Spring Fling

Although the Gregorian calendar starts spring on the equinox around March 21st, in lunar traditions such as the Chinese, it is well underway.  It sure feels like it when I stroll through the farmers' market here in northern California, where the first asparagus appeared a couple of weeks ago.  Now is the time to celebrate all that is fresh and new, and pick up lovely spring onions, green garlic and the tender greens of spring which are a bit more pungent than winter's sturdy leaves.  That said, there's still time to revel in any cold-season delights you've missed, such as psychedelic celery root and Romesco, or, my favorite citrus, kumquats, the jalapeno poppers of fruit, which linger still to brighten up a salad or just blow your taste buds in a shock of sweet skin and bitter juice.  This time of year I make a few batches of spring green soup to celebrate the goodness of the green things at the market, and like to top it with homemade creme fraiche.   Go ahead, broaden your fermentation repetoire by culturing a batch, capturing the freshness of spring dairy, made more vitamin-rich by the rapidly growing green grass your local pastured cows are eating now. 

Spring Green Soup
This soup evokes spring in color and taste, and eating it for breakfast, lunch or dinner can make you feel a sense of spring within. I like to eat it with a big spoonful of sauerkraut, green pesto, or crème fraiche  (below) and a slice of sourdough rye bread and butter for a quick and easy spring meal. Leftovers freeze well. Add a big handful of chopped greens to freshen it when you reheat it. Makes 4-6 servings.

2 tablespoons ghee, lard, coconut oil or olive oil
1 bunch spring or green onions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped fennel or celery
1 quart chicken, pork or vegetable stock or water
2 small potatoes or turnips, diced into ½ inch cubes
1 bunch leafy greens, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups), see NOTE
1 teaspoon fresh or dried dill
2 tablespoons chickpea or white miso
1 lemon, juiced

Heat the ghee or other fat in a medium soup pot on over moderate heat. When the fat just begins to liquefy, add the onions, and sauté until their edges begin to turn golden, two to three minutes. Add the celery or fennel and sauté a few minutes more. Add the stock or water and turnips, turn the heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil. Cover, and reduce the heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the greens and continue to simmer until all the vegetables are tender, five to fifteen minutes more depending on the which varieties of greens you choose. Turn off the heat, and stir in the dill and the miso. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or allow to cool and puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Stir in the lemon juice, and taste the soup. You’re looking for a balance of bitter, tart, salty and aromatic flavors. Adjust the seasonings as needed.

NOTE: Most varieties of leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, turnip and mustard greens, arugula, nettles or a combination of these, work well in this soup. You’ll want to adjust your cooking time, depending on how thick or fibrous the greens you choose.

Crème Fraiche
This easily made cultured cream has a wonderful mild flavor and will add probiotics, beneficial fats and enzymes to any dish calling for cream, milk, yogurt or sour cream. It can also be whipped and used as a dessert topping, or drained as in making yogurt cheese to make your own mascarpone. Be sure to source your cream from cows that have been fed on pasture, and enjoy it in the spring for the biggest concentration of fat-soluble vitamins such as A and D.

1 tablespoon buttermilk, crème fraiche, or plain yogurt
1 ½ cups organic whipping cream
Place the buttermilk in a pint jar, and add the cream. Gently stir together, cap, and allow to ferment in a warm place such as on top of the refrigerator for 1-2 days until the crème fraiche begins to firm. Store in the refrigerator, and consume within 1-2 weeks.