THE VILLAGE VOICE

" All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" ~ Lucy Van Pelt (in Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz) ~Valentine Tulip _____ CHOCOLATE-CHERRY ICE CREAM BOMBE ~Begin making this a day ahead. Chill the mold well before filling it. Allow several hours for the bombe to freeze and mellow before serving time. This easy recipe is from Bon Appetit (February 2000). ______ 1 16-oz. jar hot fudge sauce (Sanders Bittersweet Fudge - the best ) 1 12-oz. package semisweet chocolate chips 3 Tbsp. water 1/4 cup brandy 3 pints (slightly softened) cherry-vanilla ice cream with chocolate chunks or fudge flakes 1 1/2 (slightly softened) pints chocolate sorbet (or frozen yogurt) or chocolate-cherry sorbet (or frozen yogurt) 1 9-oz. package chocolate wafer cookies Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in brandy. Cool. Line 10-inch diameter, 10-cup metal bowl with plastic wrap...

"Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts." ~ Sigmund Freud SAUTEED SHRIMP with PEPPERS & FETA ( simple 'one plate' Friday Night Seafood Supper) ~ adapted from the sutter home NAPA VALLEY COOKBOOK ________ 3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb. large peeled and deveined shrimp 3 cloves minced garlic 1 red pepper, yellow pepper and orange pepper, sliced in strips juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, flat or curly 1 tsp. fresh thyme ( cut from garden if not hit by frost) or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1 cup crumbled French feta coarse salt and cracked pepper to taste ~ fluffy rice Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add peppers and cook until soft. Add shrimp, lemon juice, parsley and thyme, stirring frequently until shrimp turn bright pink and opaque, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, black pepper and salt to taste. Cover. Remove from heat and let stand until cheese soften...

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment." ~ Ellis Peters Iris and tulips _____________ GRILLED LAMB SHWARMA ~ Shwarma ... thin slices of roasted meat and condiments often wrapped in pita ... a popular Middle East street food. This favorite is saved from Food & Wine (April 2007) _____________ 1 6-7 lb. butterflied leg of lamb 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra- virgin olive oil 6 cloves minced garlic juice of 2 lemons 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper freshly ground black pepper Kosher salt 2 orange bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips 3 medium thinly sliced red onions Yogurt Tahini Sauce In a small bowl, mix 1.22 up of olive oil with garlic, lemon juice, cumin, cardamom, Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp. of black pepper and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of salt. Set lamb in rimmed baking sheet and cot it completely with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight o...

“ Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America.” ~ Joe Baca Rembrandt tulips _______________ SEVEN LAYER CHICKEN TACO SALAD ~ Favorite taco fillings make a simple festive salad ____________ 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 cup organic chicken broth 3 Tbsp. chopped parsley 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 3 cups shredded iceberg and/or romaine lettuce 1 lb. diced ripe tomatoes 1 can (16 oz.) drained and rinsed black beans 1-2 diced avocado sprinkled with fresh lime juice 1 cup finely diced red onion 1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil salt & freshly ground pepper to taste 1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard 1 large peeled and sliced shallot Place chicken breasts in medium sauce pan. Add chicken broth and enough water to cover by 2 inches . Bring to simmer over medium high heat, reduce heat and cook until ch...

"How fair is a garden amid the toils and passions of existence." ~ Benjamin Disraeli ~ Jack-in-the-pulpit ( Arisaema triphyllum ) ~ Bergenia , tulips and Lady's Mantle ~ Tulips, hosta , bergenia , trillium, primrose and Maidenhair fern ~ Mid-May garden 1) Iris, Cinnamon Fern, Bleeding Heart, Cornflower (Mountain Bluet), Japanese painted fern 2) Trillium & Virginia Bluebell, Trillium, Tulip, Azalia , Bergenia 3) Celandine Poppy, Azalia , Tulip, Trillium & Maidenhair Fern, Azalia 4) Fern, Tulip, Exbury Azalia , Tulip, Azalia & Hosta 5) Solomon's seal, Viburnum, Downy Yellow Violet, Jacob' s Ladder, Jack-in-the-Pulpit ______________ "When at last I took the time to look into the heart of a flower, it opened up a whole new world ~ a world where every country walk would be an adventure, where every garden would become an enchanted one ..." ~ Princess Grace of Monaco

"NOT ONE OF FLORA'S BRILLIANT RACE A FORM MORE PERFECT CAN DISPLAY; ART COULD NOT FEIGN MORE SIMPLE GRACE NOR NATURE TAKE A LINE AWAY." ~ From "On Planting a Tulip~Root" James Montgomery 1771~1854 ~ Angelique

