Warm Artichoke, Asparagus, Fava & Potato Salad

 When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and when the garden is producing kilos of fava and neighbors deliver homegrown artichokes and asparagus we make this delicious warm salad! It's a shame to call is a 'potato salad' but when I asked a handful of guests, as they were eating this dish after a cooking class they all replied 'the best potato salad ever!' Use whatever Spring veggies you've got but the combo of warm boiled new potatoes with sweet artichoke hearts and bright asparagus & or fava is simply...the best potato salad ever!

Check out the short video on Tastemade to see a glimpse of the cooking class with this one the menu!

Artichokes & New Potatoes with Fava and Asparagus

Serves 4

12 artichoke hearts, cleaned (we have small artichokes, if you are using big Roman artichokes you can use 1 artichoke heart per person, cut into quarters)
4 medium potatoes (the best looking potatoes you can find)
2 handfuls of cleaned, double shelled fave beans (or peas)
handful of thin asparagus if you have them (grilled or blanched)
handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered (seeds removed)
small handful of chopped herbs: oregano, basil, parsley - whatever you’ve got.
good extra virgin olive oil
vinegar
salt & pepper

In separate pots, of boiling salted water, cook: the artichoke hearts,  the potatoes with the skin left on whole and fave beans until just soft, but not mushy. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
When you can handle the potatoes, peel them and cut into similar size chunks as your artichoke hearts.

While everything is still warm, place the potatoes, artichokes, bean/peas and tomatoes, etc. into a bowl and season with salt & pepper, chopped herbs and dress with olive oil and vinegar. (General rule of thumb, dress with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, i.e.: a 3 count pour of olive oil to a 1 count pour of vinegar.)

Toss gently, adjust seasonings and allow to sit for five minutes and serve slightly warm. Garnish with grated hard egg over the top if you like.

Fava (Broadbean) Crostini

Fava crostini - the color & crisp flavor on crunchy bread - how can you only eat one?!

Fava (Broad bean) Crostini:

Serves 4

1 cup of double shelled (outer pod & inner shell removed) fresh fava or broad bean
couple glugs of olive oil
garlic clove, skinned, whole
squeeze of lemon
water
shaved parmesan
salt & pepper
baguette or crusty bread, sliced & toasted

Throw the fava in a pan & cover with water & a little salt. Bring to a boil & lower to a simmer. Cook a couple of minutes until the fava are tender. Drain.

Return the pan to the heat. Pour in a couple glugs of olive oil and the garlic clove. Fry the garlic until browned. Then discard garlic.

Toss the fava into the pan & sautee for a minute or two. Then begin mashing with the back of a wooden spoon until you form a paste. If you need to add a bit of water, do so.

Remove fava paste from heat & season with salt & pepper add a squeeze of lemon.

Toast slices of good bread & rub warm fava mixture & top with shaved parmesan. You can drizzle a little really good quality extra virgin olive oil as well if you like.

Pasta with Spring Veggies (Spaghetti alla Chitarra con verdure di primavera)

Perfect for spring - looking for something fresh & light, delicious & a little different? This it it!

This dish is a great way to incorporate all the fresh vegetables of spring. It's roots are Roman as they called it vignarola or vignole but it is found all over Le Marche!

A versatile dish that you can make as a primi - pasta dish or as a stew/soup by adding more vegetable stock.

It is so simple, Jason has made this for many dinners this spring as his "go to" pasta - everyone has loved it! (One group of Italians even asked to take the rest home with them!) The longest part is the shelling of all the fava. (For the vegetarians out there, sadly, just omit the prosciutto)

Please, please use fresh pasta in this dish - it will make it much softer & worth the effort or cost. We used Spaghetti alla Chitarra a local pasta, but you probably won't find that in the States, so try regular spaghetti, linguini or fettucini.

Pasta with Spring Veggies (Spaghetti alla Chitarra con verdure di primavera)

serves 6

12-16 oz. of fresh pasta

4-5 small artichokes

sea salt & pepper

1 leek, outer leaves removed, cut into 3-inch lengths, washed

1/2 lb. chard (or other nice leafy greens)

extra virgin olive oil

1 small white onion, chopped

3/4 cup of vegetable stock (add another 3/4 cup if you are making into a stew) - use the water you will using to blanch the veggies in.

12 oz. fresh shelled peas

12 oz. of fresh shelled fava (or half a grocery bag full of the beans)

one bunch of asparagus

4 thick slices of prosciutto

small bunch fresh mint & parsley (we have both growing wild)

Put artichokes into a pot of cold, salted water & bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes or until tender (you can check by inserting a knife into the heart) and drain. (Tip: Jason puts a plate on top of the boiling water of artichokes so they don't pop out & stay under water!) Allow to cool, then peel off the outer leaves until you find the pale tender ones, remove the choke (fuzzy white parts) using a spoon. Cut the hearts into quarters.

Fill the pot with new water, add salt & bring to a boil. Blanch the fava beans for a minute, remove from water with a slotted spoon. Blanch the leeks for 3 -4 minutes, until tender, and the chard until just wilted.

Heat a large saucepan, big enough to hold all the ingredients, and add a good splash of oil. Cook the onion, low & slow for about 10 minutes until soft. Cut the tough parts of the asparagus off the bottom & discard, cut into quarter inch pieces. Sauté for 2-3 minutes with onion. Then add the vegetable stock (the water used to blanch the fava, leeks & chard) and the peas, bring to a boil. Cut the prosciutto into bits & add in - simmer for about 10 minutes, until the peas are cooked and soft and the prosciutto has flavored it all nicely.

Chop leeks into strips, run a knife through the chard & stir into the pan. Add the artichoke hearts & fava beans and let simmer for a few minutes. Finish with salt & pepper to taste a small bunch of chopped fresh mint & parsley. Add a few glugs of olive oil.

Toss with pasta & drizzle with a bit more olive oil for the bright flavors & colors of spring! Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan or grana padano.

Note: you may need a few spoonfuls of pasta water if the dish looks too dry.