Spring Radar

 A new season brings about the urge to try the new and different, This could cooking ,baking or even barbecuing if there's warm weather,.Its a time to try new ingredients and new recipes to freshen up the kitchen repertoire.

One of the ingredients on my Spring radar is in abundance in my front and back lawns.Dandelion flowers or heads! I wrote about fryingthese the other day and the recipe really piqued my interest.What really got me was the description of their taste. SOme recipes said they taste like popcorn, other like squash flowers. I want to try them and , thankfully there is an air fryer recipe for easy cooking. They're little round bites that can be dipped ina sweet or savory batter.I think I'll stick with the savory because I love the taste of squash flowers and I think these will have a similar taste.I'll have to pick around thirty flowers - easy enough, wash them, and then batter dip.One large egg is needed along with flour and beer - I think I'll sub in seltzer for a more bubbly and lighter batter. It's a quick air fry and then dipping them in a sauce ro squirting with lemon juice. Should I use the greens for a salad? Yes! Dandelion greens are full of such vitamins as A,K,C and E.They;'re also good for liver and kidney health which is what  need to improve. I have an idea to mix them with chickpeas for a fun warm weather salad.

The warmer days do mean barbecue and this is the time to try exotic spices to liven up ribs and chicken. Try chicken wings and ribs ribbed with Berbere spice.This is a mellow and spicy blend used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking It makes for a different and delicious rub for barbecue favorites. You can easily buy it I=on Amazon or possibly find it in your grocery;s spice section.It canbe made it at home by coming ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves  and fenugreek.A pinch of cayenne is added for some heat while cinnamon and allspice is used for some sweetness. Garam masala is another great spice mix that;s perfect for barbecued chicken. You can make an easy rub by combining it with olive oil and adding some salt and a pinch of paprika.Of course Spring is also the time for baking. Lavender is the one ingredient that all bakers want to try to elevate both their cakes, cupcakes and frostings. If you can  pick your own then do so,. English lavender is the best for baking and icings. It has the lowest camphor content and the sweetest , most floral scent.If you use the fresh use only half the amount needed in the recipe since most recipes call for dried. Also fresh lavender makes for wonderful decoration on cakes and cupcakes too.

Spring is the time for new recipes and flavors. Be daring.Be bold. Be creative with whatever is on your radar this season.

Your Yard Your New Grocery Store

 Surprisingly enough Sping gives you  a whole new grocery to explore.It/s a breeze to visit and it;s fun to walk through .Where is it Your Front and back yards// There are so many local plants to try .These make for interesting salads.

Before you go vront and back yard foraging there are a few cautions to follow.DON"T eat anything  you've sprayed with pesticides. Make sure everything I s"clean", that is chemical free.Use guide books or Apps like INaturalist to make sure what you;re picking isn;t toxic or harmful.Also think about local contamination.Are they a lot of dogs and cats in your area? They may use your Yard as their private bathroom, Life on a busy street means a lot for exhaust that can settle on plants.    Think twice then about picking from the  front area. The back may be a safer  - and cleaner choice.Also  good thing to remember is that your neightbor property is just that their property. Don;t go into  their yards with a basket ,(unless you have their permission) to pick plants. Another point to consider is that if you go into the woods remember that there are also non poisonous and poisonous plants existing together. Be extra careful with what you choose. Again the INaturalist app will come in easy here. Critters abound in your neighboring woods too.I;ts the start of copperhead season if you;re in New Jersey.. Be on the lookout for bears , cougars  raccoons and mountain lions. The woods are their property really, not yours.

What kind of plants should you pick. Think dandelions. These are carpeting lawns right now with bright yellow flours. These can be plucked, rinsed offed and then batter dipped. Air fry or fry in butter or olive oil for crunchy ,fun bites. They taste like popcorn and are a great with a dip. Don;t forget the dandelion greens.These make for a tasty ,nutrient rich salad.Choose younger leaves because they;re sweeter tasting and have a more tender texture. They may still be a tad butter but this can be solved by making a less acidic dressing. Just go light on the lemon juice or vinegar.These are great with a hot bacon salad, that has crispy bacon and sliced hard boiled eggs.You can also try them in a simple Mediteranean  salad or on e loaded with yummy walnuts.Nettles actually make for good salads too. Add chickpeas for protein  and dress with a za' atar laced dressing for a spicy side perfect with lamb or chicken.  A forager's salad with all these greens from your back and front yards. Toss in some grilled chicken or tuna for protein along with hard boiled eggs. Think of it as a rustic salad Nicoise , especially with the addition of tomatoes (which will come from your curated garden in a few months.

Your Yard is your grocery store. Look at the green that you have an d use them. They are not only free but delicious and good for you.

Your Easter Recipe Guide

Easter  is fast upon us and it's this week, Holy Week, that should be a balance of observance and preparation. Do you have the main curse settled? What about the sides? Will it be an Easter brunch or a potluck? Holiday dinner or  barbecue. Then there are the desserts.Is it all up to you or will it be a group effort? Will there be an egg hunt with treats too? It's time to start deciding and writing up lists.

