I had published the following post, on my blog on the 14th April 20015 and, suddenly, it just disappeared. I didn’t delete it, nor did I alter anything important, but unexpectedly it was lost.
The most delectable vegetables and fruit are in full season in spring. With artichokes, asparagus and fennel bulbs one can prepare delicious soups, tarts, au gratin dishes and preserves. Fabulous cakes, desserts, ice cream and jams can be made with strawberries, apricots, and cherries. Spring is a wonderful season for a cook.
Here are a few recipes for savoury dishes and sweets, with which you can treat your family and friends.
FENNEL SOUP
Fennel bulbs are the most luscious and aromatic spring vegetables. This is a delicious soup. You could try using 1 tbsp of ouzo to enhance the fennel flavour.
6 bulbs fennel, trimmed and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 leeks, sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1½ litre (6 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly grated white pepper to taste
375 ml (1½ cup) milk or cream
1 tbsp fennel leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice or more if preferred, optional
Fennel sprigs for garnish
Partly cover the vegetables with water, simmer until tender, cool and blend.
Sieve the vegetable puree back into the saucepan. Add the stock, pepper and nutmeg and simmer gently until the soup thickens, stirring from time to time.
Stir in the milk or cream and the fennel leaves and heat very well without boiling. Sprinkle with lemon juice, if using. Taste and add a little salt if necessary and freshly ground white pepper. Serve garnished with fennel sprigs.
ARTICHOKE AND FENNEL BULB BAKE
This is a delicious first dish made with spring vegetables.
1 kg (2 lb) fennel bulbs, about 4 pieces
6 medium-sized artichokes
2 carrots, scraped and cut into batons
1 lemon, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 fennel sprigs
2 dill sprigs
Salt and pepper
Vegetable stock (please see below)
A good knob of butter to grease the dish
2-3 tbsp kasseri or Cheddar, thickly grated
2-3 tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, finely grated
375 ml (1½ cups) cream, low fat if preferred
Salt and freshly grated pepper
\Remove the hard leaves off the fennel bulbs, quarter them from stem to root, discarding the hard part of the core. Cut the stems off the artichokes, strip off the hard outer leaves, trim the hearts, remove the choke and quickly rub them with half a lemon and plunge them into water with lemon juice, to prevent discolouring.
In a large flat saucepan, sauté the spring onions in olive oil and a little sauce and simmer for two minutes. Then add the carrots, fennel bulbs and artichokes, sprinkle with a little salt and sauté them very gently for about 10 minutes on all sides. Add enough hot vegetable stock to cover the vegetables, add the herbs, cover the saucepan and cook until tender but not falling apart.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange them in a well-buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and grated cheese, drizzle with cream and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot sprinkled with chopped fennel leaves.
ARTICHOKES WITH CREAMED SPINACH
Artichokes stuffed with creamed spinach can be served with meat or poultry or as a main dish for a light lunch.
12 large artichoke hearts, fresh or frozen
Juice of 2 lemons
1 onion
3-4 sprigs of dill, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg (2 lbs) fresh spinach leaves, blanched, well strained
and finely chopped
Sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp flour
500 ml (2 cups) milk
2-3 tbsp grated San Mihalis, Gruyere or Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
1-2 tsp dill, finely chopped (optional)
If you are using fresh artichokes, remove the leaves and the choke and rub lavishly with lemon juice.
Pour the lemon juice over the artichokes and sauté with the onion in olive oil, sprinkle with little salt and pepper, add a little water, until just done. Place the artichokes in a buttered baking dish and keep hot.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Sauté the onion in butter, until soft. Add the flour, bay leaf, a little salt and pepper, and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, pour in 1/3 of milk and whisk well. Then return to the fire and cook and stir, until the sauce thickens. Repeat the procedure twice more until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Discard the bay leaf.
Add the spinach and the remaining dill to the sauce, and cook gently for a few minutes, until it has the consistency of mashed potato. Then add half the grated cheese, check the seasoning and correct, if necessary. Be sparing with the salt, as more cheese will be added later.
Fill the artichoke hearts with creamed spinach. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese melts and bubbles.
PICKLED BABY ARTICHOKES IN OIL
Serve this pickle with fish, meat or poultry or only with fresh, brown bread. If you like artichokes, try this very easy recipe.
