In Season :: Ramps & A Warm Ramp Vinaigrette

You know spring's in full swing when ramps hit the greenmarket and grocery stores.  A type of wild garlic/spring onion, ramps are some of the first spring produce to poke their way through the ground as the weather warms.  Get them while you can as they're only around for about 4 to 6 weeks.  Grilled or sateed they'll add a distinct garlic/scallion/onion flavor to pastas, eggs, pizzas (Mario Batali's king for this one) and more.  I had them simply raw last week at Northern Spy paired with beef tartare, seriously unbelievable.
Earlier this week, I chose a less traditional path for these little leafy onions and did up a warm ramp vinaigrette for simple spring lettuces.  A lovely and light starter for my family's Passover meal, but it'll make any meal a bit more intriguing.
In a small skillet over moderate-low heat, add in 1 small bunch of ramps minced, 1/2 shallot minced, 1 to 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 4 to 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.  Bring the vinaigrette to a simmer and lower the heat to stay warm and reduce slightly.  Serve over fresh, crisp greens like red and green baby romaine.

image :: pinterest via Laurel Messina

Two Amazing Salads for Spring

Word of warning, this is a semi-mammoth post!

I had quite the foodie-forager adventure this past weekend and even got two incredible spring salads out of it -- both of which will most definitely be reappearing in the near future. They're perfect for a dinner party when you're looking to impress with something as "simple" as a salad. But before the salad recipes, here's a quick run-down of this foodie-nutritionist's Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, April 3rd

10am - 10K run in Central Park for charity...and yes, I'm still sore, but you couldn't have begged for better running weather

11:30am - hit the Union Square farmers market & grocery store on my way back from the run to grab ingredients for the beet salad I was tasked with bringing to a friend's dinner party that evening. A standard beet-goat salad? Far from it. Keep on reading for the recipe and to see how I made things a little more intriguing.

2pm - Met up with my friend David Malosh, who's quite the talented (and very humble) food photographer and stylist. Rocking my Ray-Bans in the sunny weather, David and I were bound for a fun-filled foodie tour of hipster Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

2:30pm - First stop, a late lunch at Marlow & Sons. D - licious. I love the menu focus on daily specials depending on what's in season and what's available. I went with a sunny-side up egg served with greens, a few potatoes and of course I had to try out their infamous house-made sausage - made that long morning run totally worth it. (I'm a sucker for sausage, I know, it defies all "nutritionist" logic....thank goodness!).

3:30pm - A quick pop into Marlow & Daughters up the street (their sister marketplace and butcher). I snagged a tub of Salvatore's fresh ricotta cheese to pair with olive oil, red pepper flakes, fresh mint and fresh bread -- an easy, delightful appetizer for the Easter Sunday lunch/dinner I was invited to the following day. Phenomenal ricotta, though David makes his own apparently and could prove a serious threat.

4pm - Swing by the Bedford Cheese shop for a quick sniff (no matter how often I go in, it's still incredibly pungent). David insists I taste-test the Australian feta cheese. He knows his stuff, so it's in my fridge waiting to be used.

4:30pm - Last stop at The Meat Hook (aka "Brooklyn's Local Butcher") which boasts custom cuts of meat, house-made sausage and more. They're in partnership with The Brooklyn Kitchen (great kitchenware and sundries) and Brooklyn Kitchen Labs (cooking, baking and butchering classes). What'd I walk away with? A bottle of house-made balsamic and red wine vinegar - amazing and so cheap! - one of their infamous sausage links, had to try to it, and a baguette from Roberta's, the carb-worthy pizza/Italian joint in Buschwick. (I served the bread up with the fresh ricotta for Sunday's dinner and it was killer).

8pm -- Taking my friend's spacious open-kitchen by storm, I used my lovely beets to their max capacity. A perfect pairing with beef tenderloin and roasted fingerling potatoes dusted with truffle salt (my secret weapon)! Photo and recipe below.

Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachios and Creme Fraiche Dressing

serves 8

Preheat oven to 425. Clean and trim 6 medium beets (I used 3 red and 3 yellow for color contrast). Place in a small roasting pan with 1 inch water and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow beets to cool and rub off skins with your fingers or a paper towel (no one likes purple-stained fingers!). Cut beets into quarters or chunks and set aside.

