I have been so busy lately I haven't been doing very much cooking. But I got to thinking that I could still be offering some ideas for you! We are getting into full swing at the markets right now, and although we are still a ways away from tomatoes and peppers and watermelons, here are some ideas for what is available now.
Arugula - arugula is (well, it should be) a very aromatic, peppery green. Choose leaves which are small and tender. Some varieties of arugula look very similar to spinach, while other varieties are thinner and more spiky. Arugula makes a lovely salad component, especially when matched with sweet items such as dried or fresh strawberries, or rich items like ham or cured sausages. I love to add it to pasta dishes, and just like black pepper, it goes very well with cream. It makes a great foil to lots of strong flavors. It is also a great "seasoning." Try arugula salads with a very simple dressing of salt and olive oil; toss into any pasta at the last minutes, use it as a pizza topping, or server with a very simple grilled steak.
Iceberg lettuce - Wayward Seed is selling iceberg lettuce this year, and it's a great idea. It has been so hot recently it seems that all I want to eat are salads (very rare for yours truly). Iceberg lettuce gets a bad rap because, well, it's really mostly water. However, I find its cools crunchiness rather charming, and given the fact that wedge salads are still popular after all these years, I can't be the only one. Make the best wedge salad ever by using some great bacon from Thurns or Blues Creek, a few of the grape or cherry tomatoes which will be arriving at the markets soon, and some homemade blue cheese dressing. As soon as sweet onions are ready (Central Ohio's variety is called Candy), top your salad with shaved raw sweet onions.
Kale - I love kale. The fact that I see more and more of it at the markets makes me think others are starting to catch on. At this time of year, you will find smaller, more tender kale leaves. Later in the season - in the fall - the kale will become large and more robustly flavored. I love those little purple kale leaves. Kale has a satisfying texture, and a hearty, slightly peppery flavor. It doesn't lose its texture when cooked, which makes it great in soup. My favorite partner for kale is Italian sausage, followed by white beans and pasta. I love mixing all three. Weather you are making soup or a hearty pasta dish, the idea is pretty much the same; brown some sausage, stir in cooked beans and kale, add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, then toss in cooked pasta. If you are making soup, undercook your pasta by 2 minutes and add it along with a good bit of chicken stock. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Kohlrabi - I have spoken before of my love for kohlrabi, a vegetable which many of you who didn't grow up in the country had never seen until you began visiting the farmers markets. Growing up, we ate it simply peeled, sliced, and salted. This is still my favorite way to consume kohlrabi; I don't care for cooked kohlrabi, because it loses its delightfully crunchy texture and its light, slightly cabbagey flavor. It is a great addition to salads, or sliced and served in place of a salad. It's nice with just a pinch of good extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. It shines when served very simply. The leaves can be cooked any why you might cook cabbage; that is to say, with a little bacon and vinegar.
Peas - for those of you who have already discovered the secret of peas (that they should be consumed as shortly after harvest as possible) you already know how delicious they can be. Shelling peas (or English peas, or plain old sweet peas) must be removed from their pod before being cooked. This is a very nice Zen-like activity to conduct while watching TV or sitting on the porch watching the world go by. Of course, you can also purchase them shelled at a higher price point. Depending on their age, peas have to be steamed or boiled for quite some time before they become tender. I usually give them about 12-15 minutes, tasting frequently. I like my peas very simple, and they are one of the few green vegetables I think are much better when slathered with butter versus olive oil, or simply salted. Boil the peas until they are tender and then strain them, rinsing with cold water to stop the cooking. Heat a good bit of butter in a small pan, allowing it to melt, foam, and brown just slightly. The add the peas and toss to coat them with the butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Good, fresh peas have a very high sugar content (which begins turning to starch immediately upon picking, which is why they should be consumed as soon as possible), making them sweet; they should be sweet, rich, and creamy, with just a little pop! when bitten. I love to add them to pasta and risotto. Sweet peas are especially tasty with mushrooms and new potatoes - there is a very brief period when the two are harvested at the same time, and it's pure heaven.
Sugar Snap Peas - Sugar snaps are a very sweet pea with an edible pod. They are sometimes stringy and the strings should be removed before cooking (because there's nothing worse than getting a gaggy string when eating something so tasty). Remove the string by pinching each end with your fingernail or a small knife and then peeling down the "seam" of the pea. The strings should come right off. Sugar snaps usually need only the briefest cooking time (they are also good raw) and provide a very interesting green flavor and crunch to pasta dishes, and as a side dish. Husband started cutting them in half lengthwise last year, and I think this technique makes them even more interesting in texture. I particularly like sugar snaps as a side dish to pork, and of course, in pasta, as noted previously.
Snow peas - art very similar in flavor to sugar snap peas, however they are almost all edible pod and very little pea. Their flavor is very green, and the texture very crunchy. They should be de-strung, and cooked only briefly. I like to cut them lengthwise in 2-3 strips and cook only very briefly. They are good chilled and added to salads, and of course they add color, texture, and a green flavor to stir-fries.
Carrots - do you know that carrots do not need to be peeled at all? Especially during this time of year, when they are young and tender. Give the outsides a good scrub. Carrots are very tasty raw, of course, and I like to cook them briefly in a little butter, white wine water, lemon juice, and sugar. You can brown them first if you'd like, and then add the remaining ingredients to create a syrup. If the carrots are very small, you can make them very pretty by cutting them lengthwise with the tops in tact, making a very lovely side dish. Carrots are also nice when sliced with a peeler and added to salads or vegetable side dishes, especially when left uncooked. Adding them to a cooked vegetable medley adds interest, color, and crunch.
Radishes - radishes are very nice eaten whole with salt, which tames their salt. Some people enjoy them cooked, but as with kohlrabi, I find their texture lacking when cooked. Many ethnic cuisines use radishes as a foil to rich meaty dishes, and I think we could take a page from their book. In SE Asian cuisine, radishes are frequently used as a small salad and served with beef, and when one purchases authentic tacqueria tacos, the meat is usually topped with sliced radishes. Make a salad by cutting radishes into small matchsticks and then tossing them with rice vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve as a condiment on sandwiches and meat. Then, of course, there's the old butter and radish sandwich.
