Spring in Swing Recipes

All signs point to spring—budding trees in the orchard, cheery daffodils popping out of the soil and the arrival of fresh spring “greenery” from the gardens in the form of asparagus, micro broccoli and rainbow Swiss chard, plus sunflower and pea shoots. Thus, spring fare takes center stage in this week’s basket, with a housemade potato-leek soup, imported pasta and flaky smoked salmon all to help accent the bevy of produce that also includes cauliflower, Koru apples and leeks—so open up our delivery, perhaps nibble a Dick Taylor chocolate bunny as you peruse recipes, and then enjoy all that the season has to offer!

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

Smoked Salmon & Leek Frittata
Paired with a crisp salad, this stunningly-simple dish is fantastic for breakfast, brunch or lunch!

Pasta with Sautéed Spring Greens & Chevre
This incredibly-satisfying pasta is quite versatile: Use any combination of your favorite hearty greens!

Baked Fennel
This classic Italian finocchi gratinati is simply sublime.

Cara Cara Orange & Fennel Salad
This crisp, citrus-kissed salad is both bold in flavor and beautiful in presentation.

Honey-Balsamic Roasted Carrots
This slam-dunk recipe from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy makes the best of crisp carrots.

Asparagus with Sauce Gribiche
Bright green asparagus spears are drizzled with a classic French-style cold egg sauce in this refreshing recipe.

Pasta with Sautéed Spring Greens & Chevre

This incredibly-satisfying pasta is very versatile: Use any combination of your favorite hearty greens!

Ingredients:
1 pound pasta of your choice
6 cups mixed spring greens, such as a mix of this week’s micro broccoli, sunflower shoots, pea shoots
1 bunch Swiss chard, tough ribs removed and greens coarsely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup Chevre cheese, crumbled
¼ pine nuts, toasted

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the skillet. Once warm, add the garlic and all the greens, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and sweat until greens are just wilted and tender and garlic is fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Add drained pasta to the skillet, 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 crumbled Chevre and pine nuts on top.

Southwest Flavor Recipes

Nothing perks up the taste buds quite like the flavors of the Southwest, so enjoy the region’s smoky, spicy style this week with fixings for a build-your-own-taco night: Skagit River Ranch’s signature chorizo sausage, locally-crafted whole-wheat tortillas and both our fresh housemade pico de gallo and Southwest Ranch dressing. Accented by radishes, turnips, avocado, limes and even the first strawberries of the season, plus multigrain bread and farm-fresh eggs, this spectacular lineup will do the Southwest proud.

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

Avocado-Radish Slaw
This creamy-yet-crunchy slaw would be fantastic layered into your taco this week.

Chorizo Scramble
Or, try breakfast burritos this week: Just whip up this spicy scramble and serve it in tortillas with cheese and pico de gallo on top!

Grilled Turnips with Mint & Lime
The combination of mint and lime adds summery appeal to these tender-crisp grilled turnips.

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette
A fresh blend of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic adds big flavor to grilled asparagus stalks.

Spring Greens with Butter-Poached Radishes
This earthy salad is beautiful topped with buttery radishes.

Charred Scallion Gremolata
This smoky sauce is wonderful slathered on grilled bread.

Honey-Roasted Pear Salad with Thyme-Apple Verjus Vinaigrette

This salad is a stunner!

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
4 ripe but firm Bosc pears (about 2 ½ pounds), halved, cored
¼ cup honey
6 cups mixed spring greens, such as this week’s Wrinkled Crinkled Cress, Claytonia and salad mix
6 ounces blue cheese, sliced or coarsely crumbled
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Dressing:
⅓ cup apple verjus
⅓ cup olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Method:
1. To prepare the dressing, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Scatter thyme sprigs on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the pear halves cut side down on a work surface. Starting ½ -inch from stem and leaving the pear half intact, cut each lengthwise into scant ⅓- to 1/2 -inch-wide slices. Press pear gently to fan slices; place atop thyme sprigs. Drizzle pears with honey; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand on a baking sheet at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

3. Combine the greens in a large bowl. Add a drizzle dressing and toss to coat, adding more to taste. Divide the salad among plates and place a pear half on top of the greens. Garnish salads with cheese; sprinkle with nuts.

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