Restaurant recipes for spring

favoritFarm fresh vegetable ready to serveI love Spring recipes. Maybe it’s because by this time of year I’m eager to spend time in the sun and eat something other than winter squash. The sight of spring’s first vegetables like delicate pea tendrils, crisp lettuces and greens like arugula, green garlic, asparagus and more can be used in a variety of fresh dishes that’ll make customer palates soar.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes for spring:

PESTO

Pesto is incredibly versatile because you can make it with almost any kind of greens and nuts. This time of year you’ll find turnip greens, arugula, frisée, kale and much more. All of these greens make excellent pestos with nuanced flavors that range from delicate to sharp. The recipe is basic, and feel free to swap out the greens and nuts with whatever you prefer:

  • 2 hearty handfuls of greens
  • ¼ nuts (like pine nuts, walnuts, etc)
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ grated parmesan
  • salt to taste

Perfect pesto relies on following a proper process, otherwise you greens might turn brown or your oil won’t emulsify. Add the greens and nuts into a food process fitted with a blade attachment and blend together until it’s finely minced. Then, pulse and add the oil in a slow, steady stream to adequately incorporate the oil into your mixture. Finish with grated parmesan and a final chop to blend. So easy and so delicious! Pair your pesto with pasta, or try it as a topping for roasted tomatoes and breadcrumbs. You can also add pesto to ground turkey for delicious pesto turkey burgers!

GREEN GARLIC PUREE

Another of my favorite recipes for spring is green garlic puree. Green garlic isn’t something you can find year round, so I like to make the most of it when I can. Green garlic is just like your regular garlic, except it hasn’t fully matured; that means that your green garlic bulbs will vary in size and not feature any clove separation. Green garlic imparts a softer, delicate flavor making it the perfect accompaniments to pasta, mashed potatoes, frittatas and much more.

What’s more, green garlic is often the result of farmers naturally thinning their crops, so you can not only enjoy this special springtime addition but you can also help your local farmers! Make a purée out of your green garlic to create a delicious condiment that can be used on everything from fish to pasta and vegetables. Some like to add additional greens like spinach or kale to the purée for added body. I basically just add whatever I have on hand, but here is a rough guideline to help you out

  • 1 bunch green garlic
  • 1 bunch green onion
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Sauté the white parts of the green garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Meanwhile, blanch the green parts (and any other additional greens) in boiling water. Once tender, then immediately plunge into an ice bath to maintain that bright, green color. Add the blanched greens, sautéed garlic and salt to taste in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.

ROASTED BEET RAVIOLI

Beets are one of those “love ‘em” or “hate ‘em” vegetables. Once I discovered there was more to the root vegetable than the canned variety found in sad looking salad bars, I started to grow quite fond of them. When roasted with a little olive oil and salt, beets take on a deliciously sweet and earthy flavor that pairs well with preserved lemon and cheese.

Roasted Beets

  • 2-3 beets
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt to taste

Pasta

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • ¾ cup goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon preserved lemon
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste

First: Roast the Beets

There are several methods to roasting beets. Usually I just take the beets and coat with olive oil, a little salt, and wrap each on in its own foil packet. Once the beets can easily be pierced with a fork, remove from the oven. Once cool, peel.

Second: Prepare Your Pasta Dough

Sure, you can make pasta the old fashioned way and build a little flour mound on the countertop, then carve out a small well and add your eggs there, slowly mixing everything together—but I don’t have time for that. Take it from me, stick everything in your food processor and give it a few pulses until the dough balls up on top of the blades. It’s fast, easy, and it’ll change your life. Plus, it’s easy to correct issues of the dough looks off. Too sticky? Add a touch of flour. Too crumbly? Add just a teaspoon to one tablespoon of water. Take the dough out of the food processor and knead a few times on the counter. Let it rest for 30 minutes then roll out your pasta into flat sheets with the help of a pasta roller.

Third: Make a Filling

In a blender or food processor, add your beets, ricotta cheese, goat cheese, thyme, preserved lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until smooth.

Fourth: Make the Ravioli

There are lots of ways to make ravliolis. You can cut the dough into equal squares by hand, use a round cookie cutter, or opt for a ravioli stamp or tray to speed up the process. Lay one sheet down, spoon (or pipe) the filling into each section, then lay a sheet of pasta on top. Stamp or cut each ravioli and use your fingertips to seal the edges. Then, add to a pot of salted, boiling water. You’ll know they’re ready when they float to the top!

Dressing the cooked ravioli is easy. Keep it simple with a little olive oil and parmesan cheese, or make a browned butter sauce with thyme and shallot—get creative!

About Natalie Fauble

Natalie Fauble is the Online Marketing Manager - Content & SEO for Tundra Restaurant Supply. As a digital marketer with a passion for the restaurant industry, Natalie helps companies shape their brand through thoughtful, fun and innovative content strategies. When she isn't blogging for Tundra Restaurant Supply you can find her in her vegetable garden or in the kitchen whipping up one of her favorite dishes.

Check Also

Popular Pies and Must-Have Pie Products

Once the sun sets on summer and fall settles in, warm pies become the de …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *