Curating a spring meal. I often find that spring meals can be very basic. When such beautiful and perfect things start to pop up in the garden it is easy to just plop them on a plate without too much fuss. They are often tender, sweet and fresh; like new beginnings.

This month, I took those basics and, with not much else, I made a very tasty meal to have hot or cold, for lunch or dinner, on a picnic or at your kitchen table.

This is a skillet bread. It is basic and quick. It is a flatbread and does not call for yeast, so it can be mixed, rolled and cooked on the skillet immediately. I noticed that it hardened up quickly after cooking it, so I suggest having a damp cloth to put the bread in once it is done. The steam from the hot bread wrapped in the wet cloth will keep them pliable. This recipe calls for yogurt but can also be made with milk. The yogurt will contribute to the tangy flavor and I prefer it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 CUP ALL PURPOSE ARTISAN WHITE FLOUR, 1 CUP WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, 1/2 TEASPOON SUGAR, 1/2 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER, 2 TEASPOONS SALT, 1 CUP PLAIN YOGURT ( NOT GREEK)

PROCESS:

MIX TOGETHER YOUR DRIES IN A MIXING BOWL. ADD IN YOUR YOGURT. MIX AND KNEAD BRIEFLY TO COMBINE AND HYDRATE THE WHEAT. CUT DOUGH INTO 6 PIECES AND ROLL OUT INTO ROUNDS. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PERFECT ROUND CIRCLE, BUT IT WILL HAVE TO FIT INTO YOU SKILLET.

NOTE: ALTERNATIVELY, I HAVE ALSO COOKED FLATBREAD LIKE THIS ON A WOK FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN OVER THE BURNER. IT WORKS SURPRISING WELL AND I FIND GREAT ENTERTAINMENT IN THE INGENUITY OF IT.

COOK THE FLATBREAD ON BOTH SIDES, REMOVE FROM HEAT AND STORE WRAPPED IN A DAMP CLOTH UNTIL READY TO EAT.

This recipe can be seasoned how you like. Often times I will very the herbs based on what is available.

INGEDIENTS:

1 POUND GROUND LAMB, 4 SCALLIONS FINELY CHOPPED ( I USED THE BOTTOM BULBS AND HALF WAY UP THE GREEN STEM), CHOPPED HERBS (PARSLY, CHIVES, THYME, DILL AND MINT), 1 TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN, 1/2 TEASPOON CAYENNE PEPPER, 1 1/2-2 TEASPOON SALT, 1 TABLESPOON WHITE WINE, 1/4 BREAD CRUMBS, ONE EGG, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

PROCESS:

BREAK APART THE GROUND LAMB IN A BOWL GENTLY. MIX IN THE SCALLIONS, HERBS, SALT, CAYENNE, CUMIN, BREAD CRUMBS AND WHITE WINE. GENTLY WHISK THE EGG IN A BOWL WITH A DASH OF OLIVE OIL. POUR EGG OVER LAMB AND MIX GENTLY UNTIL COMBINED. SHAPE LAMB MIXTURE INTO SMALLISH BALLS AND CHILL UNTIL READY TO COOK.

ADD A LAYER OF OIL TO YOUR SKILLET. THE OIL SHOULD BE COVERING THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN NICELY AND COMPLETELY, PERHAPS A 1/4 INCH. HEAT THE OIL UNTIL HOT AND GENTLY PLACE IN YOUR MEATBALLS. SEAR ON ALL SIDES AND THEN LET COOK A FEW MINUTES MORE UNTIL DONE. REMOVE AND LET STRAIN ON PAPER TOWEL BEFORE SERVING.

A quick bread crumb refresh: We have made breadcrumbs before here in the Sac(k), but I will remind you. Cut up a loaf of sourdough bread into cubes. Place on a sheet tray. Salt and pepper and some thyme leaves. Olive oil. Place in a 400 degree F oven until golden brown and crispy crunchy. Put the croutons into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs.

This is a lighter version of potato salad that can be eaten hot or cold. It is quite spectacular warm if you can get everything done before it all cools down. What I like about this salad is that it is no frills like other potato salads with the vinaigrette and mayonnaise. This one is seasoned with herbs and dressed with good extra virgin olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice. This is a garden fresh potato salad.

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 NEW POTATOES ( YELLOW WAX WITH A NICE THIN SKIN), 4-5 SCALLIONS, CHOPPED DILL AND CHIVES, THINLY SLICED RED ONION, SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE, SQUEEZE OF A LEMON, A COUPLE OF SLUGGS OF OLIVE OIL

PROCESS:

ROUGHLY SKIN POTATOES. BOIL POTATOES UNTIL SOFT AND TENDER. REMOVE FROM POT AND CUT INTO CUBES. IN A SKILLET, HEAT SOME OIL. GIVE THE POTATO CUBED A QUICK FRY ON THE STOVE TO CRISP UP THE EDGES. CHOP YOUR SCALLION, RED ONION AND HERBS. MIX POTATOES AND HERBS TOGETHER IN A BOWL. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER. SQUEEZE IN THE LEMON JUICE. ADD A FEW GOOD DASHES OF THE OLIVE OIL. MIX AND TASTE. EAT WARM, ROOM TEMPERATURE OR CHILL BACK FOR LATER.

This is so easy it maybe doesn’t need an explanation. But for you reference. Baby carrots, from a garden or farmers market. Tops cut but it is nice to leave a little green at the top for aesthetics. Don’t peel because the skin is good for you with so many nutrients from the soil. Place in a cast iron skillet or on a sheet tray. Salt and pepper and olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees F until the carrots are caramelized and tender. They taste like candy.

Asparagus is the epitome of spring. It also feels like a miracle when it pops out of the ground. It takes three years to get a good crop of asparagus. The stalks pop up one at a time, just straight from the ground like a sea creature or something alien. The first year after planting you might get a few stalks, the second year some more and by the third year you should be getting a good handful.

If my family, we only ever eat asparagus two ways. One is with hollandaise and the other is sauteed in a pan with oil and salt and pepper until just tender. This recipe falls in line with the later, but I have added some long thin sliced of scallions to the saute and shaved some pecorino romano cheese on top before serving. You can also sprinkle some breadcrumbs over top if you would like. That is pretty tasty too. Or a squeeze of lemon juice. Whatever you fancy.