Sautéed Fiddlehead Ferns
These bright green fronds lend themselves to many of the same uses as asparagus. Here they shine with a simple dressing of butter and lemon juice.
Ingredients:
24 freshly-picked fiddlehead fern fronds
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Remove the dry, sheath-like papery particles from the fiddleheads. Fill a medium bowl with cool water; add 1 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Add ferns, and push them down into the water several times to clean them. Transfer to paper towel to drain.
2. On a steamer rack set over an inch of water in a saucepan, steam fiddleheads, covered, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fiddleheads, and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Casarecce Pasta with Sautéed Fiddleheads
This light spring pasta is kissed with fiddleheads, fresh green garlic and parsley butter for a delightfully-fresh flavor.
Ingredients:
1 pound Lagana Foods casarecce pasta
¼ pound fiddleheads, thoroughly washed and trimmed
3 bulbs green garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Farm & Larder parsley compound butter
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until casarecce is al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the fiddleheads and green garlic, tossing to coat with oil. Season with salt, pepper and just a pinch of red pepper flakes, then cover and sweat until ferns are tender and garlic is fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the fiddleheads and garlic, then toss with the parsley compound butter. If pasta seems a little dry, mix in reserved pasta water. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Sauteed Winter Greens with Buttered Baby Leeks
Sublime herb- and cheese-kissed crumbs finish these sautéed greens.
Ingredients:
1 pound braising greens, washed and trimmed of tough stalks
3 baby leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon grated Grana-style cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Lemon wedges for garnish
Method:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan. When the foaming subsides, add the breadcrumbs and stir constantly over a high heat until crisp and golden. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and the chopped thyme leaves. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and leave to cool, then stir in grated Grana.
2. In the same frying pan, melt the additional 2 tablespoons of butter and add leeks, cooking over medium-low heat until the leeks are soft and almost caramelized. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, turn heat to medium-high and add in braising greens, sautéing until slightly wilted.
3. Arrange greens and leeks neatly on a warmed serving dish and scatter over the bread crumbs. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.
Sautéed Tokyo Bekana with Sesame, Ginger & Soy Sauce
Fragrant ginger and sesame oil lend big flavor to this dish of sautéed greens.
Ingredients:
2 pounds Tokyo bekana (or any Asian green)
4 tablespoons light sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 teaspoons peeled and minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
Method:
1. In a wide heavy sauté pan or wok over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the sesame seeds and stir until they pop and become fragrant. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
2. Add the greens and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, raise the heat and cook, covered, for 1 minute. Uncover and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes more, until the greens are tender but still bright green. Stir in more soy sauce and vinegar to taste, and serve immediately.
Sautéed Fava Greens with Garlic
Boasting a sweet flavor similar to pea shoots, fava greens are absolutely delicious sautéed with fragrant garlic.
Ingredients:
4 cups fava greens, washed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Gently warm the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Soften garlic in warm oil for 2-3 minutes (do not allow garlic to brown).
2. Turn heat up to medium-high, and add fava greens, salt and pepper and sauté, stirring frequently for 3 minutes, or until the greens are wilted. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and serve.
Garlic-Sautéed Kale Rapini
Rich and vibrant, beautiful kale rapini is seasoned with fresh garlic in this appealing side dish.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale rapini
3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Once boiling, drop the rapini into the water to quickly blanch the greens (this will only take a minute, the dark greens will become a brighter green once softened).
2. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the garlic, sautéing until soft and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove kale rapini greens from the pot and place directly into the sauté pan, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Toss all the ingredients together. Once greens are almost fully wilted, about 1-2 minutes, remove from the heat and serve.
Variation: This dish is also delightful with the addition of ¼ cup raisins, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts and a splash of balsamic vinegar once the kale is sautéed with the garlic; serve warm or at room temperature.
White Polenta with Wild Mushroom Confit
This creamy dish is deeply-flavorful, accented with truffles, wild mushrooms and spring greens.
Ingredients:
White polenta mix
Farm & Larder mushroom confit
Sautéed greens with garlic (see recipe)
4 cups chicken stock
¼ cup water
Grated Vecchio cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring chicken stock and ¼ cup water to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Add polenta mix in a slow stream, whisking until incorporated. Simmer, stirring frequently with a long-handled whisk or wooden spoon, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is thick and soft, about 10 minutes.
2. While polenta simmers, transfer mushroom confit to a non-stick skillet and gently re-warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. (The re-warmed mushrooms may release a little excess butter. Try mixing it into the polenta, or with roasted vegetables, to provide extra depth of flavor.)
3. Remove polenta from heat and stir in Vecchio cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with warm mushroom confit and sautéed greens. Serve immediately.
Pappardelle Pasta with Sautéed Chanterelle Mushrooms & Herbs
Rich with locally-foraged mushrooms and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of fall.
Ingredients:
1 pound semolina pappardelle
2 cups Chanterelle mushrooms, washed and patted dry
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup combined fresh chopped parsley, sage and thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add Chanterelle mushrooms and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft and tender and then add chicken stock and cook until reduced slightly, another 3-4 minutes. Add in fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add in drained pasta and toss everything together. Add in reserved 1 tablespoon of butter and grated cheese, and mix to distribute. If pasta seems dry, add in reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until adequately moist.
Fresh Pappardelle with Sautéed Pioppino Mushrooms
Also rich with chicken stock and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of mellow, earthy Pioppino mushrooms.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh pappardelle
2 cups Pioppino mushrooms, washed and patted dry
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup combined fresh chopped parsley, sage and thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup grated Grana-style cheese
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft and tender and then add chicken stock and cook until reduced slightly, another 3-4 minutes. Add in fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add in the drained pasta and toss. Add in reserved 1 tablespoon of butter and grated cheese, and mix to distribute. If pasta seems dry, add in reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until adequately moist.
Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
Also tossed with sweet onions and a topping of Grana-style cheese, this pasta is incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bucatini pasta, or other fresh pasta of your choice
2 cups mini baby Shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, peeled and diced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
¼ cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until the bucatini is al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the skillet. Once warm, add the onions, mushrooms and garlic, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and sweat until mushrooms are tender and garlic is fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables, then toss everything together with the rest of the olive oil and butter. If pasta seems a little dry, mix in reserved pasta water. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with Grana-style cheese to sprinkle over pasta.