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Pickin’ Up Pawpaws, Way Down Yonder in the Pawpaw Patch…
Some of us may still remember this song from childhood, but few of us have ever tasted a real pawpaw.
Pawpaws have become a curiosity, little known to most of us, even though they have a long history in North America. The largest edible fruit native to the United States, pawpaws are most commonly found near riverbanks and in the understory of the fertile forests of the eastern United States.
Pawpaws have a creamy, custard-like flesh with a tropical flavor, which is often described as a combination of mango, pineapple, and banana. While there are many recipes for using pawpaws, most enthusiasts agree that the best way to enjoy this highly nutritious North American native fruit is to eat them fresh when they have ripened to perfection.
A Little Pawpaw History
For centuries, pawpaws were a delicious food source for Native Americans, European explorers, settlers and wild animals.
Native Americans are thought to have spread the pawpaw across the eastern U.S. to eastern Kansas and Texas, and from the Great Lakes almost to the Gulf of Mexico.
The importance of pawpaws to the early pioneers can hardly be overstated. As the first settlers left the eastern colonies and pushed west into the frontier, they often lived off the land, hunting for wild game and picking the nutritious pawpaws that grew abundantly. In the fall of 1810, the Lewis and Clark expedition depended almost entirely on wild pawpaws and nuts when their supplies ran low..
Pawpaws were well known to the founding fathers of the American republic. It’s documented that George Washington was fond of pawpaw fruit, and of course, pawpaws were among the many plants Thomas Jefferson cultivated at his estate, Monticello.
Oddly, over the years, the pawpaw fell into obscurity and was replaced by more familiar cultivated fruits, such as apples, pears and cherries. Fortunately for us, the pawpaw is making a comeback.
 Three Ripe Pawpaws Pawpaws Today
Today, dozens of commercial nurseries market pawpaw seeds or trees in the US and there are many distinct cultivars currently available. The Pawpaw Foundation at Kentucky State University is actively working to promote the return of the fruit by supporting pawpaw cultivation, production and use.
Thanks to the efforts of growers and researchers – and the many pawpaw lovers in rural areas of the central east, where pawpaws never fell out of favor – we can still enjoy this noble American fruit today.
Enjoying Pawpaws
The Pawpaw has a creamy, custard-like flesh with a tropical flavor, which is often described as a combination of mango, pineapple, and banana. Most enthusiasts agree that the best way to enjoy pawpaws is to eat them raw after they are picked from trees and are perfectly ripe.
Fully ripe pawpaws last only a few days at room temperature, but may be kept for a week in the refrigerator. Allow fruit to finish ripening at room temperature before eating. Scoop out the delicious, creamy flesh with a spoon and enjoy. Never eat the skin or seeds – they are mildly toxic.
 Split Pawpaws with Seeds Storing and Serving Pawpaws
Fresh pawpaws are only in season for a short time, roughly late August to mid September.
While pawpaw fruits are highly perishable, they do refrigerate well. They may be stored at standard refrigerator temperatures for about a week if fully ripe and if underripe, for almost 3 weeks ripening at room temperatures.
Once fully ripened, pawpaw fruit can only hold for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. If the fruit is allowed to continue to ripen, the skin develops blotches and gradually darkens to an overall dark color. In the process, the flavor deepens, developing caramel tones. Many old-timers prefer their pawpaws ripened this way – and some will swear on a stack of Bibles that it’s the ONLY way to eat pawpaws.
Since many components of pawpaw flavor are highly volatile, the best pawpaw recipes involve little or no cooking. With pawpaw season in full swing, we finally had the perfect opportunity to make something we’ve been thinking about for a while – pawpaw mousse! The creamy texture and tropical fruit flavors of ripe pawpaws are just right in a light & airy mousse.
If you’ve never made mousse before, it may seem like intimidating process, but nothing could be easier. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be making mousse like a pro in no time.
