Yesterday it tried to snow, and today it was sunny and 60 degrees. I bought my tomato plants but they will have to live inside for a few weeks. All the flowers in the garden are growing! I got to spend the whole afternoon outside playing with them! And tonight I will pay for it in allergies. Aaah! Spring is here!
Best of all: there’s finally something to cook. Vegetables have returned to the Minneapolis Farmers Market, and last week my neighbor Gwen and I pawed through the very first of a whole growing season’s worth of Harmony Valley CSA boxes we’re sharing this year.
Here’s my first hurrah of spring!
Spring Things Menu
Like a Minnesota spring, this meal is here in a heartbeat and gone before you know it. To make the dinner, get everything you see in the photograph; romaine lettuce; salt and pepper; a handful of sugar; salad dressing; a pat of butter; and a splash of mirin. Oh, and ice cream.
- Sorrel and Romaine Salad
- Sauté of Morels and Green Garlic
- Fresh Asparagus
- Pan-Seared Salmon in Mirin Reduction
- Stewed Rhubarb with Vanilla Ice Cream
First, cut things up. Chop the rhubarb into ½” chunks. Chop the garlic and slice the morels. Roughly chop or tear the romaine and sorrel, wash it, dry it, and toss it together. Chop or snap the asparagus.
Next, throw the rhubarb in a saucepan with sugar and a splash of water. Heat to boiling. Simmer that, stirring occasionally, while you cook the rest.
Heat butter in a sauté pan. Cook the garlic and morels until tender and any water has been resorbed. Carefully scrape out the pan. Heat it back up.
Put the salmon, skin side up, in the hot sauté pan. Cook 3 or 4 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the asparagus and a drop of water in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over high heat.
Pour a splash of mirin in the fish pan and shake. In the 3 minutes it takes the mirin to reduce, the asparagus will be done. The rhubarb sauce is probably done too.
Turn off all the burners, put your dinner on your plate, dress the greens, and serve. For dessert, spoon the still-warm rhubarb sauce over scoops of vanilla ice cream.
