Spring has Sprung – Lettuce have fun!
In the immortal words of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Circa 1968, (the Woodstock album), “It’s been a long time coming”……..
Yesterday was the kind of day when I could come up with a million titles and topics to write about – while at the same time wanting to go in a million directions out-of-doors. Not only was it a day to celebrate opening the windows and letting the fresh air of Spring permeate the house, but it was a day to take one’s body outside, for the entire day, to soak in the sunshine, fresh air and share the joyous moods of everyone around. It was truly a day for rejoicing – in this season of joyous renewal – one of those days when your faith is restored in the heavens, even though those heavens seem to have been in slow-motion a bit this year.(joy, joyous, rejoicing).
My first instinct yesterday, early morning, was to think about what time it was and what time the Farm would be open. I was off on a mission which had been stuck in my head for well over a month – to indulge in a round pot of tender, but hardened-off lettuces. Back a few weeks ago when I was desperate for anything green, I imagined myself to have a great pot of mature lettuce heads in a lovely round bowl on my kitchen island – to stare at and keep my chin up. Well, that wasn’t materializing via fairy godmothers back then and so, I tucked that image away, as I do so many others, for a day when I could make it be. I must say, it was fun on a scale with a multiplier of 10 for me to do this yesterday!. In fact, going over to the Farm and finally seeing that the season had indeed finally begun was a reaffirmation in my soul. It’s so nice to see everyone in a happy state and with the cheery urgency of having some fun tasks to undertake.
Well, next impulse? – to be majorly homesick for the Santa Barbara’s Farmer’s Market – where we walked about and munched those prize fresh California organic Strawberries in mid March. Ouch! But, off we went in the car to Union Square, as the day was indeed so glorious that it pulled you there. And yes, much of New York was out and about, strolling and celebrating the first really gorgeous Saturday of the season.
Here are a few pics I snapped and I searched around for some French Tarragon and Lemon Verbena plants:
all dressed up in pink and ready to go – at Union Square Farmer’s Market
While waiting patiently (not) for this year’s local produce offerings to come in, it’s time to celebrate flowers! (I did spy some early radishes!)
Danny Meyers’ entryway greeting at Union Square Café – I asked if I could buy this and was told it is his favorite; I’m in search of prints……
what I tagged as “the happy bush” on Bleecker St. (not knowing what its real name is)
the beginning of the lovely evening
In the recipe department, nothing warmed me more yesterday as I paged through my copy of Michael Devine’s An Invitation to the Garden than his recipe for Strawberry Mille-Feuilles. (this was one of the great bargains I got at the Rizzoli moving sale). This recipe was my favorite of the day – another reference to “It won’t be long, yeah, yeah, yeah”:
courtesy An Invitation to the Garden
MICHAEL DEVINE’S STRAWBERRY MILLE-FEUILLES – and my variation- courtesy An Invitation to the Garden
Vanilla Creme Fraiche:
8 ounces creme fraiche
1/2 tsp vanilla extract*
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Tuiles:
11 tblsp unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar plus more for dusting
4 large eggs at room temp
2/3 cup cake flour
grated zest of 1 organic lemon*
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice*
1 cup slivered almonds
1 quart strawberries rinsed, hulled, dried and sliced in half lengthwise
Creme Fraiche: In the bowl of a stand mixed fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the creme fraiche until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and the sugar and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Tuiles: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and confectioner’s sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and then add the flour, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour to overnight.
Arrange racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and preheat to 400F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a pastry bag with a 1/2″ round tip, pipe twelve mounds of tulle dough onto each prepared baking sheet, spacing the mounds about 3 inches apart. With a teaspoon dipped in cold water, spread each mound of dough into a rectangle about 1 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, leaving 2″ of space between each one. Sprinkle each rectangle with a few almonds. Bake the tuiles for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are brown and the centers are still pale. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the tuples to a wire rack to cool completely.
Assemble the Milles-Feuilles: Neatly arrange eight strawberry halves on top of one tulle. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2″ star tip, pip three rosettes of creme fraiche along the center of the strawberry-covered tulle. Cover with another tulle, pressing it down gently, and cover that tulle with eight strawberry halves and three rosettes of creme fraiche. Cover with one more tulle, pressing down gently, and dust the top of the tulle with confectioners’ sugar. Repeat with the remaining tuiles, strawberries, creme fraiche and confectioners’ sugar. Optional: Garnish each mille-feuille with finely grated lemon zest.
My variation: substitute zest of 1/2 orange and fresh orange juice for the lemon and 1/4 tsp almond extract for the vanilla. Also, use long strips of orange peel, twisted as the garnish.
Well, I’ll be making this as soon as the local Strawberries come along.