Spring into cooking

MAyA cAMPbELL

Spring is the perfect time to enjoy these sustainable and locally-sourced recipes. Aside from being easy to make, they are all delicious!

Directions:

1. Pour 12 cups of water and a couple pinches of salt into a large pot and boil over medium-high heat. While water is boiling, prepare the carbonara. 2. Cut guanciale (if using) into small pieces and simmer in a frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally, keeping in mind that the more you cook guanciale, the more crispy it will become. If cooking with pancetta, cook until crispy. When cooked to required texture, cover and set aside. 3. Whisk the pecorino romano into the eggs, and then add black pepper. Mix quickly with a fork or whisk until a creamy sauce is formed. 4. Set aside the sauce and add the pasta into the boiling water. Follow box directions and cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. 5. While pasta is cooking, bring your egg sauce near you so that it’s easily accessible. After pasta is cooked, quickly strain and add to the pan over high heat with the guanciale, mix for 10 seconds, and then turn off the heat and add the eggs. Mix vigorously until sauce is creamy.

If the pasta is too liquidy, add grated pecorino. If it’s too clumpy, add 1-2 tbsp of pasta water.

Carbonara

makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 12 oz of rigatoni or spaghetti • 7 oz of guanciale, pancetta, or bacon • 4 large eggs • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon of pecorino romano • 2-3 pinches of kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Apricot Lavender-Honey Refresher

makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup honey • 1 teaspoon of dried lavender • 3 apricots • ½ teaspoon of cornstarch • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice • One bottle of sparkling water

Directions:

1. Make mixture of a 2:1 ratio of honey to water, add dried lavender and cook over medium-low heat. Steep lavender in honey for 15 minutes before straining and cooling. 2. After slicing, purée the apricots in a blender. Pour in a pot with cornstarch, water, and lavender honey. Cook over medium heat until combined and thickened. Then, let cool for 15 minutes. 3. Using a cocktail shaker or mason jar, combine apricot jam, lemon juice, and water with ice and shake vigorously.

To the bottom of a 16-oz glass, add fresh ice. Strain the mixture into the glass, filling it up about ¾ of the way. Top off with sparkling water and garnish with lemon slices if desired.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Eton Mess

makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 5oz store-bought or homemade vanilla meringue cookies • 1 ¼ pound of strawberries • ½ pound of rhubarb (if frozen, thaw completely) • 1.5 teaspoons of lemon zest • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice • 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar • ½ cup granulated sugar • 2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream • Mint, to garnish

Directions:

1. Put the meringue cookies into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Lightly crush them up with a rolling pin, and make sure they are varying sizes for better texture. 2. Combine rhubarb, ½ cup of water, granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until rhubarb is soft, around 10-15 minutes. Let cool, then purée in a blender. 3. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Then, gently fold in the crumbled meringue pieces until well-incorporated. 4. In a mason jar or 12-ounce cup, layer the strawberrymeringue sauce alternating with the cream-meringue mixture. Garnish with mint, if desired.