Saying Goodbye to Spring
It’s hard to believe that summer has already begun. That’s not to say it hasn’t been feeling pretty summer-ish with the hot, muggy days we’ve been having here in Chicago. But perhaps it’s just that fleeting nature of spring that makes me regard the first, fresh, local produce it yields as bordering on sacred.
I wasn’t expecting to find those spring delicacies when Empanada Boy and I finally managed to get ourselves out to the farmer’s market yesterday. We went to the Evanston Farmer’s Market because I’ve regularly been disappointed by the representation and prices at the Green City Market, which is Chicago’s primary location. There is also free parking in Evanston, which is a definite plus.
To put it bluntly, we spent a lot of money. We started with croissants for breakfast and then bought a loaf of bread. Our other purchases included succulent Michigan strawberries, a raw milk aged cheddar, beets, rhubarb, organic ground lamb, a basil plant, asparagus and morel mushrooms. Of all the items we purchased, it was these last two that represented the last vestiges of spring. I decided to highlight them in a delicious risotto from the April, 2006 issue of Gourmet . It’s a perfect way to bid farewell to the last season and usher in the new.
Risotto with Asparagus and Morel Ragout
Ingredients
3/4 oz dried morel mushrooms (1 cup) or 1/4 lb fresh
6 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb medium asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch-long pieces (about 3 cups)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/4 oz) plus additional for serving
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
Preparation
If using dried morels, soak in warm water to cover 30 minutes. Agitate dried morels in soaking water or fresh morels in cold water to dislodge grit, then lift from water, squeezing out excess. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut morels (fresh or dried) crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Bring broth and water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Reserve 1 cup broth mixture for ragout and keep remaining broth at a bare simmer.
Cook onion in oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking, 18 to 22 minutes. (There will be leftover broth mixture. Reserve for thinning risotto.)
Stir cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into risotto, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, while making ragout.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté morels and garlic, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 4 minutes. Pour in 1 cup reserved broth and bring to a boil. Stir in peas, asparagus, zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, swirling skillet until butter is incorporated, then season ragout with salt and pepper.
Thin risotto to desired consistency with some of leftover broth and season with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among 4 shallow bowls. Spoon asparagus and morel ragout (with liquid) on top and sprinkle with chives.
Cooks’ note:
Dried morels can be soaked and patted dry 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
The early signs of a new restaurant opening the neighborhood are always enough to fill me with curiosity and excitement. But when Empanada Boy and I learned that a new restaurant moving in down the street from us would have over 50 beers on tap, we were itching for it to open. Finally we would have a nearby pub— besides the overly crowded, but wonderful, 
The beer lived up to our self-created hype, but the food could still use some work. I requested my strip steak sandwich medium rare, but it arrived much closer to well done. The meat tasted too dried out, and the flavored mayonnaise spread on the bun didn’t make up for that. Roasted vegetables improved things a bit, but the bun itself was also too dry. The accompanying French fries brought back memories of the deli at Portland’s Jewish Community Center, which is not necessarily a good thing. These were too limp and bland. Thick cut steak fries can be good— they just need to be cooked more crisply!
EB took it upon himself to test the burger. It looked nice and juicy and came with a choice of cheese and grilled onions. The burger was closer to medium than medium-rare, but more significantly, the quality of the meat just didn’t seem up to snuff. A more fatty and juicy selection would have made all the difference. But even if better meat weren’t available, a little garlic and some salt and pepper would have gone a long way toward helping this rather bland sandwich along. As with the steak sandwich, a fresher bun would have also been nice.
Cousin Ketchup graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota on Saturday. Mango Mama, Trader Joanna and I flew into Minneapolis from our respective homes for the event. We all found the stark ugly buildings of downtown Minneapolis to be bland, boring and positively depressing. But on the Friday night before the big day, we went with Ketchup, the rest of his family and his girlfriend and her family to the hip Uptown neighborhood. We had a reservation at the very happening 
After that we went Asian, trying a tasty shrimp and coconut curry and two noodle dishes. One was the lo mein, pictured here. It was decent, with fresh vegetables and pretty little mushrooms. The Phuket fried noodles were basically pad Thai, which we ordered with shrimp as well. These were more flavorful than the lo mein. The bottom line is that all of these dishes would have been better in a good restaurant specializing in the given cuisine. But none of those restaurants would have the youthful, chic ambiance of Chino Latino. The latter is what attracts so many people. 
Our order left Asia for a brief moment with the banana boat chicken. It was a boneless chicken breast coated in a plantain crust and served with jasmine rice. A sweet, but slightly tart passion fruit sauce came on the side with sauteed peppers and onions. The boat effect was achieved with a skewer stuck into the meat, bearing banana leaves like the sails on a boat. This dish was tasty, but it would have been better with more flavorful meat and a stronger sauce. Still, I thought this dish was original and distinctive, standing out amidst what seemed to be mostly Asian and Latin American entrees.
Finally, Ketchup’s sister, Leftovers, decided we needed something lighter, so she ordered some sushi. The platter had two kinds with raw fish— a chipotle salmon roll and a tuna ball with rice inside. The other rolls and nigiri were made with shrimp and mangoes. 
The first of Chicago’s many neighborhood festivals began with Mayfest this weekend in Lincoln Square. Nearly every neighborhood in Chicago has at least one festival during the summer and fall months, celebrating the area’s ethnic roots (eg “German Fest”) or a particular food (eg “Ribfest”). 
Empananda Boy and Butternut Squash both ordered the chicken pot pie. This had a nice, flaky, buttery crust, but the inside was a bit of a disappointment. Personally, I have never met a chicken pot pie I really liked, and this was no different. The filling was creamy and rich cream with chunks of chicken, peas and carrots mixed in. It was certainly better than past examples I’ve tried— more fresh tasting, less lumpy and less like a can of cream of mushroom soup— but still not my thing.
There are also a number of daily specials on the menu. Sir Cheesalot opted for the wrap of the day, which contained a firm white fish that I can’t recall. It looked delicious, and I can vouch for the tastiness of the thick-cut sweet potato fries that accompanied it. I picked the duck egg salad, which had a large, deeply flavorful fried duck egg on top and thin slices of smoky Spanish chorizo scattered through the vinaigrette-coated mache. 
