Your ultimate spring produce guide: What's in season plus recipe suggestions
Morels
Peak season: April-June (might vary depending on the region)
Though not the cheapest veggie on the market, morels are a species of wild mushroom you can actually hunt yourself, if you're feeling adventurous. They add a particularly gourmet touch to dishes and are especially popular in French provincial cooking. One thing you must remember is to always cook them before consuming because they do contain small amounts of toxins that can make you sick. And when buying or hunting, darker mushrooms means more flavor.
What to do with them: You can do pretty much anything with morels that you do with regular mushrooms, whether that be to stuff, roast, add to eggs, baked dishes, soups, pasta, etc. For a fancy, French-style dinner, try cooking them with braised chicken and leeks. Start by softening the morels in a small bowl of hot water for 45 minutes, then drain and set aside, reserving the soaking liquid. Season chicken thighs with the skin on, and cook them in a heavy-bottomed pot until browned on both sides. Set aside, then bring some dry white wine to a boil in the pot and add whole leeks, chicken broth, morels, soaking liquid and chopped fresh thyme. Add the chicken, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer until the chicken is done and the sauce has thickened. Add seasonings to taste, and serve.
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Chef Tips and Tricks
These fun Tropical Salmon Sushi Cups make the perfect warm-weather appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups cooked sushi rice
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp seasame oil
- 1 tsp chili paste
- Salt
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 lb salmon, diced
Method
- Combine the rice vinegar and sugar.
- Stir though the cooked sushi rice, and with wet hands, shape into balls.
- Press the balls into ramekins lined with parchment paper, and press the rice up the sides of the ramekins into cup shapes.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the soy sauce, cilantro, sesame oil, chili paste and salt in a bowl.
- Combine the mango, avocado and salmon.
- Pour the soy mixture over the salmon mixture, and stir through until evenly coated.
- Remove the rice cups from the refrigerator, and peel off the parchment paper.
- Distribute the salmon mixture between the rice cups.
- Garnish, serve and enjoy!