Tomato season is finally upon us. You have no idea how giddy this makes me. Yesterday I pulled off two Sungold cherries, two Jaune Flamme saladettes and who knows what the other red variety was. I’ve lost track. And my peppers are not far behind. It’s time to start thinking about salsa!
Chef Nadine Nelson celebrates Italian cuisine and starts Spring with socializing and the bounty of the first harvest.
She shows us how to make a Ramp, Asparagus and Morel Frittata which uses farm fresh eggs, seasonal produce, and is the perfect dish to make for an antipasti party.
Global Local Gourmet specializes in interactive culinary education.
The oyster has been the ultimate symbol for edible aphrodisiacs. It is the universal emblem for sex and fertility. As Spring is the time to plant seeds and the Oyster has the magical ability to make pearls, in Connecticut we are lucky enough to have some wonderful Atlantic bivalve mollusks that are plump and appealing in salinity. Oysters thrive in Connecticut’s tidal waves and brackish coasts. Consumed by Connecticut’s Native Americas in great numbers, the early Europeans saw oysters as a viable staple in their colonial diets. There are many shellfish species associated with the Connecticut shoreline; however the oyster is king and respected for its flamboyant history, economic foundation, and revered reputation for excellence. I love serving them because they are sexy and an easy amuse bouche or starter for your honored guests. Once you get the hang of opening them which is easy when you have the right tools, all you have do is make a simple dressing or just have some interesting hot sauces and a little horseradish if you like and you have a superb start to a great evening.The mignonette below is super fast and compliments the brininess of the oysters with the sweetness of mango. Since it is spring and we all need a break, this recipe makes a tropical bite size treat.
½ cup mango juice ¼ cup minced chives 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and serve over freshly shucked oysters and clams.
Serves 10-12 as appetizer; 4-6 lunch sized portions
2 cups fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved (about ½ lb) ½ pound fresh asparagus ¼ cup ramps (white bulbs chopped; chiffonade green tops) 10 eggs 3 ounce chevre (fresh goat cheese) 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted 3 teaspoons olive oil pinch cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup Parmesan, fresh shaved
Coat asparagus with teaspoon of olive oil; grill over medium high heat till partially charred but still tender crisp; set aside to cool.
In butter, sauté morels along with white bulbs of ramps till morels are soft and ramps are translucent; add oregano, salt, toss, set aside to cool.
Roll and chiffonade ramp leaves. Beat eggs with small pinch of cayenne pepper. Blend a small portion of beaten egg into softened goat cheese then return mixture to the rest of beaten eggs. Fold morel mixture, grilled asparagus and ramp tops into eggs.
Heat broiler for final step
Heat large skillet (9-10") cast iron works well with remaining 2 tsp of olive oil. When skillet is hot pour egg mixture in; cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until all but the top quarter inch is set.
Remove pan from heat, top with shaved parmesan; place under broiler until rest of the egg sets and cheese melts.
Slice into wedges. Serve hot or cold
Note: If fresh morels are out of season, substitute 1 oz dried morel mushrooms.