Creme fraiche dressing: creme fraiche is a nice alternative to standard goat cheese. It's so light and creamy, you just a little to get a lot flavor and taste. Mix together 1/4 cup of creme fraiche, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, the juice of one lemon, 2 teaspoons of minced shallot, one tablespoon of minced chives, salt and pepper to taste and the zest of one lemon. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.

Watercress puree: this is somewhat of an extraneous step (ditch it if you're time crunched), but it adds a nice flair and great color when garnishing the salad. Watercress is at its peak in the spring and gives a great herby, fresh kick to a dish. Blanch 1/4 bunch of watercress in boiling water for 1 minute. In a blender, combine, watercress 2 tablespoons of olive oil, one tablespoon water, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon minced shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.

Now for the assembly...on a large serving platter or in a large salad bowl, place the remaining 3/4 bunch of watercress (tossed with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt) on the bottom. Arrange roasted beets on bed of watercress and sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped and toasted pistachios on top. Drizzle the creme fraiche dressing lightly over top in a circular motion -- you'll have about a third of the dressing leftover. Finish with a few small dollops of the watercress puree and garnish with additional lemon zest and minced chives. Finito. Spring beauty fresh on your plate!

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Sunday-Funday, April 4th

After a morning pilates class, I headed home to prepare a lovely, sunny-fresh salad to bring to my friend Jen's Easter afternoon get-together. I knew herb-crusted rack of lamb would be on the menu and the prosecco would most definitely be flowing, so I figured a light salad would help keep things healthfully in check. I love the combo of fresh fennel and oranges, so that's what I went with. If you've never worked with fennel before, it's got a slight licorice flavor and is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. It's great roasted or raw.

Roberta's bread and Salvatore's fresh ricotta with olive oil, fresh mint and red pepper flakes kicked things off with a simple afternoon appetizer.

Fennel, Endive and Orange Salad with Ricotta Salata

serves 8

1 bulb fennel, green stalks cut off (use the white bulb only)

1 head of endive, thinly sliced

3 oranges, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (I used a combo of blood oranges and navel - packed with vitamin C and fiber)

1/2 cup fresh grated ricotta salata (it's a hard cheese that's slightly salty...great flavor and texture!)

2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots

1 tablespoon minced chives

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced shallots

juice of 1 lemon

1 egg yolk (yes, raw egg yolk...you'll end up with a smooth, creamier dressing without adding a ton of calories or fat --remember you're dividing it by 8 servings)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the vinaigrette, whisk together mustard through salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking. Toss fennel, endive and oranges with 1/2 of vinaigrette in a large salad or serving bowl. Sprinkle ricotta salata and chives over top and serve.

A Taste of Spring, Finally!

After a nasty weekend of gray, torrential downpours, sunshine has finally descended upon NYC...along with the masses of green from yesterday's St. Patty's festivities. Both of which got me longing for some springtime flavor and vibrant color. So in the spirit of a little 'spring cleaning' for our diets (scary to think, but Memorial Day is inching that much closer), I took what was left in my fridge and made a winter-to-spring salad...using up the last of my blood orange stash before they go out of season and tossing in yellow beets for some bold brightness in gratitude of spring and sunshine. The result is a gorgeous, nutrient-packed dish -- blood oranges are a great source of vitamin C and anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant; beets are also packed with antioxidants and provide a nice 'detox' for your liver for a quick, energizing clean up of toxins and the pistachios add a bonus of cholesterol-lowering healthy fat and yet again, more antioxidants. All that healthfulness and you still end up with a tasty, sneakily sophisticated looking salad - it's a no-brainer for a dinner party. Here are the details...

Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachios, Goat Cheese & Blood Orange Vinaigrette

serves 4

the goods

6 small to medium yellow beets, washed and trimmed

3 blood oranges, 2 peeled and cut into segments, 1 used for juice

1/4 cup pistachios, shelled

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp honey

6 cups mesclun greens or mache

4 Tbsp goat cheese or boucheron (I had a Spanish goat cheese, cana de cabra, on hand so that's what I used - perfectly smooth and tangy)

tbe vinaigrette

1 Tbsp champagne vinegar

1 Tbsp blood orange juice

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp shallot, minced

salt and pepper to taste

6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

the breakdown

- preheat oven to 425 degrees.

- wrap beets individually in aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour 15 minutes. allow to cool for about 20 minutes and then remove skin (either gently with a paring knife or rub them with a paper towel).

