Mar 21, 2021

Menu: Week of 03/21/21

It is officially Spring my calendar tells me.

Yesterday was lovely, but the night before I stood at the window at 3 am and watched a bit of snow fall so I remain a bit dubious. I suspect that winter may not be done with us quite yet. I am uninspired by my CSA box this week as well. Yes, it contained a bunch of very seasonal asparagus as well as some shoots and greens but where are my nettles, ramps and fiddleheads, proper harbingers of the season? When are peas and morels showing up? When will cabbage and beets finally disappear?!

Enjoy a bonus Spring photo from last year (taken on the Cape) instead of having to read more of me whining, especially since I know that the next step will be for me to digress onto the topic of Global Warming...

Baby animals, and proper Spring shades of green -- that's more like it!

This Week's CSA box contained:

Herbs: a large bunch of Italian parsley, a smaller one of tarragon

Greens: two bunches of broccoli rabe, a baggie of micro radish greens, a punnet of mixed green leaves, a large bag of pea shoots

Alliums: --

Vegetables: A Savoy cabbage, five beets, a bunch of asparagus, three black radishes, a small brown bag of mixed baby Cremini mushrooms, with a couple of beautiful Royal Trumpets thrown in which I immediately decanted to their own bowl to keep them unblemished (see image above), three large potatoes, five tiny Japanese eggplants, a bunch of red carrots, two sweet potatoes

Fruit: 4 Lady Alice apples

Remainders: a handful of assorted herbs

So, with the addition of the above remainders and artichokes which I intend to find by hook or by crook (minus items used in lunches) these items will be transformed into:

Sunday “Pantry Roulette”; fridge, freezer, and pantry item dinner]

Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Caramelized Royal Trumpet Salad

Meyer Lemon and Tarragon Roast Chicken

Steamed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic

and Hasselback Potatoes for L.

Monday [Wildcard; a more complex or fiddly dish than usual to test my culinary skills]

Bento Dinner:

Green Salad with Sesame Dressing

Pork with Ginger (Shoga Yaki)

Pea Shoot Stir-Fry

Kimpira Gobo (Burdock and Carrot Salad)

Steamed Rice