May is here and, every year, I am happy to leave the damp chill of March and April behind.
There’s no guarantee about weather, of course, but hopefully some warmth has returned, and farmers markets are finally showing signs of seasonal produce. Tender sprigs of homegrown asparagus, sweet green onions, sugar peas and pod peas are sneaking in amid the piles of squash and kale. By this time of year, my husband groans every time he sees another sprig of broccoli on his plate. And I am ready to celebrate spring in my kitchen.
May is a lovely time in Italy with warm, sunny days (especially in the south) and cool nights. There are no sunflowers yet, but bright red poppies dot the Tuscan and Umbrian countrysides. On the culinary side, many dishes focus on the bounty of the young growing season.
Asparagus and artichokes make their way into risottos, soups and pastas. Fresh herbs like rosemary and oregano are beginning to send out green and tender sprouts to be used on savory meats grilled over an open spit. Fennel, with its tender green fronds, flavors fish and salads with its strong taste of licorice. Young spinach leaves are perfect for egg fritattas.
In spring, Italians eagerly anticipate the arrival of fava beans, broad beans that resemble limas. Like asparagus, artichokes and peas, they are used in many recipes. But they require some effort to prepare—first extracting the beans from their pods and then peeling the skin that covers each tender bean. I have never been able to find fresh fava beans, so, for the recipe that follows and others like it, I substitute frozen baby lima beans, which are almost always available—and not like those of your youth!
Be on the lookout for two things for your spring recipes: “homegrown asparagus,” the thin tender spears prized by chefs, and the smallest baby peas you can find. The recipe below is a wonderful mix of spring vegetables mixed with baby arugula. It is spiced up with red pepper flakes and smoked cheese: scamorza, mozzarella or cheddar. (Scamorza is an Italian cow’s milk cheese shaped like provolone but similar to mozzarella.)
Cucina Italiana’s Primizie Verdi
(Green Spring Salad)
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/3 cups tiny frozen lima beans
- ½ pound green beans trimmed and halved crosswise (use the thinnest beans you can find)
- 1 ½ cups baby peas (if using frozen, do not thaw)
- 6 asparagus spears (look for tender thin to medium stalks) cut in quarters
- 7 cups loosely packed arugula
- 1 1/3 cups shredded smoked scamorza, smoked mozzarella or smoked cheddar cheese (use the largest holes of a box grater)
Recipe
- In a small saucepan, combine oil and red pepper flakes. Heat over medium-low heat until the oil is warm and bubbles slightly. Remove from the heat to cool.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the baby lima beans according to package directions. When cooked, remove the beans from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and keep the limas bright green.
- Add the green beans to the same water and then add the asparagus and cook 2 minutes more. Drain into a colander and let cool.
- Place the arugula in a large, wide serving bowl. Add all of the cooked vegetables and ¼ teaspoon salt (sea salt if you have it) and half the shredded cheese.
- Strain the red pepper oil through a small fine strainer over the salad and toss altogether.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
This is not your usual salad. The combination of bright green vegetables, smoked cheese and a zing of red pepper can be the centerpiece of a spring dinner. All you need to accompany it is a grilled chicken breast or steak, warm Italian rolls and a light, chilled Pinot Grigio or Orvieto.
These same spring vegetables (minus the arugula) can also be tossed with pasta, additional olive oil and some crushed garlic for a lovely pasta primavera. No cream sauce is needed. Enjoy spring’s bounty, which is so fleeting. Eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini will be here soon!
