The Foods of Spring

Tulips and daffodils are glorious, but it’s strawberries, asparagus and rhubarb that really say spring to me.

When these first appear on the scene, I’m inclined to enjoy them relatively unadorned, almost like seasonal--but fabulous--fast foods. The recipes that follow are slightly more detailed than the simplest preparations, but they will not require much time or effort. The asparagus is enhanced with a little orange juice, vinegar and butter: simple enough, yet spectacular when served warm as a first course. The homey strawberry-apple pudding with warm strawberry sauce and the deep-dish rhubarb streusel pie are also easy--and delicious.

Strawberries appear in many desserts but rarely in puddings. Here they ‘ re combined with diced tart apples in a rustic, peasant-like dessert, similar to the French clafouti, which is traditionally made with dark, sweet cherries. Served warm, the pudding is topped with a dollop of frozen strawberry yogurt or ice cream, then sauced with warm pureed strawberries. It’s unmistakably strawberry and quite delicious. The Italian touch of macerating fruit, especially berries, in balsamic vinegar to bring out their flavor works well here. Be sure to use firm strawberries for the pudding; save the soft ones for the sauce.

STRAWBERRY-APPLE PUDDING

1 pint firm strawberries, hulled and split lengthwise

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced 1/3-inch (about 2 cups)

Sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Grated zest of 1 orange

3 tablespoons orange juice

Regular or low-fat milk

1/2 cup flour

Dash salt

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons strawberry conserve

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pint frozen strawberry yogurt or ice cream

Warm Strawberry Sauce

Combine strawberries and apples in 2-quart mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar, vinegar, orange zest and orange juice. Toss well. Let stand 1/2 hour. Drain fruit in strainer placed over measuring cup. Reserve fruit liquid.

Place drained fruit in buttered shallow 6- to 8-cup ceramic baking dish. Arrange fruit evenly, placing strawberries cut side down.

Add enough milk to reserved fruit liquid to measure 1 cup. Place liquid in bowl and add flour, salt, 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, strawberry conserve and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth. Slowly pour batter evenly over fruit, disturbing fruit as little as possible.

Place dish in center of oven and bake at 325 degrees about 55 minutes. Cool at least 1 hour before serving. Serve warm topped with small scoop frozen strawberry yogurt. Pour Warm Strawberry Sauce onto plate, encircling pudding. Pass extra sauce separately. Makes 6 servings.

Note: Pudding can be made several hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat pudding in 325-degree oven 12 minutes.

Warm Strawberry Sauce

1 pint strawberries, hulled

3 tablespoons strawberry conserve

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, depending on sweetness of berries

Puree strawberries with strawberry conserve and sugar to taste in food processor or blender. Gently heat sauce on top of stove or in microwave oven until very warm. Can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Makes 6 servings.

There’s nothing better than asparagus cooked until just tender, then drizzled with a little melted butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. For a change, however, try Bright Asparagus, a simple enhancement using orange juice mixed with a touch of vinegar and butter. It makes a great opener for a festive spring dinner. Be sure to note how to peel the lower ends of the asparagus stems. Peeling them is easy, giving you enjoyment and a beautiful presentation. It’s important to leave cooked asparagus at room temperature because it begins to lose its bright green color when refrigerated. As simple as this recipe is, it can be doubled or tripled as desired.

BRIGHT ASPARAGUS

1 pound asparagus, preferably not pencil-thin, lower inch of stems trimmed, remaining stems peeled

1/2 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 orange slices, for garnish

Fill 12-inch skillet at least halfway with salted water. Bring to boil. Carefully place asparagus in boiling water (asparagus should be covered with water). Simmer, uncovered, until stems are just tender, with tips still somewhat firm, about 5 minutes, depending on size of asparagus. Drain immediately. Place in bowl with ice and water. Drain well. Wrap in paper towels.

Add orange juice to same skillet. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Let boil 1 minute until somewhat thickened. Add vinegar and mix well. Stir in butter until melted. Add asparagus, salt and pepper. Use tongs to mix asparagus with sauce. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat until heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot, drizzled with sauce. Garnish plate with orange slices.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Even a slow-to-love-rhubarb person like me couldn’t stop eating this pie. Although serving it with vanilla ice cream doesn’t hurt, it’s not at all necessary to make it a great rhubarb dessert.

DEEP-DISH RHUBARB STREUSEL PIE

1 baked (9-inch) deep-dish pastry (ready-made commercial crust works well), cooled

2 pounds rhubarb, cut in 1/3-inch slices (about 8 cups)

1 3/4 cups sugar

Grated zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Dash salt

Streusel Topping

Set pastry shell on baking sheet. Toss rhubarb with sugar, orange zest, orange juice, tapioca, vanilla, allspice and salt in mixing bowl until well combined. Let rest 15 minutes. Transfer rhubarb mixture to pie shell. Spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour. Remove from oven and spread Streusel Topping over pie. Pat gently to keep in place. Continue baking until browned and juices bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes longer. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie.

Note: Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated once completely cooled. Reheat in 350-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes.

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, cut in tablespoon-size pieces

2/3 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

Grated zest of 1/2 orange

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash salt

Combine butter, brown sugar, flour, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. Use food processor or pastry blender to combine ingredients until crumbly.