by Phoenix Trent
Vibrantly colored blossoms are beginning to cover our valley, and the exciting spring crops are starting to pop up in droves. The air is sweet with wet earth and you can almost hear the branches begin to thaw as new life starts again. With spring comes a bounty of fresh produce for us to enjoy at a growing list of local farm stands. Asparagus—low in cholesterol and sodium and packed with iron, magnesium and protein—is the perfect spring meal builder. It’s one of the first veggies to pop up in spring, so it’s readily available in markets right now.
Quick Salad Ingedients
Fresh Spinach · 4 Cups
Olive Oil · 1/2 Cup
Dijon Mustard · 3 Tbps
Red Wine Vinegar · 1/3 Cup
Salt · Pinch
Pepper · Pinch
Sugar · Pinch
Preparation
To compliment a beautiful spring meal, start with a fresh spinach salad and delectable Dijon vinaigrette. Begin by gently rinsing about 4 cups of fresh spinach, being sure to remove all dirt and sand left over from the farm. Whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, and a pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar. Once the dressing is thoroughly combined and frothy, drizzle over spinach and gently combine making sure not to bruise the leaves. Add in a 1/4 cup of roasted and chopped almonds and a handful of dried cranberries and you are on your way to the ideal spring meal.
Mint Salmon Ingedients
Asparagus Spears · about 10
Olive Oil · 2 Tbps
White Wine or Water · 4 Tbps
Red Wine Vinegar · 1/3 Cup
Salt · A Few Pinches
Pepper · A Few Pinches
Minced Garlic · 1 Tbps
Grated Ginger · 1/2 Tbps
Wild Salmon Filet · 1 Tbps
Mint Leaves · 15 or 16 Sprigs
Minced Clove · 1 Clove
“optional” indulgences:
Semolina Roll
Mint Leaves · 1/2 Cup
Basil · 1/2 Cup
Chopped Almond · 1/4 Cup
Lemon Juice · 1 Squeeze
Preparation
Whip up this tasty and nutritious mint-infused salmon and asparagus bake for the main course. Begin by coating the bottom of a glass baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil. Thoroughly wash about 10 spears of asparagus and snap off and discard the fibrous bottom end of each. Toss in mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons white wine or water, a few pinches of salt and pepper to taste, a tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger, and 5 or 6 sprigs of garden mint roughly chopped. Evenly spread the seasoned asparagus on the bottom of the baking sheet to make a stable bed for the salmon. When it comes to the salmon, look for a line-caught wild variety. It’s rich in flavor and high in omega-3 fatty acids; farm-raised salmon simply does not measure up. Thoroughly rinse wild salmon filet in ice-cold water until any slippery coating that exists has been removed. Next place salmon atop your beautifully constructed asparagus bed, making sure that the salmon is only touching the veg. Squeeze an entire lemon on top and spread about 10 sprigs of crushed fresh mint (found wild in every corner of the valley) over the filet. Finish with kosher salt, a few cracks of pepper, a clove of minced garlic, a quick drizzle of olive oil, and you’re good to go. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake at 400 for five minutes to crisp off the top. The final hit of high heat allows the garlic to crunch and melds all the flavors together into a wonderful medley of springtime goodness.
Serve up with a hot semolina roll from your local bakery and get ready to indulge in a delightful meal. The salmon should flake from the touch of the fork, and combined with the tantalizing bight of garlic and ginger and the fresh finish of the mint leaf there really is nothing better. The mildly earthy flavor of asparagus always does a good job of kicking your meal up to the next level, and when the crop is in such fresh abundance, there’s no reason not to indulge. For an extra hit of fresh, roughly chop a 1/2 cup of mint and a 1/2 cup of basil. Combine with a 1/4 cup toasted and chopped almonds, a liberal squeeze of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper and gently place atop the salmon for a refreshing herb salad garnish.
Cherry Dessert Ingedients
Pitted Cherries · Dozen
White Wine Vinegar · 4 Tbps
Granulated Sugar · 1/2 Cup & 3 Tbps
Mint Leaves · A few
Heavy Whipping Cream · 1 Cup
Vanilla Bean Extract · 1 tsp
Preparation
To finish this celebration of spring and its bounties pit a dozen cherries (one of the first tree fruits to ripen) and slice into quarters. Combine in mixing bowl with 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, a 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and a few mint leaves roughly chopped. Next whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks on the mixing whisk. Combine with 3 tablespoons sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla bean extract. Serve cherries with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and garnish with a fresh mint sprig. Refreshing and seasonal, cherries are packed with essential vitamins and are the perfect finish to a well-rounded meal.
Spring is a time for rebirth and an opportunity to try something new. We are surrounded by some of the most beautiful and wholesome produce that this world has to offer, so take a trip over to your local farm stand and bring home some veg you have never seen before. Take an hour to cook. Then pour yourself a glass of wine and find a cozy spot to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
You deserve it.
