A Stack of Dishes

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King Mushroom Salad: Brown Butter and Crisp Sage Dressing

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Brown Butter Sage Mushroom Salad ~ A Stack of Dishes.comJust in time for National Salad Day: As promised, this is Part II  of my ingredient expedition adventure. The “find”- Pleurotus eryngii- better known as King Mushrooms, French Horn, King Oyster, Boletus of the Steppes or Trumpet Royale. They are from the Oyster mushroom family, or otherwise known as pluerotes. 

Mushrooms are often the accent of the salad, or a null addendum to a bright flavor base. These regal beauties have enough oomph to stand up on their own, and you’ll want to let them. So gorgeous and plump- they command attention. They also have a hearty shelf life, so if you find them, you can stock up a week of treats and they’ll hold up fine.

The flavor is fairly neutral which makes them a great platform for any handling. Sliced as planks their sturdiness also makes them great for grilling.

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Baby Artichokes: Pan to Plate Goodness

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Purple Petite Artichokes ~ A Stack of Dishes.comIt might be ridiculous to think of oneself as an urban hunter and gatherer, but from time to time this is what I do. Bored with what I typically see in my pantry or market, I will go in search of a new or unfamiliar ingredient. Sometimes this expedition takes me hither and yon to the deepest darkest parts of NYC, but sometimes I’ll simply dig around the shelves in my “around the corner” market. Often tucked away in the Imported area there can be some amazing sauces, grains, or food stuffs that are languishing on shelves, waiting for an intrepid cook to give it a go.

This past week I went on such a trip downtown to a fruit and vegetable store that occasionally stocks a variety of foods not typically seen at local markets. I was actually on the hunt for some peppers that I had gotten a hook onto, but instead came away with these bitty baby artichokes (and some mushrooms you’ll see later this week).

The inside of petite purple artichokes ~ A Stack of Dishes.comI spotted the artichokes as I came around the corner. They were piled in a soft mound in a cardboard flat at the end of the row, with a hand written scratch of a paper tucked in amongst the pods reporting the name and price. It was the color that struck me at first. That beautiful deep purple that few vegetables really behold. Often artichokes can sport tinges of the aubergine, but usually just a tinge, and then only on the tips. The color on these were rich, velvety, and regal in color, with hidden buds of bright green coming from the centers of some- very sexy and alluring.

 The second thing was their adorable petiteness.  When I say bitty, I mean bitty. I had never seen such small artichokes before. I was able to put 5 of them easily into one hand. 

cuthandI had no idea what they would yield. For a typical artichoke it requires peeling layers of outer leaves to get to the tender heart- about ~20% of the whole size of the fruit. Since they were so small I suspected that they might be tender enough to eat almost all of it once cooked. I had no idea, but after all, that’s part of the fun. Regardless- they were too gorgeous to pass up.

Peeled purple artichokes ~ A Stack of Dishes.comThis past week I’ve also been reading a book about the art and history of Gregorian Chants. There are delightful passages about the breathtaking wonder of simple chant- or single voice chanting. You can hear the echoing tones of devoted monks singing in unison, creating a holy vibration of music. I am not Catholic, nor religious, but it’s not hard to image divinity in such moments as those.

This has put me squarely in the Italian frame of mind, more specifically the quiet perfection of simplicity well executed to create supreme beauty- or in the case of my artichokes- deliciousness.

Sauteed Baby Artichokes ~ A Stack of Dishes.com [Read more…] about Baby Artichokes: Pan to Plate Goodness

Quick Pickled Ramps

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Pickled Ramps ~ A Stack of Dishes

Help me for a second- What movie was it where the lead actor, a fading comedian, was talking about how to be funny? “Pickles!”, he cried, “Pickles is a funny word!”. 

The funny thing about pickles for me, is I have this strange- like a lot/like not so much- relationship with them. When I was a kid I used to love pickles. I could find delight in an afternoon snack of cold dill spears straight out of the jar while watching Zoom! on TV. I mean, I could practically plow through a whole jar in one sitting. The real pickle lover in our family though is my eldest daughter, Olivia- it’s family lore.

When Olivia was a toddler her Grandmother took her shopping at the supermarket in our small town. The deli department would have a bin of brining pickles- the big honking whole ones. The first stop was to that bin, where Olivia would be handed a deli paper wrapped pickle, which she would happily gnaw on for the duration of the excursion.

endbunchThough I rarely will do it myself, when a slice of pickle is slipped into my sandwich I am always delighted. The acidic, salty, slightly sweet taste of a pickle is a brightener that I really enjoy. So why don’t I eat them more often? No idea. Maybe I’ll start now.

The ramps are beginning to make their appearance in the farmer’s markets in all their Spring glory. The first time I served them at an Easter meal, some 10 years ago, the result was a “Who’s on First” sort of conversation.

What are these Gail? Ramps. What? Ramps… What?..Ramps, they are a wild leek. A What? Ramps- R. A. M. P. – Ramp. 

It was exhausting.

These days they are prolific enough that we don’t have that conversation much anymore. What we do have are more and more recipes popping up using them.

Prepared Ramps for Pickling ~ A stack of dishesThe beauty of this tender allium, is that the whole thing is edible and delicious. The bulbs have a soft onion taste the way a leek would, but are far more tender, making them lovely to toss into a pasta or salad. The greens are also delightfully scented and flavored. You can use them the way you would any leafy herb to add some pungency to a dish.

Ramps are not in season long, a few weeks depending on the weather. They’re not inexpensive either, so it’s best to make the most of them while you can.

This is a quick pickle recipe that takes no time to make. Once you toss it all together, you only need to give it a day or two until you can enjoy them. They also keep well. I’ve had a jar in the back of my fridge for a year and they are just lovely- 

Let’s see if this batch lasts that long.

Pickled Ramps in Sandwich~A Stack of Dishes

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