more signs of spring

So cool.... I contributed one recipe to the "Cooking with Les Dames D'Escoffier." It happens to be my tribute to spring and came about because I love insalata Caprese, the ubiquitous salad that's served year around in some restaurants with insipid winter tomatoes and rubbery cow's milk mozzarella. I was at the Ferry Terminal and saw the best local buffalo mozzarella (available this time of year) at Cowgirl Creamery and lots of spring vegetables and herbs. That was the inspiration for this salad. I also had a can of the most delicious La Amarilla fruity virgin olive oil on my shelf.

SPRING BUFFALO MOZZARELLA AND MACHE SALAD

1 ½ pounds fava beans in the pod
½ pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 cup fresh shelled English peas
12 ounces mozzarella di bufala or fresh milk mozzarella
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons chopped fresh savory (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups mache or other young tender greens

Peel the outer husk of the fava beans and discard. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the fava beans and boil 30 seconds. Drain, cool the beans and peel the outer bright green shell. Discard the shells and reserve the fava beans.

Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil, add the asparagus and boil until bright green and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve with the fava beans. Add the peas to the boiling water and simmer 30 seconds. Drain and add to the asparagus and fava beans.

Slice the mozzarella into thin slices and place on a platter. Sprinkle the vegetables onto the platter. Sprinkle the mint, savory and oregano onto the mozzarella and vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mache onto the top.

Serves 6

personally persimmons

When you get something right, you just know. This season I couldn't get enough persimmons. Didn't matter whether it was fuju or hachiya. Fuju are the round ones shaped like a tiny orange pumpkin. You buy these while they are firm to the touch. As you can see I even used them in a Persimmon Upside-Down Cake. Peel them, slice them and use them in salads too. I love the sweet crunch. Hachiya couldn't be more opposite. They're more elongated with kind of a point at the bottom. If you eat them when they are still firm and crunchy, you'll die! Well not really but it won't be the best sensation. You buy these when they're really ripe and feel like jelly. Then they are sweet and best used in a persimmon pudding. But I feel awful telling you this because both the hachiya and the fuju are almost out of season. Before they are going, going, gone, you HAVE to make this salad. Easy as pie and totally delicious.

Green Bean, Persimmon and Hazelnut Salad

1 pound green beans
1 Fuju persimmon, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and peeled
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender yet crisp, 4 to 7 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Add the persimmons and hazelnuts.

In another small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the vinaigrette over the green beans and persimmons and toss together carefully.

Serves 4 to 6