I'm totally crazy for fiddleheads in spring.  Growing up in Vermont we would forage for them in the woods that surrounded our house and freeze them for the year.  I have not found any hidden in Manhattan lately, or near our house on Long Island for that matter, so I buck up at Whole Foods and indulge my fetish.  I usually blanch them in salt water and fry them in butter and that's perfect.  For this salad I decided to try something a little different.  I pickled the fiddleheads and tossed them with escarole, pickled lemon, shaved spring asparagus and ricotta salata.  The salty lemon and creamy ricotta perfectly balanced the bitter zing of the fiddleheads and brought out all the springiness of the asparagus.  Yum!

Recipe:

Escarole, thoroughly cleaned and trimmed

Pickled fiddleheads

Pickled lemons

Ricotta Salata cut into small cubes

Shaved raw asparagus

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl with a generous splash of good quality olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt and cracked pepper.  You can whisk the dressing in a separate bowl if you like, or save a dish and toss it all in the same bowl.  I generally choose the latter and it works just fine.

Lemon Pickles:

1 Organic lemon sliced into small triangles with the rind

Salt

Mix the lemon pieces and salt in a jar and let sit for an hour or a few days.

Pickled Fiddleheads:

Clean fiddleheads and blanch in a pot of boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes or until tender, but not soft.  Drain water and put them in a jar with red wine vinegar, water, salt and a clove of garlic.  Refrigerate for a few days or until pickled to taste.

Last year we went out for Easter and it was depressing.  The food was mushy, the service was terrible and we all came home grumpy.  I vowed not to do another holiday in a restaraunt...but I'm not in the mood to slave in the kitchen.  I'm going to make these simple tarts the day before, reheat them Easter morning and enjoy my mimosa.  Happy Easter, Happy Passover and happy spring! xxz

ps...it really is worth it to make your own crust.  There is no reason to rewrite the recipe here.  It's classic and Martha does it just perfectly.  You can also make it ahead of time and put it in the freezer or refrigerator. 

http://www.marthastewart.com/284104/pate-brisee

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and follow the instructions to the left.  Bake until crust is nicely browned, about an hour.  I made all three at the same time.  I made my crust dough first and put it into the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Then I prepped the ingredients and rolled out the crusts.  Return each crust in it's pan to the freezer or refrigerator while you are rolling out the next one so that it is cold when it goes into the oven.

Linen and plates provided by:                                                                         

Canvas

123 West 17th Street, NYC  212.461.1497 x510

http://canvashomestore.com

A certain someone in my house does not consider soup food...it's like a drink that you chew, but certainly not a meal.  I, on the other hand, could eat soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I save this simple and delicious "dinner" for the nights when that certain someone is gnawing on a bone in some dark corner of the city drinking scotch and planning his next move to master the universe.  Guess who feels better in the morning?

Recipe For Root Vegetable Soup:

6-8 Cups vegetable broth

2-3 Carrots cubed

2 Parsnips peeled and cubed

1 Medium fennel bulb trimmed and chopped

4-6 Sunchokes peeled and cubed

1/2 large rutebega peeled and cubed

1 Large yellow onion chopped

12 ounce box (I prefer to use boxes because I read that the acidity of the tomatoes can absorb the metal of the can...or something).

2 Bay Leaves

A few tablespoons of chopped parsley

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Coat the bottom of a heavy pot with olive oil.  Saute the onions and bay leaves for a few minutes, until just translucent.  Add the rest of the vegetables except the carrots.  Cook for a few minutes over medium heat and add another splash of olive oil.  Add the tomatoes and the stock and cover.  Bring to almost a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 ten minutes.  Add the carrots and simmer until everything is tender but not mushy.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with chopped chives or parsley.

Roasted Garlic Cream:

3 Whole garlic bulbs

Olive oil

15 Ounce container of ricotta cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Chop of the top of each garlic bulb.  Place on baking sheet and drizzle generously with olive oil.  Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the garlic is soft and browned.  Cool the garlic.  Using a fork or your fingers the cloves of garlic should easily pop out the skin.  Blend the garlic cloves and ricotta until creamy. 

Serve the soup and the cream with bread.  I like to stir some of the cream into my soup or you can use it as a dip for the bread.

My son loves whole fish and always begs to eat the eyeball.  I have yet to indulge this request but apparently this is not so uncommon a desire for little boys....so much to learn as a mother!  This week the mandarins and kumquats were so beautiful I was inspired to create this dish with green olives and fennel.  It is much easier than it looks.  Just ask your fishmonger to clean, descale and leave the head on...most importantly make sure your catch is fresh.  I usually ask for a sniff...if the fish smells too fishy I'll pass.  I recommend red snapper or branzino for this recipe.

Recipe:

2 Whole fish, about 1.5 lbs each

1 Fennel bulb, trimmed cleaned and sliced thin

1 Yellow onion, chopped

2 Bay leaves

1 Can green olives (I like the brand Santa Barbara)

8 Large whole garlic cloves

1 Cup dry white wine

2 Cups water

2 Peeled mandarins

6-10 Kumquats halved (if available, if not substitute extra mandarins or orange slices)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the peeled mandarin sections and halved kumquats with a splash of olive oil and salt and spread onto a cookie sheet.  Roast for 30 minutes.  Rub the inside of the fish with garlic and salt and set aside.  Cover the bottom of your pan, pot or dutch oven (big enough to accommodate both fish side by side) with olive oil and saute on medium heat fennel, garlic, bay leaves and onions until soft but not brown.  This takes about ten minutes, stir frequently.  Add the wine and turn up the heat a little.  Cook until the liquid has been reduced by half.  Add the water and another splash of oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Turn down the heat to a low simmer and gently place the fish side by side in the liquid.  Cover and simmer for five minutes.  Flip the fish; add the olives, mandarins and kumquats.  Cover and simmer for another five minutes.  Test the fish.  The flesh should be white and flaky, not grey and translucent.  When cooked, carefully transfer the fish to a large serving platter and cover in sauce.  I like to accompany this dish with basmati rice and green asparagus.