Spring dishes are sprouting

Along with the forsythia and spring blossoms, the dandelions and chives are up and ready to be cut. If you’d like to make some tasty use of the ones in your backyard, be sure there are no pesticides or herbicides on them. Or buy them at the farmers market, and be sure to wash them thoroughly with vegetable spray or white vinegar and water (1/4 cup vinegar to 2 quarts water.)

I snip chives over salad, rice pilaf, and roasted potatoes. For a great treat without “onion breath,” add chive spears to a chicken, ham, or turkey sandwich. (Or make chive butter to spread on whole wheat.) Young, tender spring dandelions stir-fried with garlic in olive oil make an excellent side dish to serve with meat.

Cream of dandelion soup reminds me of growing up on an organic farm, where the arrival of fresh greens, no matter how bitter or strong, signaled that summer was surely on its way after a long cold winter.

Adding leeks, pepper, and chives to puréed parsnips will have everyone asking for a second helping of “those mashed potatoes.” It works well as a side dish to most every entrée.

Baby artichokes, cashews, and chives could be served on their own, but using them together as a topping on moist red snapper fillets makes a winning combo for a spring dinner party. Bon appetit!

Cream of Dandelion Soup

(Serves 6)

2 pounds young dandelion greens, thoroughly washed

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 quart scalded milk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup good quality veal or chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup snipped fresh chives, with a few pinches reserved for garnish

About 1 cup homemade garlic croutons

To prepare:

Wash the greens in several changes of water and spin dry in a salad spinner to remove the sand. If they are tough, blanch them in boiling salted water, drain and squeeze dry. Chop fine.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt four tablespoons butter and, when the foam subsides, 
sauté the dandelions until all 
the water has evaporated, and reserve.

Meanwhile, in another large saucepan over moderate high heat, add remaining butter and 
sauté carrots, celery, and onion until the vegetables are soft and translucent.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes. 
With a wire whisk, pour the scalded milk into the pan, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, and bring 
to a boil. Add salt and pepper and simmer, stirring every now and then, for 30 minutes (béchamel sauce.)

Meanwhile, add the veal or chicken stock to the dandelions and simmer until the dandelions are almost dry once again.

Combine the béchamel sauce with the dandelions and blend well. Transfer the soup in batches to the food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

Meanwhile, wash the stockpot, set a strainer over the pot and return the purée to the pot. With a wire whisk mix the heavy cream and mustard together and then add to the soup.

Gently reheat, without boiling, to bring the soup to a simmer. Taste and correct the seasonings.

Stir in the chives and ladle into warm soup plates. Garnish the top with croutons and a pinch of snipped chives.

Purée of Parsnipswith Leeks and Chives

(Serves 6)

5 to 6 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

About 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 leeks, washed, trimmed and cut into 2-inch julienne

1 red pepper, diced small

About 1/4 cup snipped chives

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To prepare:

In a large saucepan over high heat, add the parsnips and enough stock to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until they are tender, about 25 minutes.

Drain well and place in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, adding a little olive oil through the feeding tube. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside in a warm place.

While the parsnips are cooking, coat with oil the bottom of a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the leeks until golden, about 10 minutes. Add red pepper and continue cooking until tender, then add salt and pepper.

Fold sautéed vegetables and chives into the parsnip purée. Taste and correct the seasonings, serve at once.

Red Snapper with Baby Artichoke, Cashew, and Chive Topping

(Serves 6)

For the topping:

6 baby artichokes, tough outer leaves, stems, and leaf tops removed

2 lemons, zest julienned and juice squeezed

Sea salt

About 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped toasted cashews

1/3 cup snipped chives

For the snapper:

Six 6-ounce red snapper fillets, with skin

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Few long chives for garnish

To prepare:

Make the topping ahead of time.

Pull away the outer leaves of the baby artichokes, trim the stems and cut off the tops of the leaves and cut the artichokes into quarters. Be sure to squeeze lemon juice over them as you work, dropping them into a bowl to catch the juices. Sprinkle with salt.

Coat with olive oil the bottom of a large skillet over medium high heat, adding more as needed to sauté the artichokes. Turn them often, until they are golden and tender, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, add toasted cashews and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the artichokes are fork tender, about 3 to 4 minutes longer.

Stir in lemon zest and chives. Remove from the heat and reserve.

To prepare the snapper:

With a very sharp knife, cut a few diagonal slashes in the skin, but not into the flesh of the fish. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.

Film with olive oil the bottom of a large skillet over medium high heat.

Place the skin side down in the hot skillet and sauté until crisp and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and sauté until golden and the flesh flakes, about 3 minutes longer or according to your personal preference.

Place the fillets with the skin side up on warm dinner plates. Spoon the artichoke/chive topping on the side and garnish with two spears of chives over the whole affair.