Full-flavored favas are, to my mind, beans at their best. They’re softer and richer than lima beans and have a grainier texture. They have a strong, herb taste with just a hint of pepper, which makes a perfect Fava Bean & Red Pepper Salad.
Don’t forget to peel the white asparagus or you’ll have a very tough asparagus dish. If you don’t have a grill then cook then in a grill pan over a medium heat.
With juicy strawberries spooned over sweet and tender biscuits, old-fashioned strawberry shortcakes are the perfect springtime dessert. If the berries are very sweet, decrease the sugar to suit your taste. Drop the dough easily by using a lightly greased 1/3 cup dry measure.
Unlike its green-skinned counterpart, white asparagus has a tough, bitter peel that must be removed before cooking. Using a vegetable peeler works very well for this task.
My Oven Roasted Asparagus is a super easy and super delicious side dish for this holiday weekend. Feel free to add more Parmesan cheese if you want.
If you’re starting to plan your Easter menu then think about adding this luscious Easter Coconut Cake as a fitting conclusion.
Finally spring is here and not a moment too soon either! I like to make Asparagus Soup as soon as the really good asparagus comes into the market. The young spears are tender enough to purée easily, and the result is smooth and creamy. The soup is wonderful in any season, actually, as asparagus is usually available year-round in most markets. You can always trim the spears with a vegetable peeler if the ends look at all fibrous.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
I’m all about rhubarb right now. I’ve been making rhubarb jam and now rhubarb pies. These pies are so easy to make and taste divine!
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Hulled & Sliced Strawberries
2 Cups Diced Rhubarb
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Cups Sugar
1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
3 Tablespoons Quick Cooking Tapioca
3 Beaten Eggs
1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Double Pie Crust
In a large-size bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, and lemon juice. In a medium-size bowl, combine sugar, flour, tapioca, eggs, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Stir sugar mixture into rhubarb mixture and set aside for 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place 1 pie crust in an ungreased 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Press crust firmly against sides and bottom. Spoon filling into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal. Flute edges. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Place cookie sheet on oven rack below pie in case of spillover. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake another 40 to 50 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Makes 1 pie – serves 8.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Perfect Mint Juleps
The Kentucky Derby isn’t the only time to drink mint juleps! You’ll love the ease of this recipe and you can keep it in the fridge for up to 6 months.
INGREDIENTS
3 Loosely Packed Cups Washed Fresh Mint Leaves
4 Cups Boiling Water
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Good Quality Whiskey
Extra Mint Sprigs For Garnish (Optional)
Sliced Limes For Garnish (Optional)
Fill large glass bowl with mint leaves. Reserve a few for garnish. Pour boiling water over mint. Cover with plastic wrap, and let steep until mixture reaches room temperature. Strain mint liquid and throw away mint leaves. Add sugar to mint liquid. Stir to dissolve. Add whiskey. Bottle as desired, then cork or seal bottles. Refrigerate up to 6 months. Serve over crushed ice with a sprig of mint and lime slice for garnish. Makes 6 cups.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Asparagus & Pea Soup
Spring is here and asparagus is bountiful. This soup is so delicious that you’ll want to make it all year round.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Trimmed Leeks (White Parts Only)
2 Bunches Trimmed Asparagus
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Diced Onions
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
8 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Peas
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Split leeks in half lengthwise and rinse under cold running water to remove any grit. Cut leeks into 1/2 inch thick slices. Remove tips of asparagus and set aside. Dice asparagus stems into very small pieces. In a small-size pot blanch asparagus tips in salted water over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Drain and transfer tips to a bowl filled with ice water for 1 minute (this stops cooking process). Drain asparagus and set aside. In a large-size pot melt butter over a medium heat. When butter starts to bubble cook leeks and onions over a low heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle in flour over vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Add chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Skim off any residue that rises to top. Add asparagus pieces (chopped stems and tips), peas, kosher salt, thyme and pepper. Cook on medium-low for 5 minutes. The asparagus should be tender. Transfer soup, in batches, to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Return pureed soup to pot and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and serve hot. Serves 8
© Victoria Hart Glavin
