Let’s cook something easy and seasonal!
We’re almost halfway into March, and I’m just getting into the swing of this new-to-me platform. I had intended it to be completely free for any and all subscribers, but some very kind people have decided to pay me. Wow! I am beyond thrilled at being appreciated. I want to give them something extra, but for today I’m offering everyone a taste (pun intended) of what that ‘extra’ will look like. As a free subscriber, you can expect a new recipe every week with notes and musings. Paid subscribers will receive something more, a post or two with more recipes, and more seasonal ideas as the months roll by. So, stay tuned, and thank you for reading! I appreciate your being here.
I’m always cooking for the season and of course, the weather! March is one of those months when Spring is still elusive in New England. Never mind! I’ve got some goodies for you to bridge the gap. We can work with what what’s coming into the markets now even if it’s not 100% local. No complaints. It’s the tail end of citrus season, asparagus is showing some promise, and of course St. Patrick’s Day would not be complete without the best ever soda bread from my friend and colleague Sheryl Julian at the Boston Globe. I’ve got a pantry meal for you, something easy for Friday night, and in the vegetable department, maple roasted carrots because it’s maple season. Let’s not leave out a sweet treat with a lemon posset, possibly the easiest dessert ever. Click on the links below to print the recipes.
Happy March, friends. When you’re out of ideas, check out these recipes for this almost-Spring season. And don’t forget to like and share. It lightens my heart and fills me with appreciation!
Pantry Meal: Broken Lasagna with Asparagus and Lemon
Italians use every tidbit in the kitchen. This dish is made from homemade pasta scraps called maltagliati, Italian for "badly cut." Instead of designating them to a pot of soup, cooks take irregularly shaped pieces of wide, flat noodles and repurpose them for other pasta dishes. The scraps have become popular enough to inspire their own mass-produced shape. But don't worry about finding them in a market; you can make your own (without homemade pasta) by breaking up dried lasagna noodles into irregular pieces. Simmer them in boiling water, to which you add asparagus for the last two minutes, then make a silky sauce with lemon and cream. Be sure to use heavy cream since lemon juice will curdle cream with a lower fat content. Add the pasta and asparagus to the cream mixture with some of the reserved pasta water, then toss with Parmesan. You'll want to add maltagliati to your quick weeknight repertoire.
Easy Entertaining: A Vegetarian Treat All Your Guests Can Enjoy (Mushroom Tart)
A savory tart piled with golden mushrooms on a layer of Parmesan is elegant for lunch or a light supper. Make it in stages if you like: Pre-bake the pastry up to a day ahead (store, wrapped in foil, at room temperature) and cook the mushrooms a day ahead (refrigerate in a covered container). Then bake the tart early in the day and reheat it just before serving. For this recipe, I borrowed a technique from my friend Helen Rennie, a Natick cooking teacher and YouTube content creator, who, in turn, borrowed it from America's Test Kitchen's Lan Lam. In a video, Helen provides in-depth details of how to cook mushrooms using the STB (steam then brown) method. First you soften cut-up mushrooms in wine in a covered skillet. When the liquid evaporates, you remove the lid and keep cooking until the mushrooms turn a deep golden brown. This works best with firm mushrooms, such as cremini, button, or portobello. Then spoon them into a flaky round of puff pastry that's been baked in advance and bake again briefly. It's a rich and festive tart, perfect for your vegetarian guests.
Sweets: Lemon Posset
If you’re having friends over, this make-ahead dessert is ridiculously easy and just a wee bit indulgent. The recipe is a modern adaptation of a medieval drink called a posset, which was popular from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century. The hot milk or cream mixture thickened with acidic wine or cider was considered medicinal for treating a cold or flu. Syllabub, a similar ancient, sweet frothy drink is closely related. But the modern-day version is elegant, simple, and with a velvety texture that is positively dreamy. The magic is in the thick cream, reduced slightly, and combined with tart lemon juice. The two interact to form an exquisite creamy consistency, especially after you strain out the little bits of zest. Look through your cupboard for pretty, stemmed glasses if you want to be fancy and make this for your next party! Serve plain, with fresh berries, or the bonus blueberry-cherry wine sauce included in the recipe below.
Friday Night: BLT Skillet Pizza
To make spectacular pizza at home, follow three rules: Make a long-rising dough to develop the best flavor, use a blistering hot oven and a hot surface for the crispest crust, and don’t overload the toppings. (But you can also cheat and use store bought dough if you’re pressed.)
This dough comes together in a stand mixer or by hand in five minutes; all you have to do is stir and wait — the longer the better. Use instant yeast since it can be mixed directly into the flour without proofing in water. The dough is ready after three hours, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to four days. Deflate the dough each day, and keep it covered. It is soft, bordering on sticky, but behaves well after it rises. Dust the dough and the counter generously with flour while you roll it and let it relax for a few minutes if it becomes too springy.
A pizza stone is traditional because it can get very, very hot, but let’s apply the same principal to a trusty, worn-in cast-iron skillet, which holds heat beautifully and is less fussy than working with a stone. Here, the skillet goes into the oven and acts like a stone. If you have (or can borrow) a second skillet, these individual pizzas are done in a flash. You’ll love how the rich bacon and cheese and sweet, baked tomatoes contrast with a topping of fresh tomatoes and peppery greens.
Vegetable of the Month: Maple Glazed Carrots
We’ll be saying goodbye to oven roasted vegetables soon enough, so let’s them go out in a blaze of glory. The basic method is simple—you drizzle them with olive oil and maple syrup and put them into a very hot oven, and then dress them up. Here they get a flourish from a dressing of whole-grain Dijon mustard, lemon rind and juice, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. Garnish them with the works. Add crunchy toasted sunflower seeds and a sprinkle of parsley. They're almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
Weekend Bake: Sheryl Julian’s Irish Soda Bread
You really don’t need an excuse to make this, but if you do, then celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a slice for breakfast and a steaming pot of tea. This has become my very favorite version. made with a little cornmeal and vegetable oil instead of butter, it’s not quite traditional, but sometimes you have to bend the rules. A mix of plenty of golden and dark raisins added to the dough makes it just sweet enough. Sheryl Julian is a good friend and the lively force behind The Boston Globe Food Section. Her recipes always work! This one knocks it out of the park. You can follow her on Instagram @sheryljulian
Have a great weekend, friends, and make something delicious.
XXOO
Sally