Spring Tonic

Spring arrives this month! Winter leaves us, and the fresh green of spring will be peeking at us from all over. If you’re driving in the country, you might spot the first cattails rising up in the marshes. Haven’t tried it, but I have read they can be cooked like one would do asparagus.

Nettles are fresh and tender now, and are good in soups and vegetable dishes, as are the fiddlehead ferns. Then there are the curly dock, purslane and tender young thistle stalks. There’s also mache or “lambs’ lettuce”—given this name by European shepherds because it was favored by their grazing lambs. Then there’s sharp, peppery-flavored watercress, wild mint and violets, leaves and flowers—all delightful for salads. The firm, tender leaves of dandelion greens are tasty if picked before they flower.

Whether we search the countryside or simply go to the local market, about now we feel the urge for fresh greens of some kind. It may be we are satisfying that age-old need for a spring tonic. A traditional spring tonic was made from fresh greens gathered wild. The theory was that eating the first edible green plants would “speed winter from the system” and transfer the renewing vitality of spring to the person.

Green salads have naturally come into their own in an age fascinated by both fitness and good food. There is a salad blend in southern France that is composed of an artful selection of tasty baby lettuce and a vast range of very young salad greens that have a depth of flavors and textures that stimulate the full spectrum of taste buds. The tastes are tangy, slightly bitter and sweet, and the textures are crunchy and velvet-like. It is called “mesclun”—it is a “concert for the mouth”—and can be found in large markets. It is a combination of baby greens grown in the garden or collected in the wild.
The preferred dressing for a mesclun salad is to whisk together in a small bowl one-fourth cup of strong brewed tea, 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of raspberry-flavored vinegar, 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard and one-fourth cup of snipped chives.

A well-dressed salad needs a stylish wardrobe and that means accessories, such as crunchy pumpkin seeds, nuts, or sunflower seeds, all of which can easily be kept in a small RV kitchen. Keep packages of blue, Roquefort, feta or Parmesan cheese in a freezer. When needed, the cheese will crumble perfectly if scraped with a paring knife and will be ready to serve with your salad.
Here are a few good salads that will surely serve as a spring tonic:

WATERCRESS AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH TOASTED SESAME DRESSING
Wash and drain watercress and other greens, then place in a serving dish. Toast a good handful of sesame seeds in the oven until they are brown but not burned. Add some crumbled blue cheese to the salad. Make a simple dressing with 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss with the salad. Scatter the sesame seeds on top.

HEARTS OF ROMAINE SALAD WITH APPLE, RED ONION AND CIDER VINAIGRETTE
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Whisk these first eight ingredients into a small bowl for dressing.

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced into one-fourth-inch pieces
2 1/2 pounds romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped
Place sliced onion in a medium bowl. Cover with cold water; let stand 30 minutes.
Drain well. Place 1/3 cup dressing in another medium bowl; add apples and toss to coat.
Trim off tips of romaine halves, leaving 5-inch lengths. Cut each romaine half lengthwise into 3 wedges. Fan wedges on large platter; top with onion slices. Drizzle salad with dressing, then sprinkle with apples and pecans. Serves 4-6.

ORANGE AND RED ONION SALAD
1 bunch romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté the almonds until golden brown. Remove almonds to paper towels to drain. Combine lemon juice, mustard, sugar, salt and white pepper. Beat in oil. Combine romaine, orange sections, onion slices and almonds. Toss with dressing. Serve immediately. Serves six.

SPINACH SALAD TANGIERS-STYLE
3 apples, cored, sliced
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pound fresh spinach
1 cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh mint
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Place apple slices in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice; toss lightly to coat. Tear spinach into bite-size pieces. Add to apples. Add cucumber, celery, raisins and walnuts. Combine yogurt, curry, mint, garlic, scallions, salt, and pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice; mix well. Pour over spinach mixture just to coat; toss lightly. Makes 4-6 servings.
Start the spring season and make your salads sing and they will serve you well as a spring tonic.

HINT OF THE MONTH: Just before serving, tear—don’t cut—the greens into bite-size pieces. Cutting greens with a knife will turn the edges brown with time. Allow greens to stand at room temperature no longer than 15 minutes before serving. Salad dressings cause greens to wilt, so be sure to dress salads just before serving. n

Marian Platt’s regional narrative cookbook of Washington’s Sequim Valley, From My Kitchen Window, can be ordered by sending cash, check or money order for $25 (includes tax and handling/mailing costs) to Marian Platt, 434 Chicken Coop Rd., Sequim, WA 98382. Phone (360) 683-4691.