Soup And A Salad

Spring time brings about light meals and what better than a soup and a salad? The two columns in today's New York Times Dining section do that just that. They offer a spin on the Italian classic straticiella along with a juicy , citrus infused salad. Both are perfect on their own or even paired together for an interesting lunch or even brunch.

The first recipe comes thanks to David Tanis ' City Kitchen . He creates a  spin on the Roman egg drop soup straticiella. It;s usually made with spinach but Mr. Tanis decides to switch from the green to Parmesan cheese. He also adds parsley and nutmeg for more richness and flavor. He takes it from Mona Talbott who wrote Zuppe, a compilation of Italian soup recipes. She also ran The American Academy in Rome. She highlights some other good recipes such as potato and wild chard and a summer zucchini potage. However thanks to this being the season of eggs, straticella is an excellent way to use them. it's ;s also the perfect light Spring soup .

What would go well a light Spring soup? A light , fresh salad  . That's where Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite .  comes in. She takes grapefruit,a fruit not usually associated with salads and makes it part of a date laced radicchio blend,  She also adds in pistachio nuts for crunch and color. It creates a melange of sweet and tart, along with salty and earthy, The dressing is the remaining grapefruit juice mixed with olive oil and sea salt.This would be perfect with the straticiella however it also stands great on its' own.The grapefruit date salad would also look right in place at a Sunday brunch with delicate mini muffins  as well.

Soup and a salad is the perfect Spring lunch or brunch. Try either of these recipes. They both reflect the season with their refreshing tastes of egg and grapefruit. Both are a welcoming in to a season of airy cooking and meals..