Saturday, I had brunch at a friend’s place in Murray Hill. I rarely have Chinese so early in the day, so this was a welcome treat.
Beer-batter coated shrimp, spicy plum dipping sauce
Lamb spring rolls
Chicken with peppers and black bean sauce
Chilled noodles with scallion oil and rice wine
Stir-fried shrimp with vegetables and fermented tofu
Pea soup with creme fraiche and chives
onion, peeled and thinly sliced
carrots, peeled and diced
celery, trimmed and diced
shelled peas
salt, to taste
extra-virgin olive oil
asparagus stock
creme fraiche
minced chives
For the asparagus stock: Combine peelings from 2 lbs. asparagus and 3 1/2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain. Makes approx. 3 cups asparagus stock.
For the soup: Sweat onion, celery and carrots in olive oil until partially softened, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and a ladleful of water and stew, covered, for 5 minutes. Add asparagus stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add peas roughly 10 minutes in. Check seasoning.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Return to pot and cook for an additional 3 minutes to let flavors meld. Check seasoning. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and minced chives.
I picked up a pound and a half of English shelling peas at Union Square Greenmarket yesterday.
These have already begun to turn starchy. I had been contemplating making a pea flan but now I’m going to have to rethink that.
Carrot tagliatelle with cippolini onions, fresh peas and red sorrel
Late brunch today:
Green garlic and fromage blanc omelette
Morels sauteed in butter; mimosa (not shown)
Pan-roasted Arctic char, slow-cooked tomato sauce, roasted heirloom potatoes
unsalted butter
Arctic char fillets, about 6 to 8 oz. each
kosher salt
1 can crushed tomatoes or 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes
5 T. unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and halved
pinch of salt
heirloom fingerling potatoes
olive oil
kosher salt
cracked black pepper
For the Arctic char: Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. When butter ceases sputtering, slip char in skin side down. Cook undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes or until fish becomes opaque near the top. Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt or kosher salt.
For the tomato sauce: Place onion halves in a sauce pan. Add butter, cut into bits. Add tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, peel them, then chop coarsely. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower heat to the lowest possible setting. Stir occasionally. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour or until droplets of fat coat the back of a wooden spoon. Discard onion. The tomato sauce recipe is adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking. The sauce is wonderful paired with gnocchi, spaghetti or with meat and fish.
For the potatoes: Scrub potatoes. Leave unpeeled. Slice potatoes on a bias or leave whole depending on size. Toss with 2 t. olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast at 375 F for 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped herbs prior to service.
Scrambled eggs with creme fraiche and chives, paired with morels sauteed in butter
eggs
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
crème fraîche
chives
morels
shallot
unsalted butter
Whisk eggs in bowl. Place bowl over pot with boiling water, acting as a double boiler. Continue whisking eggs, and cook to desired doneness. Finish with crème fraîche and chives, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Clean mushrooms thoroughly in water, drain. Cut morels into halves or quarters, or leave whole, depending on size of mushroom. Sweat shallots in butter, add mushrooms and sauté for couple minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Plate eggs and morels, garnish with chives. Serve at once.
Here’s some red sorrel I bought a couple weeks ago. I’ve been using it in mostly salads and pasta but I want to do something else. Got any ideas?
After a weekend filled with BBQ PORK, I’m ready to return to reality. Not sure yet what’s for dinner but it’ll involve something with cauliflower. More later.
No hobbit lives on BBQ alone.
This post in response to Homer’s reply from earlier. 
Black bean soup served with coconut rice and lime
Salad greens, heirloom radishes, herbs and a poached farm egg
Glazed scallops with asparagus and ramps
Tri-color penne pasta with asparagus, red sorrel and chives
Fromage blanc omelette, salad with a white wine viniagrette
Fromage blanc with Champagne currant conserve, fresh squeezed orange juice
Lamb’s quarters, heirloom potatoes and chopped tomatoes
Tagliatelle with radish greens and garlic
Roasted asparagus with a poached farm egg and shaved Parmesan cheese
Chopped salad — English cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, herbs, sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil
Heirloom radishes and asparagus braised in butter and herbs
Crimini mushrooms sauteed with green garlic, Italian parsley and lime
Ed Mitchell, pitmaster and owner of The Pit in Raleigh, North Carolina
St. Louis-style ribs with pickled okra, courtesy of Blue Smoke
For additional coverage and loads of pictures, please be sure to check out Off The Broiler.
If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll probably want to skip this post. 
Garry Ubon, pitmaster and owner of Ubon’s in Yazoo, Mississippi
