Local fresh vegetables are slowly making their way to your favorite farmers market. Mother Nature has made things a bit slow this year but it’s fresh veggie time now, none the less.
Here are recipes for a salad, main dish, and dessert featuring produce that should, or will soon be available.
ASPARAGUS SALAD
Salad Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ c. feta cheese (optional for a creamy texture)
¼ c. toasted almonds or walnuts (optional for crunch)
2 c. mixed greens (such as arugula, spinach, or baby kale)
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin for the best flavor)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dressing Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey (optional, can be replaced with agave or maple syrup for a vegan version)
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar (halal and alcohol-free)
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Prepare the Asparagus:
Trim the Asparagus:
Start by trimming the woody ends off the asparagus. To do this, simply hold the asparagus stalk in both hands and bend it gently; it will naturally snap where the tough part ends. Alternatively, you can cut about 2 inches off the bottom of each stalk.
Blanch the Asparagus:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and carefully drop in the asparagus. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks, until the asparagus is tender but still crisp. For a vibrant green color, transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water immediately after draining to stop the cooking process.
Cut the Asparagus:
Once cooled, slice the asparagus into 2-inch pieces on a diagonal, which makes for a nice presentation and ensures even bites.
Make the Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. The dressing should be tangy, slightly sweet, and well-balanced.
Assemble the Salad:
In a large salad bowl, combine the asparagus, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and mixed greens. If you’re using feta cheese and nuts, add them to the bowl as well.
Add the Dressing:
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. The dressing should coat the vegetables evenly, enhancing their natural flavors without overpowering them.
Serve the salad immediately, or refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Garnish with extra feta or nuts if desired.
CHICKEN & SNOW PEAS STIR FRY
Chicken marinade
1 lb. boneless chicken breast, sliced
1 tsp. cornstarch
¼ c. light soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. honey
3 garlic, crushed
Stir fry
1 tbsp. cooking oil
8 oz. snow peas
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Salt to taste
With a knife, cut chicken in to slices. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken marinade ingredients (chicken, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey). Combine well and then set it aside to marinade for at least half hour. You can marinade up to overnight but remember to put it in the fridge.
In a cooking pan or wok, add cooking oil, and let it heat up on medium high. Add garlic and allow it to cook for about a minute.
Add chicken along with all the marinade sauce, and stir fry for about 2 minutes or until chicken is no longer translucent, and immediately remove chicken from heat by placing in a big plate or bowl and set aside (try to keep sauce in pan).
Add a little more cooking oil if your pan is too dry. Then, add snow peas and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes or until the snow peas start turning bright green and tender.
Return the chicken back in to pan, and add oyster sauce, and black pepper, salt, and stir fry everything for about another 1-2 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Remove from heat and serve!
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE
Cake
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup oil vegetable, canola or light olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream regular, full fat
1 cup whole milk or 2%, but avoid lower fat
Strawberries
2 pints fresh ripe strawberries
1 tablespoon Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze optional
2 tablespoons sugar
Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar divided, see recipe below
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese regular, full fat
1/4 cup diced strawberries with glaze from the recipe above
Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare three 8″ cake pans by lightly greasing the sides of the pans and then dusting with flour, then line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk, then set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. While mixing, slowly add sugar and continue to beat until the butter and sugar are well combined and the mixture is light and fluffy. Don’t skimp on the mixing at this stage.
While mixing, add the eggs one at a time, blending at least 10-20 seconds between each additional egg. Mixing well to incorporate some air is important in this step.
Add vanilla and oil, and blend well to combine.
Add sour cream and blend.
Reduce the mixer speed to low, and pour in about half of the milk, then half of the flour mixture. Repeat with milk and flour. Blend just until all ingredients are well combined. Stop mixer and scrap down the sides of the bowl, and stir (just a couple times) by hand just to make sure all ingredients are well blended.
Divided batter evenly into prepared pans.
Bake in preheated 350°F. oven for 22-30 minutes, or until the cake has a slight dome and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
Cool cakes in pans for 5-10 minutes, then carefully remove and continue cooling on a wire cooling rack (leave the parchment on the bottoms at this point). Once cakes are mostly cool, wrap well in plastic wrap and place cakes in the freezer. This will help keep them moist as they fully cool, and will make them easy to handle (stack and frost) when you’re assembling the cake.
Strawberries
Dice strawberries and add to a large bowl. Set aside a couple whole berries for garnish, if desired.
Drizzle on the balsamic glaze, then sprinkle sugar over the berries and stir until the berries are evenly coated.
Cover and place in the fridge while you prepare the whipped cream.
Whipped cream
Place the entire mixing bowl and mixing beaters in the freezer for at least 5 minutes, while you gather you ingredients.
Add heavy cream into the chilled bowl and beat until it begins to thicken.
While mixing, add 1/4 cup powdered sugar into the cream (reserving 1/2 cup for later).
Continue to beat, and add vanilla.
Beat until light and fluffy and holds a soft peak.
Remove whipped cream from mixing bowl and transfer into a different large bowl. Place in the fridge for the moment.
In the now empty mixing bowl (should be scraped clean, but no need to wash), add cream cheese and blend until fully smooth. Do not move on until the cream cheese is smooth.
Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar (that you reserved earlier) and blend until fully combined with the cream cheese.
Scoop out 1/4 cup of the glazed strawberries from the fridge, and blend with cream cheese mixture.
Remove whipped cream from fridge and add one large scoop (about 3/4 cup) whipped cream to the mixing bowl and blend on low. Mix just until the cream cheese mixture has gotten a bit fluffier. Add the remaining whipped cream and blend on low just until all ingredients are combined. This step may be done by hand if desired. Be careful not to over mix.
Assemble the cake
Remove cake layers from freezer, unwrap and remove parchment from cake bottoms.
Stack one layer of cake, then about 1/3 of the whipped cream and spread with an offset spatula as needed to level.
Add a layer of strawberries (about 1/3 of the total mixture). You do not need to use all the liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
Repeat with another layer of cake, whipped cream and strawberries, then repeat for final layer.
Garnish cake with a few whole strawberries, if desired.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving. Best when served within 1-2 hours of assembly.
https://www.glorioustreats.com/the-best-strawberry-shortcake-cake
