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How To... With Spring Vegetables
by Patty Liston
Have I told you how much I love spring? No more snow shovels, rock salt, winter coats; just beautiful spring weather, flowers and vegetables! I came across this information from Bon Appetite! and wanted to share it. The recipes that follow the information are wonderful! I particularly liked the biscuits — or was it the frittata — or the salad? Oh well, if it is hard for me to choose my favorite, maybe it will be for you as well.
HOW TO BUY ASPARAGUS
 Whether you're buying thick, thin, or medium asparagus, choose firm, bright-green stalks with tight tips and moist ends. The best season for fresh asparagus is February through June.
HOW TO USE
Because asparagus is grown in sandy soil, you should wash the spears and remove any grit from the tips. If the stems are thick, use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer layer.
HOW TO STORE
Asparagus is best eaten fresh; if that's not possible, store it in the refrigerator standing upright in a container of water, like you would keep flowers, but covered in a plastic bag.
Leek and Asparagus Frittata
 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 12-ounce bunch thin asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup sliced stemmed shiitake mushrooms
8 large omega-3 eggs
1 cup diced Fontina cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat broiler. Melt butter in heavy broilerproof 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté 4 minutes. Add asparagus and shiitake mushrooms, sprinkle lightly with salt, and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup Fontina cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to skillet; fold gently to combine. Cook until almost set. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Fontina cheese and Parmesan cheese over. Broil until frittata is puffed and cheese begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
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HOW TO BUY ONIONS
 Scallions and green onions are available year-round but their peak is during spring and summer. Look for crisp, bright-green stalks and a firm white base.
HOW TO USE
Both the white base and the green stalks of a scallion are edible. They can be cooked whole the same way you would cook a leek, chopped and served raw in soups and salads, or lightly cooked.
HOW TO STORE
Store unwashed green onions and scallions in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Buttermilk Biscuits with Green Onions
Makes 14
 3/4 cup chilled buttermilk
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
Coarse sea salt
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and green onions in medium bowl. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in large bowl to blend. Add 1/2 cup chilled butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk mixture and stir until moist clumps form.
Gather dough together. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead gently just to combine, about 3 to 4 turns. Roll out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using floured 2-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll scraps and cut out additional rounds. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter. Sprinkle each lightly with coarse sea salt and ground black pepper.
Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Download this recipe.
HOW TO USE SPINACH
 Spinach can be sandy even if it's pre-washed, so rinse thoroughly in plenty of water. Fresh spinach should also be stemmed; pinch the leaf and pull the stem up the leaf's spine, so the stem attached to the back of the leaf comes away, too. When cooked, spinach will reduce greatly in volume; you need about two pounds of spinach for four cooked servings (about three cups). Be careful not to cook spinach in a pot or pan with an aluminum interior; the spinach will discolor.
Spinach contains a good bit of water. If adding cooked spinach to a quiche filling, it's important to remove excess moisture. Do this by wrapping the spinach in a kitchen towel, twisting both ends (it will look like a wrapped piece of hard candy), and squeezing until it's as dry as possible.
HOW TO STORE
Fresh spinach will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for three days.
Penne with Green Olives, Feta and Greens
 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large bunch greens (such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe; about 1 pound), thick stems removed, spinach left whole, other greens cut into 1-inch strips (about 10 cups packed)
12 ounces penne
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
Mix parsley, lemon peel and garlic in small bowl; set aside.
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook just until tender, 1 to 6 minutes, depending on type of greens. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer greens to colander to drain. Return water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add greens and 3 tablespoons oil and toss. Stir in olives, feta, and enough reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with parsley mixture and serve.
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