Author Notes
This recipe is a good mix of early spring offerings that I was inspired to make while on a afternoon hike. I passed by some wild nasturtium and on my way back, picked a bunch for my pesto. The spring garlic came from my backyard and I picked the other ingredients up from local farmers. Scapes would be a great addition, if available.
—Bill Schimpf
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Ingredients
- Nasturtium Pesto
-
1/3 cup
Grapeseed oil
-
1/4 cup
Olive oil
-
2 tablespoons
Pine nuts or Walnut
-
1/2
of a garlic clove
-
1/2 teaspoon
+a small pinch Kosher salt
-
7
turns of a pepper mill (fine grounds)
-
4 ounces
Nasturtium leaves
-
1
Nasturtuim flower
-
1/2 teaspoon
Lemon juice
- Filddlehead Fern and Spring Garlic Couscous
-
1 cup
Whole Wheat Couscous
-
1/2 cup
White wine
-
1/4 teaspoon
Kosher salt
-
7
Turns of the pepper mill
-
1
Bay leaf
-
2 sprigs
Thyme
-
1 1/4 cups
Chicken stock
-
3
Stalks of Spring garlic
-
2 cups
Fiddlehead ferns
-
1 tablespoon
Sweet butter
-
1/4 cup
Chicken Stock
-
1 splash
White wine
-
2 sprigs
Thyme
-
2 teaspoons
Lemon juice
-
2 tablespoons
Olive Oil
-
1/2 teaspoon
Kosher salt
-
10
Turns of the pepper mill
Directions
- Nasturtium Pesto
-
Combine the oils, garlic, pine nuts (or Walnuts) and salt. In a blender or using a hand blender, blend together until smooth (about 15 seconds).
-
Add the nasturtium leaves in two parts. Blend the first half until smooth, then add the second half of the leaves and the flower. Blend until smooth.
-
Add black pepper and lemon juice and stir with a spoon. Your pesto is complete.
- Filddlehead Fern and Spring Garlic Couscous
-
In a medium pot, bring stock, salt, ground pepper and wine to a boil. Add the thyme, bay leaf and couscous, swirl in the pan and cover.
-
Once all the liquid is absorbed (15 minutes) fluff the couscous with a fork set aside and cover.
-
In a saute pan add the wine, stock, a quarter teaspoon of the (second measurement of salt), and thyme. when it comes to a boil add the Fiddleheads. Once half of the liquid in the pan is gone, add the spring garlic and butter. Swirl the pan over the heat until the butter dissolves.
-
Add the Fiddleheads, spring garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, the other quarter teaspoon of salt and the ground pepper to the couscous and fold together.
-
Grill Pork Chops and serve.
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