- toast pistachios in a skillet with canola oil and honey over medium heat for 5 minutes. cool and chop coarsely.

- combine all vinaigrette ingredients and slowly whisk in olive oil until blended.

- once beets are cool, use a mandolin to slice 2 of the 6 into very thin slices. quarter or dice remaining 4 beets.

- toss mesclun greens and diced beets with 4 to 5 Tbsp of vinaigrette.

- arrange a small circle of sliced beets (the thin discs) in the middle of 4 plates. top with mesclun greens, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup diced beets and 6 or so orange segments. sprinkle with 1 Tbsp goat cheese, crumbled and 1 Tbsp chopped honeyed pistachios. drizzle each salad with 1 additional tsp vinaigrette.

the easiest way to segment oranges: cut off each end and then cut skin and pith off of sides, carefully cut each segment out from between membranes.

Another Runway-to-Plate Recipe

With spring fashion week in full swing right, I've been doing my part and flipping through the massive March issues of my fave fashion mags (Elle, Vogue, Bazaar and Lucky among them) to get some colorful inspiration for spring. Can you tell I'm on a serious warm weather kick this week? The shows in Bryant Park may be strutting the chicest stuff for next fall, but I'm immersing myself in what's to come for spring and I'm seeing some additional trends aside from the staples and basics mentioned last month. Color and some femininity -- from Ikat and tribal prints, florals and vibrant colors, to coquettish lingerie tops and bottoms. Taking inspiration into the kitchen, I prepped a fashionista/nutritionista, colorful salad for a light lunch while making the most of one of my favorite fiber- and antioxidant-rich root vegetables, the beet (always chic and always colorful from dark purple to bright yellow).

*And p.s., if you're looking to get a head start on shaping-up for spring, beets have phenomenal detoxifying properties. Kiss those toxins from too many cold-weather, wine-soaked evenings goodbye! Here you go, bring some color and thoughts of spring from the runway to your plate.

Baby Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Walnuts

Serves 2

5-6 baby beets, trimmed and washed

1/2 head butter lettuce, washed and torn (or about 5 cups mixed greens)

2 Tbsp toasted walnuts

2 oz goat cheese

balsamic vinaigrette

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp minced fresh shallot

salt and pepper to taste

For salad: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and roast for 60-75 minutes. The skin should rub right off leaving you a perfectly shaped baby beet. (I usually use a paper towel to avoid purple fingers!). Cut beets in half or quarters if larger. Arrange lettuce on plates and top with beets, walnuts and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.

For vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk the mustard with the vinegar, shallot, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly pour in the olive oil while continuing to whisk until blended.

A Valentine Worthy Meal

I tend not to think too much about Valentine's day, whether I actually have a valentine or don't (this year I'm going solo). I think I have something against forced Hallmark holidays - shouldn't every day be Valentine's Day, showing those you love that you care about them?! Either way, the holiday and the long weekend got me thinking about happiness and gratitude...and of course food. And last night I found myself craving a dinner with a touch of love, comfort and sweetness. Feeding yourself and others can really be one of the most expressive ways to show how much you care. So with all that in mind, I decided to turn out something I normally wouldn't be attracted to. I'm usually a straight-up savory girl when it comes to meals, saving the sweet strictly for dessert. But the warm, cozy combo of freshly made ravioli from the greenmarket (I went for the spinach-ricotta filled to give more bite and a bit more veg), fresh sage, browned butter and butternut squash had me intrigued from the get-go. The merging of sweet-savory, healthy (butternut squash is jammed with antioxidants and vitamin A and is only 80 cals a cup) and a touch of indulgence with the butter seemed perfect for Valentine's. And it definitely was, freaking delish. I snuck a few walnuts in there for some additional antioxidants and healthy omega-3 fats. For your cooking and tasting pleasure, the recipe's below. Balance the buttery dish out and start your meal with this light winter salad to keep calories right on track and your V-day figure kicking.

Winter Salad with Walnuts & Piave
Serves 4
1 small head radicchio, 1 small head butter (or bibb), and 1 small endive
1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Piave cheese

Toss all ingredients but Piave together in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle Piave atop and serve. Done and done!

