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Earthy Delights A trio of spring’s culinary gems creates seasonal pairing opportunities. Briefly each spring, mainly in May, Mother Nature serves up abundant supplies of wild leeks, morel mushrooms and fiddleheads. These seasonal earthy delights create special opportunities to embellish food dishes and experience magical moments when paired with the right wines. Wild Leeks Good wild leeks – or ramps – should have two or three whole green leaves and a small, onion-like white bulb attached by a purplish stem. The best ones grow in Michigan, West Virginia and Virginia’s Piedmont. Trim the roots, wash off and the entire plant is tender and choice for eating. Refrigerate tightly wrapped so they don’t dry out and use them right after harvesting. Sliced thinly, ramps add an amazing flavor twist to a spring salad. Some fans simply eat them raw or grilled. Others use them as garnish with meat dishes and soups when a deep, earthy flavor is desired. Morel Mushrooms Morels grow in moist areas, often around dying or dead Elm or Ash trees or old apple orchards. Most of the harvest offered for commercial sale typically comes from Washington and Oregon. The morels should be clean and almost dry to the touch and smell earthy-woodsy. Highly perishable, fresh morels should be handled with care. Refrigerate them dry inside a loosely closed paper bag. Wash them right before use. Morels can best be served in sauces, sautéed with butter, with Salmon or they can be stuffed with salmon or seafood mouse. Also, they’re an excellent garnish with steak. Fiddleheads The unfurled leaves of certain ferns, fiddleheads grow in the lowlands of Nova Scotia and along the U.S. East Coast. When selecting them, look for a tight coil and only an inch or two of stem beyond the coil. Remove the brown papery chaff surrounding the bulb. Use them soon after harvest. Good fiddleheads should have a distinctly crisp texture, both raw and after brief cooking. They are versatile, easy to use. Their flavor goes well with cheeses, tomato sauce, Hollandaise sauce and oriental cuisine. Their taste is mild and reminiscent of asparagus with an added nutty bite. They are excellent marinated in vinegar and oil, and they make nice, crunchy snacks when pickled. They work wonderfully in pasta dishes with an extra virgin olive oil-balsamic vinegar sauce. Saute, stir-fry or steam briefly to retain their crunchy texture and bright green color. Wine Pairings When pairing wines with these earthy delights: Don’t overpower the delights’ earthy flavor. Decide on the cooking method (i.e., with butter or olive oil, grilled or sautéed, in a soup…?) and select a wine that complements the recipe for either the accompanying meat or seafood. Try these pairings: Savory muffins with slow-roasted morels (with olive oil, lemon, parsley and garlic) – any Pinot Noir from Oregon |
