Finally, spring is officially here although it has been pretty cold lately. The weather has had quite an influence on my daily cooking. As I have been anticipating spring, I started to shop for groceries to create spring dishes. The next thing I know, the temperature dropped and my body still craved warm, comfy, fatty foods. Nevertheless, I persevered and started preparing dishes to usher in spring. My mouth has been drooling at the sight of thick fat asparagus, colored beets, fresh fennel, artichokes and all the little baby greens and potatoes. I have been itching to try out some new recipes with all the new spring crops. Hopefully the weather will start getting warmer and spring will be in full swing in the next few days.

Mother’s Day

This year Mother’s Day falls on May 13th. Many of you may have made plans to take your mom out for a special meal. We all know what Fayetteville restaurants are like during special events or holidays. It is hard to get reservations at any restaurant unless you do not mind waiting or standing in line for an hour or more! Instead, why not try your hand at preparing a special meal for her. It would definitely make mom’s day even more special. Cooking a special meal need not be complicated, take a lot of time or work. All these issues can be avoided with proper planning ahead of time. If you do plan to make a special meal for mom, break the menu preparation into several days. Maybe some of the dishes can be made and frozen in advance to be thawed on the day of serving. Buying some ready-prepared sides to accent the main course will cut down on a lot of preparation time. Adding your own finishing touch to the store-bought item will also make the dish more homemade. There is no harm in purchasing a main dish or a side dish from one of your favorite restaurants and adding either your own main dish or sides to go along with it.

For those of you who would like to try your hand at cooking for your mom, here is an easy make ahead recipe that you can prepare for her.

   Sautéed Chicken with Shallot-Herb Vinaigrette

   6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
   2/3 cup grated shallots (about 5)
   4 teaspoons plus 7 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
   2 cups minced shallots (about 10)
   1/4 cup Sherry wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
   4 tablespoons water
   1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
   2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
   2 teaspoons honey

   Method

1.   Place chicken, grated shallots, and 4 teaspoons oil in large bowl; toss. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours.
2. Bring 1/3 cup minced shallots, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until shallots are soft, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in 5 tablespoons oil, parsley, cilantro, honey, and 2 tablespoons water. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining minced shallots; sauté about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, add chicken to skillet; sauté until cooked through, adding more oil if necessary, about 6 minutes per side.
4. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Divide chicken among 6 plates. Sprinkle with sautéed shallots. Bring sauce to simmer. Spoon over chicken and serve.

Serves 6

Book of the Month

Windows On The World by Kevin Zraly. I love wine! I love wine with food even more! Nonetheless, I am a novice when it comes to pairing wine with food. I am starting to educate my palate by understanding the complex flavors of wine; its acidity, sweetness, sometimes bitterness, tannin and the feel of it in my mouth. The region where the grapes are grown plays an important part. I find Windows On the World very informative where all the above are concern. Kevin Zraly explains the fundamentals of wine; its history, geography, the different kinds of wine, variety of grapes, etc. What I like best about the author is his approach to wine, which is non-intimidating. He puts it in a simple outline that any novice like me can understand. Best of all, it is not boring! So if you are interested in learning more about wines or what wines to buy, try reading Kevin Zraly’s book. I am still reading it and learning a lot.

By the way, Fayetteville has a new wine club. It is called Fayetteville Wine Society. The wine society meets once a month at the Hilltop House Restaurant, hosted by Kristine, Hilltop House’ Sommelier; Nick of Luigi’s Restaurant, and Theresa of Grapes and Hops. If you are interested, you can call the Hilltop House to make your reservations. The club is open to everyone.

Spring Menu

As mentioned earlier, I have been itching to try out some new spring menus. I have been taking a look at a variety of savory tarts that would make a good light meal either for brunch, lunch and even dinner. I have also been experimenting with some grains with old favorites like barley and lentils. They are a good alternative to regular starches such as potatoes or rice as they are a more complex grain and very healthy. Try some of these recipes out.

MASCARPONE, HAM, AND ASPARAGUS TART
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Pie Crust
One 12-inch purchased pie crust. Place in bottom and press all around sides of 10-inch tart pan with 1-inch high sides: Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool.