Pawpaw Mousse
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh ripe pawpaws (about two or three)
- 3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, divided
- Pinch cream of tartar (optional)
Step One: Start with Ripe Pawpaws
Ripe pawpaws are pretty ugly. Once off the tree, their smooth pale green skin begins to darken and soften like an overripe banana. That’s OK, though – it means that they’re at their peak of flavor.
Step Two: Slice, seed and scoop
Split the pawpaws roughly down the middle with a sharp knife to reveal the pale creamy flesh and dark seeds inside. Pick out the seeds (don’t eat them – they can be mildly poisonous, as can the skin) and discard. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon as you would an avocado. Be sure to scrape every morsel of delicious flesh from the inside of the skin!
Step Three: Puree the pawpaw pulp
Place the pawpaw pulp into a food processor blender and process for several minutes until very smooth and creamy. Remove the pureed pulp to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In the top half of a double boiler, whisk together the egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar until light colored and creamy. Place over the barely simmering double boiler and continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Take care to keep the heat low and whisk continually so the egg/sugar mixture does not “scramble”. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and continue to whisk for another minute or two. Set aside to cool completely, then mix into the pureed pawpaw pulp.
Step Four: Whip the egg whites & cream
In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, 1 Tbsp of the powdered sugar and cream of tartar (if using) with a hand mixer on medium speed. When the egg white mixture begins to thicken and become frothy, increase the speed to medium high and continue to beat the mixture until soft peaks form (see picture). Do not overbeat! Set aside.
Now, in another clean bowl, beat the cream and remaining Tbsp of powdered sugar using a hand mixer. As with the egg whites, beat the mixture on medium until it begins to thicken, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until it reaches the soft peak stage. Set aside.
 After the pawpaw is pureed and cream & egg whites beaten, fold it all together Step Five: Fold it all together
Now for the fun part! This where things really start coming together. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the pawpaw/egg yolk mixture.
About “folding”
Folding is a simple, but critically important process that every good cook should take the time to understand & master. Using a spatula, simply gently scoop from the bottom and lift over the top repeatedly until the two mixtures are thoroughly incorporated together. This is the most crucial step in achieving a light and delicately textured mousse. Mixing too vigorously will cause the air trapped in the beaten egg whites (or whipped cream) to escape and the resulting mousse will be heavy & dense.
Once the pawpaw and egg white mixtures are thoroughly blended, repeat the process with the whipped cream, remembering to fold very gently, but completely.
Is It Mousse Yet?
Carefully spoon the mixture into whatever cups or glasses you’d like to serve it in - or do what I did and create a makeshift pastry bag.
Take a 1 gallon plastic Ziploc bag, open it up and spread it over a bowl. Fill the bag with the mousse and close it tightly, then snip off one corner with a pair of scissors – voila! – a pastry bag. Put the tip of the bag near the bottom of your serving dish or glass and gently squeeze.
Once you’ve piped or spooned the mousse into your dishes, refrigerate for at least an hour.
Garnish with fresh mint (and extra whipped cream, if desired.
 
I admit that I was never a fan of fava beans in the past, but this simple dish has changed my mind forever.
Fava beans just seemed like too much work: first you pick the beans. Then you have to shell them, boil them, and finally remove the inner husk before you can even think about eating them.
I grew up on a farm in Michigan. For my older brother and me, summer vacation was largely occupied with working in our Hungarian Grandmother’s huge vegetable garden (over an acre, and that was just the “kitchen” garden). Every summer, while our city-slicker friends played Little League baseball, went to summer camp and generally loafed around, we tilled, planted, watered, hoed and – finally – harvested the fruits (and vegetables) of our labor. Early on hot summer mornings, after picking bushels of fresh peas and beans, we’d sit around and shell peas and snap beans until our fingers were sore. When the last pea or bean was finally done, Grandma and Mom would blanch and freeze pint after pint. Months later, at suppertime, deep in the dead of winter, we could still taste a little bit of those warm summer days.
Fava beans and wild mushrooms are the perfect combination of field and forest, both delicately sweet and robustly earthy at the same time. This is some of the best that summer’s harvest has to offer, flavors so good and so satisfying that it’s worth a little extra effort.
