Spring Two Ways

The Market Inspiration

Each season I look forward to the return of specific foods and there is no better time for exciting food than Spring. Two of my favorites that I await with anticipation every spring are sugar snap peas and cherries. Both can be eaten on their own, and I don't fault anyone for doing that, but it doesn't take full advantage of their flavor. Here are two ways to easily incorporate these spring favorites into your weekly meals, it's easier to incorporate seasonal produce into your staple dishes than you think. Believe it or not, delicious ingredients usually make food taste better!

Pasta is a staple in many homes and fettuccine alfredo is ideal if you're looking to mix things up and tired of the standard tomato sauce. Chicken is a frequent addition to alfredo but if you're looking for a healthy option to mix things up from the standard broccoli or green peas, sugar snaps are a great addition. They add texture, with their signature crunch, plus the shape of the peas creates a juicy pocket where the sauce melts inside.

Pancakes are another staple that's a perfect base for all sorts of delicious variations, and brunch is the trendiest meal of the day. However, there are more ways to make a pancake than the normal batter-on-a-skillet type. In my opinion, the best way to elevate a traditional pancake meal is to serve a German pancake, sometimes known as a puff pancake or dutch baby. It is a richer, eggier batter and is made in one pan in the oven. This way you can make a whole pan full of delicious pancake in just a few minutes. They can be served with powdered sugar, lemon, or chocolate chips but I submit that with a sweet, seasonal cherry topping this will become a staple spring dish to brighten up your breakfast, brunch or even dinner.

The Recipes

Sugar Snap Pea Fettucini

1 pound cleaned sugar snap peas (See our former post on cleaning sugar snap peas here.)
1/2 package fettuccini noodles
2 cups of your favorite alfredo sauce
1 Tbs. minced garlic
3-4 scallions, chopped finely, greens separated from whites.
Salt, pepper, and olive oil

Boil your pasta in water with a little salt to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, in a skillet heat 1 Tbs. of olive oil. Cook the sugar snap peas until they begin to brown, 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, add the garlic and scallion whites and toast until browned. Mix in your alfredo sauce until it has warmed through, if too thick, add a few spoonfuls of your pasta water. Add the cooked fettuccine noodles to the sauce and stir well to combine. Plate. Top with scallion greens and pepper. Enjoy!

German Pancakes topped with macerated Cherries

(serves 2- This recipe is easy to double then bake in a 9x13 dish)

For the Cherry Topping
1 cup cherries, cut in half and pits removed.
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (Vietnamese cinnamon is preferred for sweet preparations.)

For the German Pancake
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. butter (melted in the pan in the oven)
Powdered sugar, lemon wedges, and maple syrup for serving

Prepare the cherry topping by combining the cherries, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until the sugar dissolves. You can make this the day before and store it in the fridge.

To prepare the German pancake, preheat the oven to 425°. Place your 9" baking dish in the oven to preheat and melt the butter inside. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until they are light and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla, and salt. Incorporate the flour and then the melted butter. Pour into the preheated pan and bake immediately for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° and then bake for another 10-15 minutes. Top with powdered sugar and the cherries and serve immediately.

The Pairing

Double feature! Since we're serving up two different meals today, we'll give you two movies to go with them.
To watch while you enjoy your fettuccine, we have a classic of the Italian cinema: Bicycle Thieves, directed by Vittorio De Scia in 1948. The story follows a man in Rome who is searching for his missing bike. The film is classified as neorealism, as it tries to be as true to life as possible and to portray the less than glamorous lives of the lower classes, of which there were many in post-war Italy. Bicycle Thieves is a movie that everyone should watch, an enduring masterpiece of human emotion and empathy.
To go with our German pancakes, we have one of the most famous German films, 1927's Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang. A sci-fi epic that is still influencing the genre today, the story is a classic struggle between the people and their oppressors, of a rebellion ended by love. At the time it was made, Metropolis was easily the most expensive film ever made, a fact that is apparent when viewing the expansive designs of the art deco futurism sets. It is a much a treat to the eyes as it is to the mind. -Z