"To analyze the charms of flowers is like dissecting music; it is one of those things which it is far better to enjoy, than to attempt fully to understand." ~ Henry Theordore Tuckerman ~ 'Spring green' tulip __________ LEMONY BASIL SHRIMP SPRING SALAD ~ A delightful taste of spring ___ 2 lb. cooked and peeled large shrimp 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup red wine vinegar juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp. chopped basil 1 clove pressed garlic 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper ----- 1 thinly sliced red onion 1 julienne sliced red pepper 1 julienne sliced yellow pepper 1 julienne sliced orange pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil about 12 cups spring salad greens Montrachet goat cheese ----- Lemon Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 clove pressed garlic pinch of coarse salt freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup vegetable oil Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, sugar, Dijon, basi...

~ May garden beauties _________________ MACADAMIA CRUSTED WHITEFISH 2 thick whitefish (or walleye) fillets juice & zest of 1 lemon 6 Tbsp. chopped macadamia nuts 1/3 cup panko crumbs 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil freshly ground black pepper 2-3 Tbsp. chopped green onion 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Place fillets on aluminum foil lined baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Combine lemon juice, zest, chopped macadamia nuts, panko crumbs, olive oil, pepper, green onions and fresh parsley. Pat evenly over fillets. Bake 12-15 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. (2 healthy servings) ___________ ROAST ASPARAGUS SALAD with CHEVE ~ Delicious spring salad from Williams-Sonoma ___________ 1 1/2 lb. asparagus coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste sprinkle with extra-virgin olive oil Dressing: 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 3-4 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives freshly ground pepper to taste 6 chopped green onions...

"The tulips that sparked Tulipomania were especially beautiful. Somewhat shorter than many of today's hybrids, they often had large flower heads with fabulous mottled or 'flamed' colors in two-tone mixes of red, oxblood, yellow, purple and white. Today we call these 'Rembrandt tulips,' as they are featured in so many famous paintings of the Dutch Masters." ~ For a brief escape into the beautiful history of art, lust, beauty and greed, please finish the above excerpt from Hortus Bulborum ~ Tulipmania ~ Of flowers and frenzy

"The tulips I had planted last autumn were in bloom, and I liked to sit and caress their petals , which felt disgustingly delicious, like scraps of peau de soie ." ~ Jamaica Kincaid ~ Tulipa tarda _____________ GRILLED HERB-LEMON STEELHEAD ~ Simple fish feast after a harried day in the garden ______ 3 lb. Steelhead (salmon or trout) fillets 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup vodka or vermouth 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and zest 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme freshly ground black pepper Combine olive oil, brown sugar, vodka, lemon juice, zest, thyme & black pepper. Pour over fillets and marinate several hours. Bring to room temp before grilling. Place fillets on grill, skin side down, reserving marinade. Depending on thickness of fish, cook about 15 minutes or until opaque but still moist (do not overcook). While fish is cooking, bring marinade to boil and simmer 5 minutes. Serve over fish. (6 healthy servings) LEMONY HERBED ...

"By a garden is meant mystically a place of spiritual repose, stillness, peace, refreshment, delight ." ~ John Henry Cardinal Newman For the garden is not only a place in which to make things grow and to display the beautiful flowers of the earth, but a place that should accord with the various moods of its admirers. It should be a place in which to hold light banter, a place in which to laugh, and, besides, should have a hidden corner in which to weep. ~ Alice Lounsberry ~ Exbury azalia, Oriential poppy, tulip, bleeding heart, trillium, Centaurea Montana, Bearded iris, Scarlet O'hara peony, Rembrandt tulip

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises." ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

~ Elegant tulip ______ OYSTER and ARTICHOKE BISQUE “Oysters are the most tender and delicate of all seafoods . They stay in bed all day and night. They never work or take exercise, are stupendous drinkers, and wait for their meals to come to them.” ~ Hector Bolitho 'The Glorious Oyster' (1960) _______ 1 quart oysters (drained and chopped ~ reserve liquid) 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 minced plump garlic cloves 1 cup chopped green onions 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped red pepper 2 (14-oz) cans drained artichoke hearts 3 Tbsp. flour 1 1/2 quarts organic chicken broth 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste sea salt & white pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme 1/3 cup sherry 1-2 cups half & half 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley In heavy stockpot, melt butter and saute garlic, green onion, celery, and red pepper until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Add artichokes. Sprinkle mixture with flour and stir to coat. Gradually whisk in stock,...

