Notes From a French Kitchen

by Marie-Christine Perry

After a long winter, made longer by confinement, to see nature greening around me turns my thoughts to asparagus, peas and artichokes. I already see the first shoots in my asparagus bed, portent of delightful meals, and I regret that the climate here is not propitious to the growing of peas or artichokes. I remember my grandfather’s kitchen garden, provider of sweet peas nibbled early in the morning right from the vines, while my attempts at growing them in my Norfolk garden only produced a few meager handfuls before they bolted (tips from local gardeners welcome). In France and in California, I knew artichokes as perennials gracing the garden with their silver blue foliage and their magical globes, but here they are only grown as annuals. These have been two of my biggest disappointments as a budding Norfolk gardener.

Asparagus, cut freshly from the bed and lightly steamed in an upright steamer, I serve very simply as an appetizer with homemade vinaigrette and a side of oeufs mimosa (deviled eggs with a Dijon mustard and fresh tarragon mayonnaise) or, for a fancier meal, with an orange hollandaise.

 If white asparagus are available, I make the traditional velouté d’asperges, a velvety spring soup, fragrant and delicate. Peel the white asparagus stalks, cut in 1 cm pieces, reserving the tips. Blanch the cut stalks for two minutes in homemade broth and reserve the liquid to make a roux. Make your roux with a good lump of unsalted butter, adding some reserved liquid. Then add the asparagus pieces and cook gently for 20 minutes. Put this in the blender, then through a chinois (conical fine-mesh sieve). Put the soup back on the stove for another 8 to 10 minutes, having added the asparagus tips and some finely chopped chives. Serve with a soup spoon of crème fraîche on each plate.

Fresh young peas are another springtime delight. Raw on the vine, or lightly cooked with sweet butter, fresh tarragon and finely scissored young lettuce leaves, served with a dollop of cream, they make a wonderful accompaniment to spring lamb or juicy roast chicken. They are also delicious in a soup called in my family potage vert-pré (meadow-green soup). Sauté a couple of finely minced shallots in sweet butter, add 2 pounds of fresh young peas, cover the peas with homemade broth, and cook gently for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté finely chopped pancetta in a dry pan. Add the cream to the peas and shallots mixture and put it through the blender. Serve very hot in bowls, garnished with pancetta and finely chopped chives.

Artichokes for me are best steamed and served with a pungent homemade vinaigrette. I love slowly eating each leaf, waiting to uncover the heart and finally getting to the meaty pieces. But the crowning glory of my grandmother’s spring kitchen was petits pois en coeurs d’artichauts, fresh young peas in artichoke hearts. This dish was quintessential spring for me, combining peas, artichokes, baby lettuce and tarragon, not forgetting the cream!

Any way you choose to serve these magnificent vegetables, don’t forget a bottle of fruity white wine.

Bon appétit!