Ravioli with Sage, Brown Butter & Butternut Squash Puree
Serves 2
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
8 to 10 fresh-made ravioli – regular or spinach (I used the spinach ravioli from Hudson Valley Farmhouse/Knoll Crest Farm, sold at the Union Square farmer’s market)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1.5 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1/3 cup low-fat milk
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
Piave or Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Drizzle butternut squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, mash squash until creamy.
Bring a pot of water to boil for ravioli.
Heat a medium saute pan over medium-low heat and add butter. Allow butter to brown slightly, add garlic and sage and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Add butternut squash, milk, salt, pepper and walnuts to pan and stir until well-blended. Keep warm on low heat.
Cook ravioli for 3 to 5 minutes until done.
Arrange a thin circle of squash mixture on plates and top with 5 ravioli. Garnish with shaved Piave or Parmesan cheese.

Post-Thanksgiving Round of Recipes

Better late than never! I decided to test a new round of recipes this Thanksgiving, and I can happily say that they were mighty tasty and didn't last long on the holiday table. Here's a smattering of the dishes I contributed to the meal -- in addition to my mother's infamous stuffing and roast turkey *(which by the way, she did something different this year and roasted the turkey at a super high temp - 450 degrees. the birdie took half the time, about 2.5 hours and was perfectly golden crisp and moist).

Simple Pear and Pecorino Salad

We had so much food this year at the table, but my cousin still insisted I prepare her favorite holiday salad. So, of course, I obliged. Can never go wrong with a few extra greens. I decided to keep things simple though and pared down my standard Thanksgiving salad. Quick and easy, this is a great way to get some fall flavor into a starter salad.

Serves 8

1 1/2 bags mixed greens or baby spinach

2 bosc pears, stemmed and cut into thin slices

Pecorino romano shavings *use a vegetable peeler

for nice thick shavings -- about 3/4 cup worth or enough to sprinkle throughout the salad

Dressing:

1/2 tsp minced shallot

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp Champagne vinegar

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Whisk dressing ingredients all, pouring olive oil in a slow drizzle until well blended.

2. Arrange salad and drizzle dressing over as needed.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Glazed Pecans

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed (cut the sprouts in half if they’re medium to large or leave whole if they’re small)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

salt to taste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt.

3. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the leaves are browned. Shake the pan to keep the sprouts from sticking about halfway through.

4. In a small saucepan, simmer the balsamic vinegar with the honey for about 5 minutes to reduce a little. Pour the reduction over the pecans and stir to coat. Toss the glazed pecans with the sprouts.

Pear Tart with Spiced Caramel Sauce

Ask any of my family members, and they'd likely say that this was the best creation of the holiday. Pretty on the table, it's a light dessert that will go super fast (I almost didn't get a slice myself!). I crafted the recipe from two different recipes off of Epicurious.com (I know, it was a pear-heavy holiday for some reason). Acclaimed pastry chef (and James Beard award winner), Karen DeMasco's sable` tart crust might just be the perfect crust with the inclusion of almond flour. I'll definitely be making this one again.

Tart crust:

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk

• In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.

  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and confectioners' sugar. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined, about 4 minutes. You can also use a food processor to mix the dough, pulsing on and off for about 2 minutes.

  Mix in the egg and then the yolk, allowing each to be incorporated before adding the next. In two additions, add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

  Turn out the dough onto a clean lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half, shape into flattened disks, and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.)

  Poached pear topping:

  3 ripe red D'Anjou pears, peeled and left whole

  3 cups water

  1 cup white wine

  Place pears in a large pot with water and wine and simmer at a medium-low heat. Poach for about 20 to 25 minutes until soft.

  Allow pears to cool, stem and slice thinly

  Spiced caramel sauce:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 whole clove
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

  Put granulated sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and crumble brown sugar over. Melt sugars, undisturbed, over moderate heat until granulated sugar is mostly melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Carefully pour in cream (**note that the mixture will bubble up and caramel will harden slightly**) and stir in clove, cardamom pods, fennel, peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks. Simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1‚ cups, about 10 minutes. Pour sauce through a sieve into a 2-cup measure and cool to just warm.

  Assembly:

  Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Roll out one disc of dough onto a 12" tart pan with removable bottom. Fork a few holes in the crust and spoon a thin layer of the caramel sauce onto the dough. Arrange the pear slices, fanning them in a circle as in the photo. Drizzle additional caramel over top of the pears. Bake the tart for about 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with a few fresh cranberries or crushed almonds.