These elegant crostini are perfect for a casual dinner party. They’re actually very easy to prepare and to make things even simpler, we’ve broken the recipe down into three parts: the favas, the mushrooms and the bread. Each component can be easily prepared in advance and quickly assembled just before serving.
 Favas, Times Three Fava Bean Purée
Prepare an ice water bath. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shelled favas and boil until the inner bean is bright green and tender, but still firm, about 2 minutes. Quickly drain the favas and immediately plunge them into the ice water bath until cool. Peel away the outer skin and discard; place the beans in a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add the fava beans and stir, then add the ½ cup of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the favas are quite tender, but not mushy, and most of the water has reduced. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer the fava mixture to a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth, but with a few chunks remaining. The mixture should be similar in texture and thickness to mashed potatoes. If it’s too thick, mix in a little water to reach the desired consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Sautéed Wild Mushrooms
We used lobster and chicken of the woods mushrooms in our version of this recipe, but you can use any combination of wild mushrooms that you like. If you don’t have access to wild mushrooms, use some flavorful cultivated mushrooms – oyster, cremini or shiitake.
 Brilliantly Colored Fresh Lobster Mushrooms Clean the mushrooms by brushing away any soil or forest debris. If the mushrooms are very dirty, give them a quick rinse under cool running water and pat dry. Trim away any bad areas and then coarsely chop the mushrooms and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized sauté pan until it shimmers, but does not smoke. Deep-fry the sage leaves by dropping them into the hot oil a few at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Using a pair of kitchen tongs, carefully remove each leaf as soon as it becomes crisp, about 30 – 45 seconds. Drain the leaves on paper towels and set aside. Turn off the heat and allow the oil to cool slightly. Remove all but 2 Tbsp of oil from the pan. Reserve the extra oil for other uses – it will be pleasantly infused with the flavor and aroma of sage.
Return the pan to medium high heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute, then add the chopped wild mushrooms. Continue to cook for 10 – 12 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mushrooms have become soft and are slightly browned. Add the wine and continue to cook until the wine has been completely reduced. Remove from the heat, add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the truffle oil.
The Bread
Crush the garlic clove and drop it into the olive oil and let it steep for at least 30 minutes. Use a good, sturdy rustic loaf, something with some substance and a chewy crust. Brush each slice generously with the garlic-infused olive oil. Grill each piece of bread over a wood, charcoal or gas flame, turning several times to toast them evenly. If a grill is unavailable, put them on a baking sheet and pop them into a pre-heated 400 degree oven, turning once, until they are crisp and nicely browned, about 7 minutes. Set aside.
Assemble the Crostini
Generously spread each toasted bread slice with the fava mixture. Heap the sauteed wild mushrooms onto the crostini and top with one or two crisp sage leaves. Drizzle with a little truffle oil and sprinkle with additional sea salt if desired.
When it’s hot and sticky outside, no one wants to spend time cooking over a hot stove.
A cool, refreshing seafood cocktail is just right as an easy and elegant appetizer or light main course. Cooking time is minimal and once the basic seafood blend has been prepped, it takes just minutes to finish either variation of this light & flavorful seafood cocktail.
Either version of this recipe is virtually fat-free. Fresh aromatic herbs add a refreshing burst of flavor and, as folks who live in the tropics know, spicy chile peppers stimulate circulation (and perspiration!) to cool the body naturally.
We used prawns, squid and tiny bay scallops, but you can easily substitute any of your favorite shellfish or fin-fish. Try using mussels, crayfish, baby octopus or chunks of firm-fleshed fish like cod or snapper for a different take on this simple seafood dish. The variations are endless – and experimentation is half the fun of cooking.
