A miraculous thing - the return of the sun. The light now lingers just a few moments more each day invoking a vibrancy as only the turn of a season can. I am thrilled, I tell you -
thrilled, to have just a little bit of light left in the evenings to photograph again.
However, I confess I wish I'd photographed this beautiful baby
bok choy the moment I brought it home. As lovely as it is here, it spent longer than I had intended just out of sight (and memory) in the fridge. Thankfully, they were hardy bundles and were put to good use with the rest of my
first asparagus, a handful of
shitakes, and some slivers of carrot - a decent
impromptu dinner of red
quinoa and spring veggies.
I have no recipe to give, only a method to share:
In a small pot, cook 1 cup of
quinoa in 2 cups broth or water until the liquid has been absorbed and the grain is cooked. Meanwhile, heat a bit of oil in a skillet or wok, and when hot, add your chosen vegetables in order according to cooking times (here the carrots and asparagus went in first, then the others); just before they are finished cooking, toss in a bit of minced ginger and garlic. Add a bit of soy sauce or
tamari and perhaps a spoonful of cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup or so of broth or water to make a thicker sauce. Serve the
vegetables over the
quiona garnishing with a few slivered scallions.
thinking about a lemon-parsley pesto, perhaps; tabbouleh, of course - but no tomatoes, no cukes at this time of year... what else?
then there are radishes too - lovely, long(ish) French breakfast and a couple deep-red globes of cherry belles. these we crunch out of hand, pinching their little tails as we go. spicy this year too - a bonus in my book.
and spring without asparagus? it just wouldn't be right. (loving this little hibachi - parking it on the deck, sitting low - if grilling could be intimate, this is the way)
