Sunday Suppers at Lucques
Chapter One
Spring
I’m a vegetable fanatic. I always joke that I could be a vegetarian, as long as I were allowed a little steak and bacon every now and then. When I dine out, while others are torn between the veal chop and the salmon, my main concern is “What vegetables do they come with?” And when I get hungry at work, with all the choices that abound in our kitchen, what I crave and reach for most are vegetables. Every season offers its vegetal specialties, but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be spring.
Spring, however, is a moody season: its lingering cold spells and sudden warm stretches can make for temperamental dining. I’ve tried to provide for such climatic whims by offering a variety of choices in my spring menus. Pick and choose as you like; mix and match according to what’s available. Don’t banish braised meats and creamy pastas just yet. Instead, give them a spring flourish.
When the sky is threatening showers, I head to the kitchen to make a nourishing stew. Veal Osso Buco with Saffron Risotto, English Peas, and Pea Shoots will warm you up, and w ... read full excerpt from: Sunday Suppers at Lucques ebook