Master Recipe – Basic Seafood Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 fresh chile pepper, serrano or jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup diced onion (about 1 small onion)
- 12 large prawns (16 – 20 size)
- 4 oz bay scallops
- 1 lb fresh squid (calamari) tubes & tentacles, cleaned
- 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 3 medium limes)
- 1 tsp sea salt
Remove the shells from the prawns (if any), leaving the tail intact. Clean the squid if it hasn’t been cleaned already, removing the internal organs, “quill” and beak. Cut away the head & eyes, leaving the tentacles intact. Slice the tubes crosswise into rings.
Prepare an ice water bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. The prawns, scallops and squid will cook very quickly; take care not to overcook them or they’ll become tough and rubbery.
First, add the prawns and reduce the heat to low and wait one minute. Now add the squid tentacles and lastly, the bay scallops and squid rings. IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF THE HEAT. Cover the pot and wait for two minutes. Quickly drain the seafood and plunge into the ice water bath until cool. Drain well and place into a large nonreactive bowl. Add the diced onion, chile pepper, cilantro, salt and lime juice to the seafood mixture. Stir well to mix and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Cool Thai Seafood Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce , or to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai, thinly sliced
- 1 fresh cayenne pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
Combine all the above ingredients with half of the seafood mixture. Serve on a bed of mixed salad greens, if desired, and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Mexican-style Seafood Cocktail (Coctel de Mariscos)
Ingredients:
- 8 oz tomato sauce (I like El Pato brand spicy Mexican-style tomato sauce)
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 fresh chile pepper, serrano or jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Sauce (or more, to taste)
- 1 ripe avocado
- Fresh lime wedges
Heat the tomato sauce in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions, the chopped garlic and sliced chile pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat, stir in the chopped cilantro and allow to cool completely.
Halve the avocado, remove the pit and using a knife, score the flesh into squares and scoop out of the shell. Combine half of the seafood mixture with the spicy tomato sauce, avocado and 2 Tbsp of Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Sauce (or more to taste).
Spoon into cocktail glasses, garnish with a slice of fresh lime and serve with crispy tortilla chips.
 Fresh Chanterelle Mushrooms Sometimes called the “Queen of the Forest”, the chanterelle mushroom has also been referred to as “the other mushroom,” coming in at second place behind the much beloved and better-known morel.
Here in Michigan, the morel mushroom is the undisputed king – it’s the only wild mushroom many folks know and recognize. But though the morel may rule throughout the Midwest, there are many mushroom lovers across the globe who prefer the chanterelle to all others.
Growing wild throughout the world, chanterelles have never yet been successfully cultivated. Wherever they are found, they’re prized for their distinctive flavor and pleasantly fruity aroma, vaguely reminiscent of apricots. Though generally mild, chanterelles have a slightly spicy edge which holds its own against other ingredients.
The texture of the Chanterelle is tender, yet firm with a little resistance “to the tooth.” Their combination of fragrant aroma, earthy flavor and pleasing texture make them one of the most versatile of all the wild mushrooms. If I had to choose one wild mushroom above all the others, it would be “the queen” – the marvelous chanterelle.
Now that our local chanterelle harvest is in full swing, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to come up with some new recipes featuring my favorite fungus. With local farms and gardens pumping out loads of beautiful fresh produce, there are plenty of choice ingredients to work with.
Even with so much summer bounty to choose from, I didn’t hesitate to pick one of my favorite vegetables – the common green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).
These are not tiny, slender haricot verts. These are big, meaty flavorful green beans, the kind you’ll find growing in an old-fashioned country vegetable garden (in fact, they came from my sister’s garden). Just picked and still warm from the late afternoon sun, they’re bursting with real bean flavor and are as fresh as fresh can be.
Chanterelles and Green Beans with Hazelnuts
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Rinse the green beans. Place a steamer basket in a large pot with about an inch of water and bring to a boil. Steam the beans for 10 – 12 minutes, or until just tender.
