Caldo Verde (Kale Soup)
Emeril Lagasse
Commander’s Palace
New Orleans LA

Richly flavored with linguica, perhaps the definitive Portuguese sausage, this soup is even better when it is made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight to marry the flavors. If your knowledge of kale is limited to Woody Harrelson’s kale extract venture on the series “Cheers,” you’re in for a wonderful surprise.

Serves 10 to 12

1 pound garlic pork sausage (Portuguese Linguica or Chourico, or Creole Andouille)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 gallon chicken stock
5 bay leaves
1 head kale, washed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper

Slice the sausage and saute over medium heat in the olive oil. When the sausage is cooked half way, add the onions, garlic, and red bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are translucent, then pour in the chicken stock. Heat the mixture to the boiling point and add the bay leaves and kale. When the soup returns to a boil, stir in the potatoes. Add the crushed red pepper. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Caldo Verde may be made a day in advance. Refrigerate overnight and reheat before serving. This procedure brings out the flavors of the ingredients.

Salmon with Asparagus Sauce
Bruce Le Favour
Rose et Le Favour
St. Helena CA

The essence of spring, this dish is also the essence of simplicity. Fresh asparagus is cooked down and turned into a sauce with butter and cream. Butter-sauteed salmon just kissed by heat is served with the sauce. This dish depends on the freshness of its ingredients; go with the best you can find.

Serves 4

Sauce
1-1/2 pounds medium or small asparagus
2 ounces unsalted butter
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 to 8 salmon steaks, depending on size; 3/4 inch thick, boned
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 ounces unsalted butter

To prepare the sauce: Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody ends. Set aside all tops and half that number of ends. Plunge the tops into a large pot of salted, boiling water and cook until limp (cook longer than for eating; if undercooked they will not process well, and if overcooked they will taste earthy).

Drain thoroughly and, while still hot, run through a processor with unsalted butter for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor frequently. Chop the asparagus ends and simmer with the cream for 20 minutes. Strain, pressing through gently. Just before serving, combine two asparagus mixtures. Heat to just below the boiling point and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To prepare the salmon: Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to brown, add the salmon and cook for 30 seconds on one side. The salmon will be quite rare. Drain on a towel; remove any skin.

To serve: Spoon sauce onto warmed serving plates. Place drained salmon pieces on the sauce.

Green Asparagus with Olive Oil Sabayon

Udo Nechutnys

Jordan Winery

Sonoma CA

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Chef Nechutnys captures the essence of fresh asparagus with this easy-to-make appetizer, serving the spears with a simple wine and olive oil sabayon. He serves it on a platter to pass among guests, but you could serve it on individual plates if you wish. You will want to use a good quality wine as it is the essence of the wine which flavors the sabayon.

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Serves 4

1 cup dry white wine

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons cool water (optional)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1 pound green asparagus, trimmed and peeled

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In a saucepan, bring the wine to just below the boiling point over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the wine is reduced by three-quarters, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to the top of a double boiler.

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Transfer the wine reduction to the top of a double boiler and whisk in the egg yolks. Set in place on the double boiler over simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thicken enough to fall in thin ribbons when whisk is lifted from pan. Remove top of double boiler from bottom and, off the heat, gradually whisk in the olive oil. Thin, if necessary, with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

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Tie the asparagus together in a bundle using kitchen string in two or three positions, depending on the length of the spears. Bring water to a simmer in a saucepan deep and long enough to hold the bundle. Reduce heat to medium and cook until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, plunge into cold water to stop the cooking, and drain. Untie the bundle and spread the asparagus on a platter. Spoon sabayon over the asparagus.

just before serving, combine asparagus, butter and cream. heat slowly to just below boiling point. adjust the seasonings to taste. preparation time: 3/4 hour. chef: bruce lefavour, rose et le favour, st. helena,: napa valley, california …