Goodbye Winter

The slow change from one season to another is one of my favorite times of the year, especially the change from late winter to early spring. The increased daylight and warmer temperatures rev up your excitement for spring, while at night the temperatures make you miss winter and her cozy soups. You can still eat heartily but also begin grilling and eating outside.

After a winter of cold and rain, we finally had the chance to sit on the back deck with the sun pelting our faces. Strawberries have returned to the market and with them the Abita Strawberry Lager. Drinking a few of those did not dampen the mood at all. The beer is less sweet this year and quenches better than in the past.

For a lunch a simple salad of tomatoes, mozzarella, fruity olive oil, and basil. The hot house tomatoes were not quite at their peak, still tough in spots and acidic. Fresh mozzarella has a saltiness that makes it a natural fit for daytime beer drinking. And basil, well it almost made me want to cut the grass. (Almost.)

While we sat outside, a broth bubbled away on the stove to be used in braised beef shank soup from Frank Stitt's cookbook. All afternoon the potion gently plodded along, with the meat slowly separating from the marrow-filled shanks. When the broth was done, we spooned out the marrow, topped it with this pink Himalayan salt that ended up in our kitchen somehow, and snacked on the rich treat.

A medley of hearty winter veggies - parsnips, turnips, carrots - and some aromatics added a jolt of texture and flavor. After simmering, the soup was ladled into bowls and topped with a heaping tablespoon of pesto with a touch of truffle oil. The verdant pesto turned the dark purple soup a beautiful olive green. And with that first bite of soup, we bid goodbye to winter and hello to spring.

Caprese Salad

Slice tomatoes in thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and allow tomatoes to sit for ten minutes. Meanwhile roll up some basil leaves and cut them into thin strips. Place tomatoes on plate and crack some pepper over them. Tear off chunks of mozzarella and place on each tomato slice. Scatter basil, splash on some red wine vinegar, and drizzle with a good olive oil.

Beef Shank and Vegetable Soup

Season beef shanks with salt and pepper. Sear them off. Add to the pot some onion, carrot, celery, turnips and parsnips. Add 2 quarts of chicken stock and simmer for 3 hours. Strain out broth and reserve shank meat. Heat a knob of butter in a soup pot. Add to this some diced onions, celery, parsnips, turnips, and leek. Sweat. Then add broth, some red wine, and meat. Allow to simmer for 45 minutes.

Make a pesto by combining some basil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, toasted pine nuts, parm, and olive oil. Combine to a rough consistency. Then drizzle in a touch of truffle oil. Ladle soup into bowl and top with pesto.