One of the most important decisions is the main course. The most traditional choices are lamb and ham. The first is big in Mediterranean households, namely Italian and Greek.  Do you cook a whole lamb (which is not for the squeamish) or leg? If it's a small gathering , then a leg of lamb would be the best choice. Your butcher and some groceries can debone and butterfly it.Keep in mind that there are difference between New Zealand and American bred kinds.The American sort is meatier, fattier and sweeter than the other.You could also go with lamb chops too or the slightly tougher shoulder of lamb. Remember that lamb can also be barbecued.What should you serve with them? Fresh spring greens such as asparagus and peas. Ham is another beloved Easter main course. If you feel that it may take over your oven , then assign sides to guests .Another question to ask yourself, do you want it as part of a formal holiday meal or a brunch? That changes the sides. A more traditional dinner would have sides of roasted baby beet salad and possibly green beans with shallots and hazelnuts.Peas with mint are another lovely  side that's both fragrant and tasty. A brunch would not only have the ham as the centerpiece but also veggie laden quiches filled with asparagus and dandelion greens. Also make sure that there are mimosas and bellinis for the adults and juice and seltzer sparklers for the kids.

Easter is more a time of sweets, more so than savory bites. If you have the time, you can bake and ice a lamb cake.It is labor intensive work ( as my previous pictorial posts demonstrate) and it's easier to do if there are two people. Another festive and a bit easier  project is an Easter egg cake.It's just a one layer cake decorated with three or four dyed icings.  You can also buy an Easter egg cookie decorating set. Stop & Shop sells these and they come with already baked shortbread cookies, icing and candies for decorating.  This can also be part of the holiday activities for the kids. There is also the Peeps Coop  which has six already baked cookies to be assembled and decorated with bright yellow icing.  Sprinkles and jelly beans can be added for more dazzle.  As for the young ones, think about making Rice Krispies chicks and bunnies. It's making a whole sheet of the treat and then cutting the shapes with a cookie cutter. The mix can be tinted with food coloring  to make the pops more festive. Cake pops are another fun bite. Coat them in the various chocolates and dip in festive yellow and pink sprinkles. If the dinner is just adults , then end it with a light yet sophisticated lemon jelly roll dusted in confectioner's sugar. A raspberry trifle is also a sweet classy end to a ham or lamb dinner.

This is the time to make decisions for the holiday ahead.  Choose what dishes and treats will work for you and buy their ingredients. Then shop for the dinner ahead. It'll be easy with a list and a clear vision of what you want to make and bake,

Dandelion Season

Dandelions are everywhere right now. Many gardeners consider them pests but home chefs consider them a gift. This garden denizen is extremely versatile in the kitchen.

David Tanis is a big fan of the bright yellow bloom and wrote about it in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Dandelions are one of those Spring greens that get pushed to the side, thanks to the more glamorous stars of the season. Chefs go crazy for asparagus and ramps while foodies gobble up nettles green, garlic and rhubarbs. Dandelions? Not so much.At one time they were popular , adding zing to salads and fermenting as wine. They should appeal to the health conscious.In previous eras dandelions were the go to cure all. There were tinctures and soups, full of them because they were thought to be not only blood cleansers but good for the liver and kidneys. They were turned into tonics for rejuvenation. The greens are good for you.having one of the highest iron contents of any new greens. They're also loaded with such vital minerals as  calcium,copper manganese,and magnesium. Dandelion  greens are also high in Vitamins A and C, which are helpful in absorbing that iron along with Vitamin K used in clotting.Surprisingly they higher in calories than regular spring greens but they are still good for you.

Many home chefs ask what sort of dandelion greens should they get?The greens are sold in farmers markets and they've probably been specifically grown on some kind of farm. Many foragers usually go into the woods or backyards.Just remember that the leaves are highly absorbent and can also pick up whatever poisons and pesticides that were sprayed around them. As for the leaves make sure they're the tender ones that grow before the flower blooms. The leaves have a slight pleasant bitterness to them, especially with the wild ones. Since the French are big on the leaves, Mr Tanis offers them in a vinaigrette.The recipe is modeled after a classic Parisian salad.with lardons,or pork fat cubes, beets and eggs. He spikes it with fresh ginger and lime juice to temper the dandelion's strong flavor.This is an labor intensive salad that includes cooking the beets and lardons and  served with goat cheese smeared on toasted baguettes. The greens can be cooked into a simple frittata with Parmesan cheese and onions. They can also be cooked up like spinach with olive oil and garlic for a side. Use them instead of broccoli rabe with pasta for a new spin on cavatelli and broccoli.

It is dandelion season. Head to the woods or the farmers market and pick them up for a salad or omelet. They are chock full of nutrition and flavor.