Meanwhile, brush off any dirt or forest debris from the chanterelles. If they are especially dirty or have dirt trapped between the gills, use your kitchen sink spray nozzle to quickly rinse them. While washing mushrooms seems to be generally frowned on, I’ve found that a quick rinse is very effective. Allow them to drain briefly, pat them dry, then slice them about 1/4 inch thick.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add the sliced chanterelles. They will immediately throw off any excess liquid – the amount will depend on how much moisture is contained in your chanterelles – but no matter; it will all evaporate quickly. Stir the mushrooms occasionally while continuing to cook them over medium high heat. When the mushroom liquid has evaporated completely, continue to cook for another minute or two to brown the chanterelles slightly. Add the dry sherry and cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until the sherry has reduced to a syrupy consistency. Turn off the heat, but leave the mushrooms in the skillet for now.
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking the pan constantly to prevent burning. Continue to toast the hazelnuts until they begin to brown and become fragrant. Remove the hazelnuts to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then chop them very coarsely. Return the nuts to the pan over medium heat with the butter. Cook for about two minutes or until the butter foams slightly and the nuts are a toasty golden-brown. Remove from the heat immediately.
Add the steamed green beans to the skillet with the warm chanterelles. Add coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste and toss together to combine. Heap the green beans and chanterelles in a serving dish, top with the toasted hazelnuts and a generous sprinking of sea salt.
 Chanterelles and Green Beans with Hazelnuts
Rice pudding is the very definition of ‘comfort food.’
It really doesn’t get any more basic than this. The pudding itself is made of only 5 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry.
Our version was inspired by the Thai classic, Mango Sticky Rice, but rice pudding is a concept that is truly international and every culture has a version all its own.
You don’t have to use bamboo rice, of course, but we really like it in this recipe. Not only is it a glutinous, short grain rice (perfect for rice pudding!), but it’s also very tasty and the delicate celadon-green color is exceptionally attractive. If you don’t have access to bamboo rice, use any short grain rice. Try it with an Italian risotto rice like arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano or a Spanish paella rice like calasparra or bomba. Of course, you can use a traditional Asian sweet rice or any good sushi rice. You’ll get a slightly different, but equally good result with any of them.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Place the water and bamboo rice in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.
Meanwhile, while the rice is cooking, make the coconut sauce. Heat the coconut milk, sugar and salt together in a saucepan, whisking to dissolve the sugar and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Stir half of the coconut sauce into the rice mixture and cook for about 5 more minutes. The rice should be very moist and creamy, like risotto. If too dry, add a little water; if too wet, cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat and gently stir in the vanilla.
Pour the rice pudding into a bowl and allow to cool slightly. This deliciously creamy dessert can be served warm, cold or at room temperature – it’s equally delicious no matter how you serve it.
 Cutting the mango
Intimidated by the thought of preparing mangoes and don’t know where to start? Try this easy & foolproof method: Starting at the top of the mango, right next to the stem, slice both “cheeks” off the mango with a sharp knife. Hold the blade of the knife parallel to the flattish side of the mango, then carefully cut downward, feeling your way along the pit. Turn the mango around and do the other side.
Slice each cheek into quarters. Lay each quarter skin-side down and with the knife almost flat on the cutting board, slip the edge of the blade under the skin and slice it right off, just as you would remove the skin from a fish fillet. Voila!
Serving Suggestions:
Spoon the rice pudding onto dessert plates. Drizzle a little of the warm coconut sauce over the top so the sauce pools around the rice. Arrange the sliced mango on the plate with the pudding and garnish with fresh mint.
 Salmon with Sea Beans & Soba Noodles in Lobster Broth
Sea Beans are an unusual wild vegetable that many people have never even heard of.
No, they’re not really a bean, or a seaweed or a cactus, despite their appearance.
Sea Beans (genus salicornia) go by many names, including glasswort, pickleweed, samphire and “Poor Man’s Asparagus.” Native to almost every continent, Sea Beans grow along the shoreline during the warmer months of the year, and the succulent branches of the sea bean make choice eating, either raw or cooked.
The taste of Sea Beans is quite mild, somewhat resembling that of asparagus or green beans, but their most distinctive trait is their crisp, almost crunchy texture and refreshing briny flavor. The first impression one gets when biting into sea beans is an intense burst of saltiness that fades quickly into a pleasantly tangy finish.