For tart filling, mix in medium bowl:
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
4 teaspoons coarse-grained mustard
Salt
Pepper

1 pound asparagus, trimmed. Drop in large pan of salted boiling water. Cook 3 minutes; drain. Cool in bowl of ice water. Drain, then slice each spear into 4 or 5 pieces:
 
Toss asparagus in medium bowl with:
5 cups baby spinach
8 ounces thinly sliced ham or prosciutto , cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon peel
Salt
Pepper

To assemble tart, spread filling evenly into cooled crust. Top with asparagus-ham (or prosciutto)-baby spinach mixture and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Mediterranean Barley Salad

1-1/3 cups water
2/3 cup quick-cooking barley
½ cup diced roasted red peppers
12 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
12 turkey pepperoni slices, halved
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 ounces crumbled low-fat feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 can (16 ounces) low-sodium navy beans
1 can (14 ounces) sliced hearts of palm
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Method

1. In 1-quart saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Add barley, return to boil. Reduce heat, cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes or until barley is tender.
2. Meanwhile, in medium mixing bowl, combine roasted peppers, olives, pepperoni, onion, feta, basil and red pepper flakes and set aside.
3.  When barley is cooked, place in colander, top with beans and run under cold water until barley is cool and beans are rinsed.
4. Add hearts of palm to beans and barley in colander and shake off excess liquid. Add to roasted pepper mixture with oil, vinegar and salt and toss gently to blend.
5. Cover tightly and refrigerate until needed.

Serves 4

Taken from Easy Home Cooking Magazine

Ingredient of the Month

Artichokes—If you haven’t had a chance to try a fresh artichoke, now is the time. It is nothing like the canned stuff or the marinated ones you get in the jar. When I used to live in California, I could get artichokes in abundance. Here in the South, artichokes are not that popular and hard to come by (good, fresh, decent looking ones that is). You most probably have tried artichokes before in the form of a dip, marinated artichokes added in antipasti or even the frozen ones. Spring is the best time to buy artichokes, the fresh ones that is, as they are in season. I have included a website that explains what is an artichoke, and for those of you who have never seen an artichoke, this website also shows you a picture of an artichoke; http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/artichoke.htm.
When people refer to an artichoke in cooking, they tend to mean the globe artichoke, of the thistle family. Two other artichokes, the Jerusalem and the Chinese, are also eaten, but they are vastly different from the globe. The Jerusalem is a form of daisy, and the root or tuber is eaten. The Chinese artichoke derives from the woundwort plant, and the tuber is also considered the edible part. Conversely, the edible part of the globe is the thistle top. Only a tiny part of the vegetable is eaten. The exterior is hard and inflexible, even when cooked, and one must peel off each leaf to get to the “heart of the plant.” A tiny amount of the bottom of the leaf is often dipped in sauces like mayonnaise, before the teeth scrape off the flesh of the plant. The heart, as well, needs to be separated from its hard thistle bottom to be edible. Thus the artichoke takes a bit of work for the eater. All the same, artichokes are delicious and they are versatile when it comes to adding this vegetable to dishes as they have a mild flavor and is also high in vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, making it a good nutritional choice.

Kitchen Tips
Do you love meatloaf but do not like all the grease it exudes after baking? Try this; line the bottom of the loaf pan with slices of bread. Place the meat mixture in the pan and bake as usual. The bread will absorb most of the fat from the meat as it cooks. Discard the bread before serving. You can also try this; perforate a disposal aluminum pan with holes at the bottom. Place your meatloaf in the perforated pan and sit the perforated pan on top of a cooling rack in a baking sheet pan. The grease will filter down to the baking sheet pan.
Do your hands burn when chopping hot chilies? Try this. Pour some vinegar over your hands after chopping the chilies and it will stop the burning.
Kitchen Techniques
How to Poach an Egg--To poached eggs, follow these three simple steps:

1.Bring water and vinegar to a gentle simmer in a large skillet.
2. Crack one egg into a ramekin. Dip a side of the ramekin into the skillet, allowing the water to fill it and displace the egg. Repeat with remaining eggs (poaching no more than three eggs at a time).
3. When the whites have just set, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Refrigerate until ready to rewarm.
Well I hope this month’s newsletter has inspired you to bring out your pots and pans and start cooking. With spring in the air and the appearance of wonderful fresh produce, try your hand at quick, simple, and delicious recipes. Remember, cooking can be a fun way to bring your family together and also a great stress reliever. Until the next issue, eat well, stay healthy, and enjoy life to the fullest.
"Born to the earth are three kinds of creatures. 
Some are winged and fly.
Some are furred and run.
 Still others stretch their mouths and talk.
All must eat and drink to survive. "