“One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one fine day." ~ Aristotle ~ Spring bouquet ( Gerbera daisy & tulips) _______ FRENCH BLUE CHEESE SPRING SOUP ~ A taste of spring in January (National Soup Month) __ 1 bunch carefully washed and chopped leeks (white part only) 1 chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup unsalted butter 2 quarts organic chicken broth 6 cubed (well-scrubbed) cubed redskin potatoes 2 chopped carrots 1 bunch fresh trimmed asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces with snapped tips reserved 1/3 cup Arborio rice 1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach leaves 1 cup half & half (or heavy cream) coarse salt & white pepper to taste 1/2 lb. crumbled mild blue cheese ( Bleu D'Auvergne ) Roquefort or a mild Stilton Melt butter in large stockpot. Saute leeks, onion and celery. Cook until vegetables are soft. Pour in chicken broth and bring to boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and rice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove lid and add asparagus stems. Cover and cook another...

MORE ' TULIPMANIA ' INFO (never enough) ... " You may be surprised to learn that many of the same elegant flowers that inspired ' Tulipmania ' in the 1600s, and appeared in paintings of the Dutch Masters at that time, are still available to plant in gardens today. " Read more about 'Time Traveling Tulips' ~ http://www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/articles/tulips.html ~ Rembrandt tulip ____________________ BOURBON SALMON ~ Guests proclaiming they don't like salmon, love this! Give it a try ... (great for a buffet brunch or dinner ... Kentucky Derby, perhaps?) * For each 1 1/2 lb. of salmon fillets (skin or skinless) 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3 Tbsp. Bourbon 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 Tbsp. chopped green onions additional green onions Combine brown sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, olive oil and chopped green onions. Pour over rinsed and patted dry salmon fillet. Marinate several hours. Remove salmon and reserve marinade. Grill salmon over hot c...

GARDENING NOTE: As spring progresses, dig, divide and share crowded perennials that have spread beyond their allotted space. They will thank you by prolific performance in your garden as will the adopted plants in their new home. ~ a sea of tulips __________________________________ LEMON MOUSSE CHEESECAKE ~ very springlike and lemony * 1 cup crushed shortbread cookies 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter 3 (8-oz) packages softened cream cheese 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/3 cup flour 6 egg yolks 1 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon zest 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice 4 room temperature egg whites pinch of cream of tartar sifted powdered sugar fresh blackberry and raspberry garnish fresh mint leaf garish Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and wrap outside with heavy foil. Combine crushed cookies and melted butter. Press into prepared pan. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese till fluffy. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add flour and egg yolks; beat for ...

STILL CRAZED ~ TULIP FEVER VIDALIA BREAKFAST SOUFFLE ~ adapted from Georgia On My Menu * 8 oz. day old French bread 1/2 cup unsalted butter 4 large thinly sliced Vidalia onions 2 heaping cups grated Swiss cheese 4 large organic eggs 1 1/2 cups half & half 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme 1 tsp. Hungarian paprika pinch of coarse salt & cracked pepper Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Cube bread and place in buttered souffle dish. Melt butter in large skillet and saute onions until translucent. Scatter over bread and cover with cheese. Beat eggs with half & half. Season with thyme, paprika, salt & pepper. Pour over bread, onions and cheese, pressing down to soak bread. Sprinkle top with additional paprika. Cover and refrigerate or bake 45 minutes or until set and knife inserted in middle comes out clean. (6-8 servings) SPRING SALAD ~ tasty blend of fruit & vegetables * 4 cups Spring mix greens 2 cups broccoli flowerets 1 cup sliced strawberries fresh pineapple to taste DRESSING: 1/...

TULIPOMANIA ~ Tulip throat _____________________ GRILLED PEPPERED HALIBUT STEAKS ~ enjoy halibut, high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in environmental contaminants. * 4 (6-oz) Alaskan halibut steaks 1 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice & zest 1 1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 tsp. sea salt lemon wedges Combine pepper, lemon juice , zest and olive oil and rub over halibut. Allow to come to room temperature before grilling. Sprinkle fish with salt. Grill 4 minutes on each side over medium-high coals or until fish flakes easily. Serve with lemon wedges , Green Beans with Toasted Amonds and Herb Sauteed Redskins. Wine Note: Pair with an award-winning Michigan Chardonnay. ( www.michiganwines.com ) ___________________ GREEN BEANS with TOASTED ALMONDS 1 lb. trimmed fresh green beans 3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter zest of 1 lemon 1/2 tsp. onion salt freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds Bring pot of water to boil. Drop in green beans,...