In the Kitchen

Asparagus yield went into the stratosphere this week as that crop finally hit its stride. We pick it three times a week just to stay on top of it, and it is no small job in the spring with other things always on our plates. We decided to put two bunches in the box this week because asparagus is like the sweet corn of May. For a bevy of ideas about using it, refer back to last week’s newsletter. By far my favorite preparation for asparagus is to drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and grill or broil until tender. If I’m feeling really fancy I’ll squeeze some lemon juice over the top.

Asparagus Pizza

Dough for pizzas doesn’t have to be hard. In the past, we’ve kept frozen Boboli crusts available for emergencies. These days, I’ve got my bread machine programmed to make the dough; I set it up in the morning in under three minutes, and at the end of the workday I’ve got pizza dough waiting.

2 pizza crusts
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1/2 lb asparagus
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup coarsely grated parmesan
salt

Preheat the oven to 500. Slice the asparagus spears in half lengthwise, then slice the halves into two or three pieces; you should end up with something like a course julienne. Toss with 1/4 cup olive oil. Mix the remaining olive oil with the thyme and spread over the pizza crust. Salt to taste. Top with the asparagus, mozzarella, and parmesan. Cook in the oven for about ten minutes, or until crust and cheese are lightly browned.

The overwintered spinach is heading over the hump now. We divided Wednesday’s harvest into “cooking” and “salad” spinach because the two varieties we planted are growing at very different rates. The cooking spinach would make a fine salad, you’d just have to chop the leaves a little bit. And, of course, you can cook up the salad spinach, too, if you prefer. Although it hardly fits with the foodie scene, I do love spinach steamed until soft, drained, and topped with butter and salt.

Carrots are still storing well, and we’ve been especially enjoying them cooked in various ways. Mostly, we keep it simple with carrots, sautéing in olive oil or steaming them, but occasionally I like to do something a little more.

Spicy Carrot Salad

2 lbs carrots
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne

Julienne the carrots. Whisk together the remaining ingredients until emulsified (alternately, have your seven-year old shake in a covered jar for several minutes). Toss the dressing with the carrots and serve.

While cress is often treated like a microgreen and reserved for garnishing fancy dishes, I’ve enjoyed using its tangy flavor around the kitchen this spring. In general, add it last or dress it separately to keep it in top condition, and don’t dress it until you are ready to serve it.

Carrot Salad with Cress

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 large carrots, julienne
1/2 cup cress
salt and pepper

Whisk together the onion, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Dress the carrots first, and top with the cress.