  9. After 10 minutes, use a toothpick to poke about 12 holes in the cake. Pour the 3 tablespoons of reserved lemon juice over the cake so it will be absorbed into the holes. Don't worry if the juice spills out over the sides of the cake into the pan. Let cool completely.
  10. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Use a wide vegetable peeler, peel off strips of yellow zest off the lemon, being careful not to include the bitter white pith. Once you've removed almost all the peel off the lemon cut the peel into thin julienne strips. Juice the lemon and set aside; you should have 3 tablespoons juice.
  11. In a small pot combine the lemon strips, pistachios, sugar and the 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened and bubbling.
  12. When the cake is fully cooled, remove from the pan. Pour the warm glaze on top and let sit about 10 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature of wrap in foil and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Other Favorite Lemon Recipes

This segment aired on March 9, 2021.

Reveling in random recipes | Food | montrosepress.com - Montrose Daily Press

Posted: 09 Mar 2021 11:00 AM PST

As a young mother during the 1980s, I joined a recipe card club. I wanted to expand my food knowledge and try new and exciting meals.

The cards were printed in Holland, Norway and West Germany, no less, and were stored in a large smoky brown plastic case. The first order to begin the collection was 100 or so cards, and each month another packet of 20 to 30 cards would arrive to add to the box.

It was the '80s, and the recipes are full of meats, cheeses and sauces. To be honest, there are some recipes in the box I was wary of trying then — even more so today!

My older sister, Connie, who lived next door to me, was the Ethel to my Lucy. Whenever a new package of potential culinary experimentation arrived, we excitedly analyzed each one.

About once a month, we would each pick a card or two, go to our respective kitchens and, hours later, have a joint family meal. Granted, a few of these experiments raised a few eyebrows from the husbands and skeptical side-eyes from the kids, but that didn't damper our enthusiasm.

We would hit the jackpot with our choices every now and then, and the recipes would evolve into family favorites. Sadly, my beloved sister passed away in 1995, and, as happens with families, the small children around our dinner tables grew up and now have children of their own.

The plastic case, still filled to the brim, has a permanent spot on the top of my refrigerator. I have fond, everlasting memories of my sister and me choosing cards at random and cooking dinner for our unsuspecting families.

So — guess what? I decided to do the same thing with you, my column readers! I've chosen three recipes at random for all of us to try.

Who knows? One (or all!) of these may become some of your family's favorites!

Who doesn't love tacos? Who doesn't like the ease of making sloppy Joes? Introducing the perfect combination of the two!

As a timesaver during the week, you can prepare the sandwich filling in advance, refrigerate and reheat before serving. This recipe will make four servings but is easily doubled.

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons ketchup

• 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

• 4 large hamburger buns, split and buttered

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

• Garnishes: diced tomatoes, black olives, taco sauce, sour cream

In a skillet, sauté beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender.

Stir in tomatoes, ketchup, chili powder to taste, salt and mustard. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Spoon meat mixture into hamburger buns. Top with shredded cheese and lettuce. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.

GLAZED BLUE CHEESE MEATBALLS

This recipe is for those who love the combination of blue cheese and beef. Serve as an entree with rice or mashed potatoes, or make them a smaller size and keep them warm in a crockpot as an appetizer at your next party.

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 1 tablespoon sliced green onions

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• Chopped parsley

Combine beef with blue cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt and seasoned salt. Shape into 12 meatballs.

Melt butter in a skillet. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Cover skillet. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove meatballs with a slotted spoon and put them in a serving dish. Add cream to drippings. Cook over medium to high heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until sauce is satiny. Spoon glaze over meatballs and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

WILD RICE WITH MUSHROOMS

Sweet Harold was excited when he learned of this random choice for us to try as he loves wild rice AND mushrooms. Serve as a side dish for roasts or broiled salmon. Halve the recipe ingredients for two servings, or double the ingredients for eight servings.

• 2/3 cup uncooked wild rice

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion

• 1 tablespoon minced parsley

• 1 tablespoon minced chives

• 1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper

• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Dash of nutmeg

Wash wild rice in four changes of water; drain. Add rice to boiling water. Cook, covered, at a simmer for 45 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Set aside.

Melt the butter. Add the onion, parsley, chives and green pepper. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring. Add whole mushrooms and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, frequently stirring. Combine cooked wild rice and the vegetable mixture. Add salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Toss lightly to blend.

Laura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, has been sharing recipes, table decor ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com for more than eight years. She won the Duke Mayonnaise 100th Anniversary nationwide recipe contest for her Alabama White BBQ Sauce. You can contact her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5, on Instagram and fleurdelolly@yahoo.com.

New & Noteworthy, From Vivian Gornick’s Essays to No-Recipe Recipes - The New York Times

Posted: 09 Mar 2021 06:03 AM PST

I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement, by Jessica Zucker. (Feminist Press, paper, $18.95.) The author, a psychologist specializing in maternal mental health, struggled after her own pregnancy ended in miscarriage; this memoir seeks to destigmatize the issue.

SHAKING THE GATES OF HELL: A Search for Family and Truth in the Wake of the Civil Rights Revolution, by John Archibald. (Knopf, $28.) In this self-critical exposé of white privilege, a Birmingham News columnist born at the height of the civil rights movement examines his roots in a line of Methodist preachers.

TAKING A LONG LOOK: Essays on Culture, Literature, and Feminism in Our Time, by Vivian Gornick. (Verso, $26.95.) Spanning five decades from the 1970s on, this collection of previously published work includes incisive assessments of Lore Segal, Mary McCarthy and James Salter, among others.

THE PORNIFICATION OF AMERICA: How Raunch Culture Is Ruining Our Society, by Bernadette Barton. (NYU, $24.95.) Zippy and well illustrated, this book persuasively argues that "equating hypersexualization with sex positivity is a form of Orwellian doublespeak."

THE NEW YORK TIMES COOKING NO-RECIPE RECIPES, by Sam Sifton. (Ten Speed, paper, $28.) The first cookbook from The Times's popular Cooking app is less a recipe collection than a spur to improvisation, with lavish photos.

Growing up watching Bollywood movies might have primed me for romantic stories about people who look and sound like me. But that's not entirely true, especially when fairness, caste, class and even body type dictate so much of what is depicted. In the literary world, I find myself instead turning to the Y.A. magic spun by Sandhya Menon. In THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE, we have at the center Sweetie: a fat Indian girl who isn't apologetic about who she is or how she looks, despite her mother's efforts to convince her of the contrary. She goes against her family's wishes without inhibitions, eventually finding love with Ashish. Together, they must figure out how to weigh family expectations against the bliss of young love. Menon's female characters always feel at once relatable and realistic, making it super easy to root for them. With lighthearted banter and a fierce brown girl at the helm, this book remains one of my top favorites to revisit in these difficult times.

—Priya Arora, social editor


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