Treat food lovers with the delicious green menu
With the recent warm weather, the first blades of green grass have emerged.
I tend to think of green as a symbol of spring, rejuvenation, and in terms of cuisine the freshness I associate with this season. Enjoy this menu full of fresh flavours and spring colours.
CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP
Raita, the classic Indian yoghurt-based condiment, is the inspiration for this simple soup that’s both fresh and flavourful.
• 4 cups peeled, seeded, coarsely grated cucumber
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp jalapeno, finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 2 cups plain yogurt
Directions: Blend half of the grated cucumber with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Add the remaining cucumber and place the soup in a container Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs or microgreens.
Tip: Keep the soup in a juice container in the refrigerator so when it’s time to serve all you need do is pour the soup into bowls and serve.
SPRING SALMON WITH GREEN PEA AND BASIL SAUCE
6 Servings
This dish is as fresh as it looks with the lightness of the peas and basil contrasting the natural creamy richness of the salmon.
• 2 cups shelled peas (frozen peas may be substituted for fresh peas)
• 6 basil leaves
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 small salmon fillets
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
Directions: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; then add the basil leaves. Add the peas and blanch for 2-3 minutes. The peas should have a vibrant green colour. Strain the peas and basil, reserving the blanching liquid. Place the peas and basil in a bowl with the butter and approximately two tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Purée until smooth, adding additional reserved liquid as needed to get a smooth sauce. Reserve the purée. Place a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon for 3-4 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook on the other side for a further 2 minutes. To plate add a generous spoonful of the pea and basil sauce to the middle of the plate. Using the back of the spoon spread the sauce until a circle forms on the plate. Top with a salmon fillet. Serve the salmon with steamed seasonal vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs or microgreens.
Tip: The pea and basil sauce is a standby in my dinner party repertoire. It can be used to accompany seared scallops as an appetizer or firm fish as an entrée.
LIME AND MINT CUSTARD MERINGUE
6 Servings
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice (5-6 limes)
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 egg yolks
• 4 whole eggs
• 4 mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
Ingredients (meringue):
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions: Combine the sugar and lime zest in saucepan. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to boil the syrup for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream. Add the salt and mint. Cook the mixture until it is hot but not boiling. In a bowl whisk together the yolks and the whole eggs. Very slowly add the hot milk mixture in a stream to the eggs, whisking constantly. Be sure not to add the hot milk too quickly as the eggs will scramble. Stir in the lime juice. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any lime zest or mint. Return the mixture to the stovetop and add the cornstarch. Heat the custard over medium-heat, whisking the entire time, until it thickens. Transfer the custard to a bowl and refrigerate, covered loosely with wax paper, for at least 3 hours.
To make the meringue. Preheat an oven to 200 F. Separate the whites from the yolks. If you are taking the eggs directly out of the fridge, be sure to leave the freshly separated egg whites out at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and continue to beat the meringue until stiff peaks form. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag. Using your desire serving dish or glass as a guide, pipe meringue into small circles, on to a parchment paperlined baking sheet. Bake for 1½ to 1¾ hours. Remove the meringue from the oven and let cool.
Spoon the custard into small parfait glasses or your desired serving dish, and top with meringues.
Tip: Left over meringues can be served as cookies or crumbled and combined with berries and whipped cream to make Eton Mess.