Erica De Mane

Sardinian artichokes, spring 2005.

Recipes:

Spring Minestrone with Lamb, Tarragon, and Quadrucci
Artichokes with Squid, Potatoes, and Fennel Seed
Chicken with Morels, Coriander, and Nutmeg

I recently started a collection of little tagine-like spice jars (see my April photo) in deep, bold enameled colors, which are not spring colors. I’ve picked these pretty little containers up at various Moroccan shops in the city. I really can’t tell you what the connection might be to politics or to misery, but they’ve strangely gotten my mind somewhat off of the continuing death in Iraq. These little mini-tagines have even been appearing in my dreams, and in their true colors, purple, orange, deep red, replacing, to some extent, the mutilated-body nightmares I was experiencing. Dreaming about them and filling them with spices and looking at them have helped me to turn my attention to May cooking in a big way and retain a somewhat cheerful disposition, even as the spoiled brats in charge of our government have me in a state of rage. I understand this is me changing the subject, but I’ve attended a few antiwar protests in the past two years, have gathered with the 80 or so people who assemble in Union Square every few months (and their number won’t grow any bigger, I’m certain, unless Bush reinstates the draft), and I get a sinking, helpless feeling, so I might as well cook my way through the heartache.

I’ve got these little tagines filled with sea salt, various types of dried chilies, whole allspice, ground ginger, coriander seeds, and cardamom seeds. I haven’t focused on spices this seriously in a long time, primarily because not many spices make their way into traditional Italian cooking, but their aromas are so culinarily profound, it’s a shame not to use them. I sniff and then consider. Would coriander seed, for instance, taste good in a chicken cacciatore made with mushrooms? I usually add rosemary, but for spring, maybe subtle spices and a scattering of basil? The Sicilian side of my family always added a pinch of cinnamon to eggplant parmigiano and to ricotta-filled ravioli, so I feel I’ve been given the go-ahead. And spice use does go on subtly in various parts of Italy, especially in port towns with a legacy of spice trade, and in Sicily, with its strong Arab influences.

I’m now adding spice to spring dishes just to see what I come up with, either trying new (for me) tastes or revisited old combinations after a bit of a hiatus, such as the artichoke with fennel pairing that is so wonderful in many configurations; you can use fennel seeds, as I have here in my artichoke and squid dish, or bulb fennel or wild fennel, or tarragon, or pastis, or a mix of several fennely things that will get your point across. I’ve added ground coriander and nutmeg, just a hint, to a pretty standard chicken and morel sauté. I’m really happy with the way the subtle spices warm up the dish and make the morels taste more mushroomy. I’ve added cinnamon and tarragon to a spring minestrone that I’ve gone ahead and strengthened with a long-simmered chunk of lamb. This is my favorite dish of the group. It tastes like spring since it also contains peas and chard and skinny leeks, but in a bold way. For me spring isn’t turning out pink and yellow and delicate this year. I need to keep some muscle in it.

Happy spring cooking to you.

Spring Minestrone with Lamb, Tarragon, and Quadrucci

(Serves 4 as a lunch or light supper)

Extra-virgin olive oil
3 lamb shoulder chops, about 1/2 inch thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
About 1/8 teaspoon each of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg
1/4 cup dry Marsala
2 cups of homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
2 skinny leeks, well cleaned and chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into medium dice
1 carrot, peeled and cut into medium dice
6 small Swiss chard leaves, well chopped
3/4 cup freshly shucked peas
A squeeze of lemon juice
5 large sprigs tarragon, the leaves lightly chopped
1/2 cup quadrucci pasta (small squares), or use acini, orzo, or another small soup pasta

In a medium-size soup pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shoulder chops with salt and pepper, and brown them well on both sides, sprinkling on the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg while they brown (you can cut the chops into pieces if they fit in the pot better that way). Add the Marsala, and let it boil down to almost nothing. Add the chicken broth and a cup of water, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover the casserole, and simmer until the chops are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Skim most of the fat from the surface of the lamb broth, and then remove the meat. Cut the lamb into little pieces, discarding all the fat and bone, and then return the meat to the broth.

Set up a small pot of pasta-cooking water and bring it to a boil. Add salt and drop in the quadrucci.

In a larger soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, fennel, and carrot, season with salt and black pepper, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the lamb broth and meat, and bring to a low boil. Add the Swiss chard and the peas, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 or 6 minutes.

When al dente, drain the quadrucci and add it to the soup. Add the lemon juice and the tarragon. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot, with a sprinkling of grated parmigiano, if you like.

Artichokes with Squid, Potatoes, and Fennel Seed

(Serves 4 as a main course)

1 large lemon
About 15 baby artichokes
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
A small palmful of fennel seeds, toasted
Salt
A generous pinch of ground, dried red chili, such as Aleppo
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds small squid, cut into rings, the tentacles left whole
A dozen basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Squeeze the lemon into a large bowl of water. Trim the tough outer leaves from the artichokes, and trim the stems and tops. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and drop them, as you finish preparing each one, into the bowl of water.

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Drain the artichokes. Add the shallots, artichokes, garlic, potatoes, and fennel seeds. Season with salt and the red chili, and sauté until everything is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine, and let it bubble for about a minute. Add the chicken broth, and simmer, uncovered, until the artichokes and potatoes are tender when poked with a knife, about another 4 minutes or so. By this time the liquid should be almost evaporated, with just a moist coating on everything. Add the squid, seasoning with a bit more salt and red chili, and sauté until opaque and just tender, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the basil. Serve hot in bowls, accompanied by good bread.

Chicken with Morels, Coriander, and Nutmeg

(Serves 4 as a main course)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 chicken legs, separated into legs and thighs
Salt
Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 shallots, minced
1 tiny, inner celery stalk, cut into small dice, with the leaves, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
About 10 morels, quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
The zest from 1 medium lemon (removed in thin strips with a zester)
A handful of basil leaves, cut into thin strips

In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Dry off the chicken pieces, and when the skillet is hot, place them in it, skin side down. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and about half of the nutmeg and coriander. Let the chicken brown slowly, about 8 minutes, and then turn the pieces over and brown the other side, seasoning, again, with salt, black pepper, and the remaining nutmeg and coriander. Let the chicken cook on this side about another 8 minutes. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.

Add the shallots, celery (plus leaves), and carrot, and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the morels, and sauté about a minute longer. Add the white wine, and let it boil down by half. Add the chicken broth and the lemon zest, bring to a boil, and then turn the heat to low and cover the skillet. Simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Place the chicken on a large, warmed platter and scatter with the basil. Briefly boil the skillet liquid down to thicken it a bit (it will still be a loose sauce), and pour this over the chicken. Serve hot. I like this served with orzo tossed with a little butter.