Sea Beans store well and have a shelf life of up to 2 weeks. When very fresh, Sea Beans are as crunchy as snap peas. Even after a week or more in the fridge, slightly tired sea beans will perk up after a brief icewater bath.
Sea Beans are wonderful when used raw in salads, but don’t neglect them as a cooked vegetable. After a brief blanching in boiling water, sea beans can be sauteed or used in a stir fry, just like green beans or asparagus. Try marinating them in your favorite vinaigrette for an unusual, crunchy pickle.
Don’t add salt when you’re cooking with sea beans. But do use them – their fresh, lively sea-salt flavor will add a spritely note to many dishes.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.
Cook the sea beans in a medium-sized pan of boiling water for about 1 minute, then drain in a colander. Plunge the sea beans immediately into a bowl of icewater to stop cooking. Drain, then set aside on paper towels to dry.
 Sea Beans, aka Glasswort, Salicornia or Poor Man's Asparagus
Put the soba noodles into a 2-quart saucepan of boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, add 1 cup of cold water. When the water returns to a boil, turn off the heat and allow to stand for a minute or two. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
 Cooked Soba Noodles
Heat the lobster stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to very low, add the saffron and simmer gently until the stock has been infused with the color and aroma of the saffron. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
Note: Lobster stock or base can be readily purchased at many well-stocked grocery stores (and Asian markets), but if you have trouble finding it, you can substitute any good quality shellfish or seafood stock. Or do what we did – we made our own stock from lobster shells we had frozen last time we splurged on live Maine lobsters. We used a slow cooker to gently simmer the reserved lobster shells – legs, body, carapace and all – for 8 hours in a tightly covered slow cooker and the resulting stock was fantastic!
Bring the soy sauce, chopped garlic, sugar and mirin to a boil in a shallow sauce pan over medium high heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid reduces slightly and becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof saute pan over medium high heat until hot, but not smoking. Place the salmon in the pan, skin side up, and cook until the flesh is browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fish over and spoon the soy sauce mixture evenly over each fillet. Transfer the pan to the pre-heated oven, and roast until the fish is barely cooked through, about 6 – 8 minutes.
Place a small mound of soba noodles in the center of 2 large shallow serving bowls. Center a piece of salmon on each mound of soba noodles. Arrange half of the sea beans around each portion. Gently ladle the lobster broth into the bowl. Top each piece of salmon with a tablespoon of salmon caviar, if using.
Garnish with a sprinkling of snipped chives.
One last thing: This dish may seem complicated, but it is actually very easy to prepare. Each of the various elements – the soba noodles, lobster stock, sea beans and salmon – can be prepared in advance and the dish can be assembled in a matter of minutes. It’s low in fat, easy to make and – most importantly - is incredibly delicious.
 Crab-stuffed Morel Mushroom Some years (like this year), fresh wild morels are so plentiful that we can indulge ourselves and eat to our hearts content. While there are already hundreds of recipes featuring the beloved morel, from simple, rustic folk dishes to haute cuisine, it’s great fun to experiment and come up with something a little different.
Stuffed mushroom caps are nothing new. But morels filled with a spicy mixture of crabmeat, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and just-pickeded thyme? Ah, now, that’s something special.
Ingredients:
- 20 fresh morel mushrooms
- ½ cup crabmeat
- 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
- 2 small or 1 large rib of celery, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water
- Louisiana hot sauce, 4 dashes or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp Madeira
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted
Preparation:
Cut the morels in half lengthwise to expose the hollow center.  Prepare a large bowl of salted water by adding 2 Tbsp to a gallon of cold water and immerse the morels for about 40 minutes or up to 1 hour. Unlike many other mushrooms, morels do not readily soak up water. Wild morels come straight from the forest and their honeycomb structure can harbor grit and forest debris – not to mention the occasional creepy-crawly. The salted water is just the thing to convince any hitch hikers to move on.