750 g (1.5 lb) baby artichokes (stems and hard leaves cut off, and chokes removed if
possible) or, use frozen baby artichokes
500 ml (2 cups) water
1 tsp salt
Olive oil, please see below
Lemon slices
Place the artichokes in a saucepan, pour in the water, vinegar and salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cover with baking parchment and the lid, and simmer gently until the artichokes are tender but not falling apart. Then strain, cool and pat dry on kitchen paper.
Pile the artichokes in prepared jars, add 2-3 lemon slices per jar and pour in enough olive oil to cover and seal.
STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
This a lovely refreshing dessert.
This a lovely refreshing dessert.
250 g (½ lb) strawberries, hulled
60 g (2 oz) icing sugar or more according to the acidity of the fruit
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp good quality brandy
3 gelatin sheets, separated and soaked in ice-cold water for 5-6 minutes
210 g (7 oz) double cream, whipped to soft peaks
A few strawberries for garnish
First blend the strawberries with the icing sugar, salt and brandy, until smooth. Taste and add more sugar, if necessary and tip the strawberry coulis into a large bowl.
Remove a cupful of pulp and heat, but do not boil. Squeeze the gelatin sheets to remove as much water as possible, and stir into the hot pulp, until very well combined. Pour the gelatin mixture into the remaining strawberry coulis and mix well together. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Then fold the cream into the strawberry mixture, until no signs of white are visible. Place in small glasses and garnish each, with a strawberry
STRAWBERRY ICED DESSERT
STRAWBERRY ICED DESSERT
Prepare this desert in spring when fresh strawberries are at their best.
250 ml (1 cup) strawberry syrup
300 g (10 oz) fresh strawberries hulled, blended and sieved
A pinch of salt
7 sheets of gelatin, separated and soaked in iced water
One 395 g (13 oz) tin sweet condensed milk
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 orange
250 g (½ lb) thick Greek yogurt, whipped smooth with
1 liqueur glass Grand Marnier
500 g (1 lb) thick cream, whipped to the soft peak stage
A few fresh strawberries for garnishing
Simmer the strawberry syrup with the soft strawberry pulp and salt for about 2 minutes and remove from the fire to cool a little. Squeeze the soaked gelatin sheets, add to the hot strawberry mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
Meanwhile combine the condensed milk with the lemon juice and orange zest, add it to the gelatin mixture and stir well together. Stir in the yogurt/liqueur combination and cool completely.
Softly, fold in the whipped cream, in portions, and mix well together.
Line a loaf tin with cling film and pour in the strawberry mixture. Level the surface, cover completely with the overhanging cling film and freeze for 4 hours at least. Place the dessert in the fridge for one hour before serving. Reverse on a serving dish and garnish, attractively, with fresh strawberries. Serve with a small jug of strawberry syrup.
APRICOT GRANITA
This is the easiest way of preparing a granita.
120 g (4 oz) sugar
210 ml (2 fl. oz) water
1 pinch salt
Juice of a lemon
500 g (1 lb) ripe, sweet apricots
Simmer water, sugar and salt, stirring until the sugar melts. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and allow the syrup to cool.
Blend the syrup with the apricots to a smooth cream. Pour into ice-cube trays, cover with cling film and freeze for four hours, at least.
When ready to serve, place the frozen apricot cubes through a food processor, a few at a time, and blend to a very soft cream. Pour the granita into a serving bowl, cover with cling film and freeze until needed.
STRAWBERRY WATER ICE
Prepare this water ice, in spring, when strawberries are at their best .
Prepare this water ice, in spring, when strawberries are at their best .
250 ml (1 cup) sieved strawberry pulp
500 ml (2 cups) water
A pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Heat water, sugar and salt stirring until the sugar melts. Remove from the fire and cool. Add the lemon juice, the strawberry pulp and mix very well together.
The easiest way to freeze a water-ice is with an electric ice-cream machine. Alternatively, freeze it in a covered ice-cream tray. When half frozen, beat well and quickly return it to the freezer. Repeat the procedure twice or three times more.
Prepare this water ice in spring when strawberries are at their best .
250 ml (1 cup) sieved strawberry pulp
500 ml (2 cups) water
A pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Heat water, sugar and salt stirring until the sugar melts. Remove from the fire and cool. Add the lemon juice, the strawberry pulp and mix very well together.
The easiest way to freeze a water-ice is with an electric ice-cream machine. Alternatively, freeze it in a covered ice-cream tray. When half frozen, beat well and quickly return it to the freezer. Repeat the procedure twice or three times more.
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