SPRING FAVA SALAD WITH TOASTED WALNUTS & PARSLEY SAUCE VERTE

This season has been so strange.  The weather is erratic as ever which is making it feel neither like Spring nor Summer. Despite the consistent gloom, the Spring produce is finally rampant and my fridge is filled with green.  I'm loving lighter salads with fresh green vegetables and tons of herbs & flavorful greens.  This sauce, from Taste & Technique, is something I've been riffing on for months now, and putting on pretty much everything.  It tastes like Spring to me (tarragon!) and I throw some radishes in, just for fun, since I always seem to have them in excess.  Dreaming of more sunshine and temperate weather before the Summer heat hits..

Spring Green Salad with Favas, Toasted Walnuts & Parsley Sauce Verte (Serves 2-4) Gluten-free

*If you've never shelled fava beans, don't be scared.  They actually aren't as exhausting as they look, and I find the process super meditative.  Much like chopping vegetables or herbs (like this parsley sauce verte), I find those manual exercises super calming.  You'll probably have leftover dressing, so I suggest you put it on everything - I love it on avocado toast, soft boiled eggs, salads, roasted vegetables, etc.  The options are endless and it will keep in the fridge, flavors melding over time, for about 5ish days. 

• 1lb. fava beans, shelled
• 4 large handfuls of greens (I used a mix of baby kale, wild baby arugula and micro herbs)
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 4 oz. tangy feta, crumbled

Parsley Sauce Verte (adapted from Taste & Technique)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 2 teaspoon minced tarragon
• 2 radishes, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1-2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste (about a scant teaspoon)
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a large (salted) pot of water to a boil.  Prep a mixing bowl with ice water & set aside.  Once water has come to a boil, blanch fava beans for exactly 1 minute, strain & add to ice bath and set aside.  Once both have cooled to the touch, strain and set aside.

Peel fava beans: Use your nail to puncture the pod, then remove the opaque outer skin to reveal bright green fava bean.  Continue until all fava beans are shelled.

For parsley sauce verte: make sure to chop all herbs/ingredients by hand (not a food processor!) - it makes a huge difference in the freshness & overall flavor of this sauce.  Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until well-combined.  Season to taste and set aside.

Add greens to a large bowl, assemble with fava beans, walnuts, and feta cheese.  Add a few spoonfuls of parsley sauce then toss well with your hands, to make sure every leaf is coated. Salt to taste & season with freshly ground pepper.  Serve immediately.

Beautiful blue plates are courtesy of GET PROPPED. Check out their gorgeous site!

ROASTED KABOCHA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, QUINOA & LEMON THYME

It has been quite a heavy month and I’m still (still...) reeling from it all.  I’m not ready to talk about it all yet (or here), but I’m looking forward to having a reason to make lots of pies this week.  I took a nod from Ashlae of OhLadycakes and have listed some lovely places who need your help, donations or volunteering in the sidebar.  (Also there's another great list here)

For now though, I leave you with a comfort food recipe perfect for Thanksgiving and beyond.  Hope it brings you some warmth & pleasure this Thanksgiving.

ROASTED KABOCHA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, QUINOA & LEMON THYME (Serves 2-4) Gluten-free, Vegan

• 4 cups cubed kabocha squash
• 5 sprigs lemon thyme, divided
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 5 shallots, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups mushrooms, mixed & roughly chopped (I used maitake, chanterelle & cremini)
• 4 sprigs marjoram, de-stemmed
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• Micro tatsoi, to top
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a foil-lined baking sheet, add cubed kabocha, 2-3 sprigs lemon thyme and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Season with sea salt and pepper, then bake for 30-35 minutes of until browned and tender.

While kabocha bakes, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.  Add shallots and garlic, stirring often for 5-7 minutes until they begin to break down.  Then, add mushrooms (depending on the size of your pan, you might need to do it in two batches) in an even layer making sure they make contact with the pan.  Cook until they begin to brown then flip mushrooms to evenly cook.  Continue until all mushrooms are cooked.  

Then, bring all mushrooms back to the pan over medium high heat, add juice of half the lemon, remaining lemon thyme leaves, marjoram and cooked quinoa.  Stir to coat mixture evenly. Cook until herbs begin to wilt and become fragrant.  Salt to taste, then remove from heat.

In a serving bowl or platter, layer kabocha and mushrooms/quinoa mixture, then top with the juice of the last lemon half.  Top with micro tatsoi then season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Serve warm or room temperature.

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: MORE THANKSGIVING IDEAS IN A PINCH:

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SPRING RAMP & FETA FRITTATA WITH TANGY FETA

Spring is in the air! Or at least in my farmer’s market. Even though it has been rainy and cold here in New York, I’m relishing the greener spring vegetables finally available at the market. As it happens each season, I’m completely over all heavy, winter foods and looking forward to light and colorful meals hopefully eaten in sunshine. This frittata is the winter-palette-cleansing kind of meal that will make you lust for Spring and all its upcoming produce. Make this frittata for breakfast, lunch, even dinner (I’ve done it) for the quickest one-pot meal to share.

SPRING RAMP & FETA FRITTATA (GLUTEN-FREE, GRAIN-FREE) SERVES 4-6

• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or hemp, soy, whole milk etc. as long as it’s unsweetened)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 lemon, juice & zest
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Scant 2oz. ramps (or one small bunch), ends trimmed
• 4 oz. tangy feta, crumbled
• Flaky sea salt, to top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, almond milk, garlic, shallot and seasoning. Stir in the zest of one lemon & the juice of half the lemon.

In a (8-9 in.) cast iron, drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil. Preheat the pan in the oven for 5-7 minutes, then add whisked egg mixture to the pan. Lay ramps on top, overlapping as needed. Crumble feta over top & season with flaky sea salt and more pepper to taste.

Bake for exactly 20 minutes or until puffed up with browned edges. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve immediately! Frittata will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days, so feel free to make it ahead & eat for breakfast all week long.