Drain the morels, then rinse gently with cold water to flush away any remaining grit. Drain the morels again and lay them out on a tray lined with paper towels.
In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, sliced celery, diced onion, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and thyme. Using a microplane grater or zester, finely grate the peel of one lemon and add it to the mixture. Personally, I prefer a microplane. The sharp little blades don’t dig deeply into the lemon rind, so you get just the aromatic peel – not the pithy white.
Beat the egg with the water and stir into the crabmeat mixture. Add the hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. The crabment mixture should be just moist enough to cling together when gently pressed into a spoon. If the mixture seems to dry, add a Tbsp or two of Madeira to moisten.
Brush the bottom of each morel half with a little of the melted butter and lay them out on a baking sheet. Scoop up a spoonful of the crabmeat mixture and press it firmly into the cavity of a morel half, mounding it up above the surface of the mushroom. Repeat with the remaining sliced morels until all have been filled and are laid out, slightly separated, on the baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the crab-filled morel halves for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the mushrooms are cooked through and tender.
Devour immediately. Try not to burn your mouth.
 Grilled Flank Steak, Korean-style, Wrapped in Lettuce Leaves Nearly everyone has heard of the famous Korean barbecue dish, bulgogi.
While, in some respects, this recipe is not a faithful rendition of the Korean classic, it is definitely inspired by the traditional flavors of Asia. We’ve used flank steak, a long, flat muscle from the abdominal area of the cow. Flank steak is very flavorful, but has a tendency toward toughness. But slice it thinly across the grain and marinate it for a few hours in a tasty mixture including soy sauce, garlic and sesame and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a delicious piece of juicy, succulent grilled beef.
The Thai bird chilies don’t just turn up the heat – they also add wonderful flavor. If you don’t like it spicy, simply omit them.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 6 Tbsp rice wine or sherry
- 4 Tbsp sesame oil
- 16 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 Thai bird chilies, thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 lb flank steak
- Butter or Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry
First, prepare the marinade.
Combine the first nine ingredients (everything except the flank steak and lettuce) in a bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
Trim the Flank Steak
Unless it’s prepared and sliced correctly, flank steak can be a little tough. Flank steak is a long, flat muscle with the muscle fibers or “grain” running the length of the steak. But if you slice flank steak thinly across the grain, you’ll be rewarded with a very flavorful cut of beef with a pleasantly firm and slightly chewy texture.
Here’s how to do it: Using a sharp knife, carefully remove any fat, tough tendons and silverskin – most is concentrated at each end of the muscle. Don’t worry about getting every little bit – just get as much as you can without tearing up the meat. If you use naturally lean Piedmontese flank steak (available from Earthy Delights), as we did, you won’t have much fat to worry about.
Slice & Marinate It.
Lay the knife almost flat against the surface of the meat.  Slicing across the grain, cut long, thin strips of the steak, 1/4-inch or less in thickness. The thinner and wider the slices, the more surface area of the meat is exposed to the potent, flavorful marinade. Continue, carefully slicing thin, flat pieces of meat until the entire steak has been cut.
Place the sliced meat into a heavy duty zip-lock bag and pour in the marinade. Remove as much of the air from the bag as possible and seal it closed. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade evenly across and around the slices of flank steak. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as 6, turning occasionally.
Grill It!
Prepare a very hot charcoal or wood fire. The object is to sear the meat very quickly over high heat so it will remain moist and tender. Cooking the marinated flank steak too long on an insufficiently hot grill will render it tough and dry.
When the coals are glowing hot, remove the meat from the marinade and place the strips on the grill, cooking them in batches if necessary. Do not overcrowd the grill. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. When the edges begin to brown, turn each strip and cook the other side for another minute or two. As soon as each strip of meat is done, remove it from the grill to a platter. Continue cooking until all the meat is done.
Hint: Don’t discard the marinade after removing the flank steak. Instead, bring it to a quick boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Lower the heat and continue to cook until it reduces slightly. Use as a condiment for the flank steak or on burgers, as a dipping sauce for roasted chicken, or dab it on grilling seafood. Delicious!
