Spring Vegetable Saute Recipes

Steps:

• Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute only. Lift the beans from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Add the snap peas to the same boiling water and cook for 1 minute, until al dente, adding them to the ice water and the beans. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch lengths diagonally and cook in the boiling water for 2 minutes, and add to the ice water. Cut the broccolini in half, boil for 1 minute, and add to the ice water. When all the vegetables in the water are cold, drain well.
• When ready to serve, heat the butter and oil in a very large saute pan or large pot. Saute the shallots over medium heat for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the drained vegetables to the shallots with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper and toss. Cook just until the vegetables are heated through. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Place the vegetables in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients. Pour over vegetables; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour., In a large skillet, saute vegetable mixture in batches for 3-6 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Steps:

• If using dried morels, soak in warm water to cover 30 minutes. Agitate fresh or dried morels in water to dislodge grit, then lift from water, squeezing out excess, and pat dry with paper towels. Whether using fresh or dried, leave small morels whole and halve or quarter larger ones.
• Cook beans in a 4-quart saucepan of boiling salted water 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon or skimmer to a colander and rinse under cold water. Peel skins from beans with your fingers. (Keep water simmering, covered.)
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté morels, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let stand, covered.
• Return water in saucepan to a boil, then cook asparagus, sugar snaps, and scallions until crisp-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add beans and immediately drain well in colander. Add vegetables and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to morels and toss to combine. Stir in mint and salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and carrots; cook 2 minutes. Add beans, asparagus, and sugar snap peas; cook until tender but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Drain again.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add blanched vegetables, tomatoes, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Raise heat to medium high; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, add basil, and toss to combine.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water and salt it well. Place the asparagus in the boiling water and cook until the water comes back to a rolling boil. Remove and place it immediately in the salted ice water. When the asparagus has cooled completely, remove it from the water and reserve. Repeat this process with the sugar snap peas and then the fava beans. You can use the same blanching water for all of the veggies, just be sure to always do the fava beans last. Fava beans have very high iron content and will turn the blanching water black. After the beans are blanched and cooled, remove the tough outer skin to reveal a lovely spring green fava bean.;
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Smash the three garlic cloves with the heel of your hand and add to the saute pan. Bring the pan to a medium high heat. When the garlic has become golden brown and very aromatic remove it from the pan and discard it. It has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the mushrooms and stock, season generously with salt, and saute for 1 minute. Add the prepared veggies, season with salt and saute until all the ingredients are coated with oil and hot and almost all the stock has evaporated. Serve immediately or later at room temperature.;
• Take the fish out of the refrigerator about 10 to 15 minutes before using. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel and season the fish on both sides with salt. Heat a large saute pan coated generously with extra virgin olive oil over high heat. Coat the bottom of another slightly smaller saute pan with olive oil. Gently place the fish fillets skin side down in the saute pan and place the other saute pan directly on top of the fish. The purpose of this is to gently press the skin of the bass onto the bottom of the saute pan to create a lovely crispy fish skin. Be sure to oil the bottom of the top saute pan or the fish will stick to it. After a couple of minutes remove the top saute pan from the fish, this will allow the steam to escape and the skin to become very crispy. As fish cooks it turns from translucent to opaque. The idea is to cook the fish 2/3's of the way on the skin side and flip it over for the last 1/3 of the cooking time. The rule for fish is about 7 to 8 minutes per inch of thickness, a little less if you like your fish more on the rare side.
• Serve the fish over the sauteed spring veggies and call your self a superstar!

Steps:

• Fill a medium bowl with water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; set aside. With a knife, remove all but 1/2 inch stem from artichokes. Cut off sharp tips; remove tough outer leaves, trimming down to yellow inner leaves. Quarter artichokes lengthwise. If they have tough purple chokes, remove with a spoon. Rub artichoke pieces with lemon halves, and place them in lemon water as you work.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 3 1/2 quarts water, 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, oregano, garlic, peppercorns, and olive oil. Bring to a boil, and add artichoke quarters. Cook 8 minutes, until tender. Let artichokes cool in the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water; set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. To peel the pearl onions, boil for 1 minute, and remove with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel, leaving root and stem ends intact. Set aside.
• Return water to a boil. Add carrots and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook 6 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to bowl of ice water to stop cooking. When carrots have cooled, remove from water with a slotted spoon and set aside. When water has resumed boiling, separately repeat blanching and cooling process with remaining vegetables. Blanch haricots verts and scallions 30 seconds each and peeled pearl onions for 3 minutes.
• Just before serving, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables, and saute, stirring, until vegetables are hot and coated with butter. Add stock, parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper; toss and serve.

Steps:

• Trim the tough ends from the asparagus. Cut the asparagus into one-inch pieces. Peel the fava beans and slice the zucchini.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the zucchini until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one to two minutes, stirring to avoid letting it burn.
• Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus and fava beans, drain and add them to the zucchini. Cook three to four minutes, or until tender. Season with salt, pepper and tarragon. Serve hot or at room temperature.