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College kitchen: in season

Out with asparagus. In with arugula.
Refreshing rhubarb pie is a fun treat to make with friends using in seasonal ingredients.
Image by Zach Bielinski
Refreshing rhubarb pie is a fun treat to make with friends using in seasonal ingredients.

Florals for spring are so passe, but summer produce encapsulates the season time and time again.

Here are some simple recipes to make the most out of your next farmers market haul.

At some points, I felt like these recipes were almost too easy — how could something so simple end up so tasty? The fact of the matter is that wholesomeness and home-grown ingredients need not be fancy to be delicious — why say “julienne” when you can just “chop?”

The first step for dinner — grab some cash and head to your local market (I found most of my produce at the Lyndale Farmers Market).

While you’re checking off your grocery list, grab some blueberries. They’re so good right now — no recipe needed.

 

Fresh pea and mint salad

2 cups water

1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled)

6 cups trimmed arugula

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh pecorino cheese

 

Bring water to a boil. Add peas, and cook for one minute. Drain and plunge peas into ice water, then re-drain.

Combine peas, arugula and mint in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

This recipe is from “Cooking Light.” Very little cooking is involved in its creation; the salad is light.

Green beans or snap peas can be used instead of fresh peas if they aren’t available on a given day, and you don’t need as much dressing as you think you will. The sweeter the pea, the better.

 

Rhubarb pie

Two pie crusts

1 1/3 to 2 cups sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into half-inch pieces

1 1/2 tablespoon cold butter

Small amount of ice water Sugar to sprinkle on top

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar and flour in large bowl. Mix lightly through rhubarb. Pour into crust-lined pie pan, and dot with butter.

Cut slits in top pie crust, cover, seal and flute. Lightly brush top of crust with ice water, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is browned and filling begins to bubble through the slits.

This recipe is courtesy of a yellowed edition of the “Betty Crocker Cookbook,” and my grandmother — the queen of finding fun uses for extra sugar.

I used store-bought pie crusts to save time, but a bunch of great and easy recipes for homemade crusts can be found online. Use more sugar in the filling depending on how sweet you want your pie — I’m always pretty pleased with 1 1/3 cups and a side of vanilla bean ice cream. 

 

Roasted brussels sprouts 

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts (or a farmers market carton)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper; freshly ground if possible

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Chop off the ends of the sprouts, and remove the yellow outer leaves to make ’em real pretty. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on a tray, and stick them in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Yeah … that’s the whole recipe. Yum.

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