Eat it!
Place a strip of grilled flank steak on a lettuce leaf. If you like it a little spicy, add a dash of ssamjang (Korean hot sauce), sriracha, or just drizzle with some of the reduced marinade. Mmmm… Incredible, isn’t it?
 Fiddleheads are among the first wild delicacies to emerge each spring, slowly raising their tightly furled heads when the sun first begins to warm the soil of lowland forests, from the Great Lakes to the Maritime Provinces of Canada.
Named for their resemblance to the carved end of a violin, fiddleheads have a deliciously intense flavor which has been compared to artichokes, green beans or asparagus, but which has a nutty, mossy quality uniquely its own. No other vegetable, cultivated or wild, matches the exquisite form and subtle flavor of fresh fiddleheads.
Fiddlehead ferns remain one of spring’s most elusive wild offerings. The season lasts for a few short weeks each spring, beginning in late April or early May and running until mid-June. While there are several varieties of edible ferns, we prefer Eastern Fiddleheads, specifically the Ostrich Fern (matteucia struthiopteris).
Yes, there are other varieties of edible ferns that appear earlier in the season, but frankly, we just don’t like them very much – and neither do most of our fern-loving friends.
 ...that's Sacajawea, by the way Selection
Fresh fiddleheads should be tightly coiled with only an inch or two of stem extending beyond the coil. Just-picked fiddleheads may still bear the brown papery chaff that surrounds the coiled head on the plant. While much of this chaff may have been removed before you get them, some may remain, but it’s easily removed.
The outside of the coil displays an intricate pattern of tiny leaves along the sides of the spiral. The furled coil is typically about the size of a quarter or a little larger. Larger fiddleheads are acceptable as long as they remain tightly coiled. You may note that common bracken and other ferns also produce tightly coiled new growth in the spring, but beware – not every variety of fern is suitable for eating.
Handling Fresh Fiddleheads
 If more than 2 inches of stem remains attached beyond the coiled part of the fiddlehead, snap or cut it off. If any of the paper chaff remains, rubbing by hand or vigorous rinsing should remove it.
Rinse the fiddleheads thoroughly in cold water to remove any dirt or forest debris and drain well. Fresh Fiddleheads store quite well. Keep them refrigerated for up to 10 days, although their flavor is best when they are used as soon as possible after harvest.
Basic Preparation
Fiddleheads should always be cooked before they are eaten. First, rinse the fiddleheads well in cold water to remove any remnants of the brown papery chaff and trim the ends if desired. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the fiddleheads by placing them in the boiling water. Allow water to return to a rolling boil. Remove from heat immediately, drain and quickly plunge them into an ice water bath. Drain again.
Your fiddleheads are now ready to use. Marinate them, saute them, use them in soups, put them on salads – serve them any way you please.
 Fiddleheads just seem to go naturally with mushrooms. While fiddleheads are frequently seen in the company of morel mushrooms, it’s not often you see them paired with shiitakes. We served this delicious combination at the last Earthy Delights Open House and it won rave reviews. It’s now a standard on our spring menu.
 Ingredients:
Preparation:
Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover completely with warm water. Allow to soak for 20 – 30 minutes or until completely soft and pliable. Drain the mushrooms and remove the tough stems with a pair of sturdy scissors and discard. Cut each mushroom cap into several thick slices, about 1/4-inch in width.
Place the mushroom caps in a large heavy sauce pan with the rest of the ingredients and 2 cups of water.
Quickly bring to a boil, taking care that the pot doesn’t boil over. Reduce the heat to medium high and allow the liquid to cook down until it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, rinse the fiddleheads and trim ends if desired. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the fiddleheads by placing them in the boiling water. Allow the water to return to a boil. Remove immediately from heat, drain and quickly plunge the fiddleheads into a large bowl of cold water. Drain again.
Toss the fiddleheads together with the shiitake mushrooms and any remaining mushroom cooking liquid. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
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