Savoring Springtime

Recipes for Your Next Soirée

It’s our favorite time of year. The days are longer, the air is warmer, and there are endless opportunities to incorporate vibrant seasonal produce into your culinary endeavors. We called upon some of our favorite culinary creatives to share their tried-and-true spring and summer recipes to brighten any table spread. From dinner parties to family gatherings, these recipes are a true embodiment of the zest for life. Be sure to follow these chefs on social media and tag us @viemagazine when cooking up the following delights in your kitchen. Bon appétit!

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Clams with Saffron and Fennel (Gandoffli, Żagħfran, Bużbież)

Recipe and photography by Simon Bajada

Serves 4

Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes

Simon Bajada is an Australian photographer and cookbook author living in Stockholm, Sweden. He has authored four cookbooks inspired by his worldly travels, focusing on Nordic, Baltic, and Maltese cuisine. The recipe below is just one example of his global palate, excerpted from his most recent culinary guide, Malta: Mediterranean Recipes from the Islands. Bajada’s passion for documenting gastronomic culture from around the world shines through his stunning photography, whether capturing kissel (a sweet soup made from rhubarb) in Estonia or a seafood spread on the coast of Portugal. Follow him at @simonbajada and simonBajada.com.

“A relative of saffron called the yellow-throated crocus (Crocus longiflorus) grows on Malta. It is not nearly as famous as Crocus sativus, but still fragrant and colorful. But the families who know where to find it are unlikely to divulge any information! Wild fennel is a little easier to come across. In this dish, fennel seeds, saffron, wine, and clams marry to make one of the most divine broths that ħobż (crusty white bread) ever had the pleasure of diving into.”

Ingredients

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

50 g (1 3/4 oz) butter

1/2 large fennel bulb (about 200 g/7 oz), finely diced

2 small shallots, finely diced

1 generous pinch of saffron threads

150 ml (5 fl oz) dry white wine

1 kg (2 lb, 3 oz) medium-sized clams (vongole)

2 tablespoons finely chopped

Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Directions

Toast the fennel seeds in a medium saucepan over medium heat until fragrant. Add the butter, diced fennel, and shallots and sauté for 5–8 minutes, until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, mix the saffron with the wine in a glass.

Increase the heat of the pan to high and add the clams. Stir them around with the fennel and shallots, then pour in the wine and saffron. Cover with a lid and cook for 3–5 minutes. Once the clams have opened, remove the lid, stir in the parsley, reduce the heat, and simmer for a minute longer. Serve with bread and salad. Enjoy!

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Crispy Rice with Spicy Beet Tartare

By Phoebe Lapine | Photography by Haley Hunt Davis

Makes 10 bites

Phoebe Lapine is a food and health writer, chef, speaker, and the voice behind the award-winning blog Feed Me Phoebe. She is the author of four books, including Carbivore and her debut memoir, The Wellness Project, which was listed by Women’s Health magazine as the top nutrition read of 2017. An advocate for autoimmune disease awareness and finding food freedom despite chronic illness, Phoebe’s work has appeared in Food & Wine, Marie Claire, SELF, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Mind Body Green, which named her one of “100 Women to Watch in Wellness.” She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter. Learn more on Instagram @phoebelapine or CarbivoreCookbook.com.

“I thought there was nothing more delicious than a spicy tuna roll until the day I tasted that delicious filling perched atop a piece of crispy rice. Usually, I try to keep things simple, but this is one of those moments that is worth the extra effort—and it’s nothing to be intimidated by. As a twist on the traditional tuna, I use roasted beets. You can, of course, substitute 8 ounces of fresh tuna or salmon in the spicy mayo mixture. To cut prep time, roast the beets in advance. It’s a fun special occasion meal for the family served alongside a green salad with my go-to spicy sesame dressing.”

Ingredients

12 ounces red beets (about 4 medium)

Sea salt

4 cups Low-Sugar Sushi Rice (see recipe below)

2 tablespoons Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise mixed with 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sriracha

2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Avocado oil

White rice flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 avocado, mashed

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
2. Arrange two aluminum foil squares on a work surface and divide the beets between them. Season the beets generously with salt, then wrap them tightly in the foil. Transfer the packets to a sheet pan and roast until the beets are tender and their skin has become opaque and scaly, about 1 hour. Open the foil and let the beets cool until safe to handle. Using your fingers, remove and discard the beets’ outer skins. Finely dice the beets (the smaller, the better) and set aside.
3. Place the sushi rice in the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Top the rice with a second piece of parchment. Using clean hands, press the rice down with full force to compact it into a firm sheet. You can use a measuring cup to tamp it down and even the edges. Refrigerate the rice in the pan for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Everything up to this point can be done several days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
4. To make the beet tartare: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, tamari, and sesame oil. Stir in the diced beets. Taste for seasoning and add more heat or salt, as needed.
5. Lightly grease a knife with avocado oil and use it to cut the rice into 12 even rectangles—or whatever shape speaks to you!
6. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour onto a plate. Dredge each piece of rice lightly in the flour on both sides. Use your fingers to pack in any loose grains around the edges so it’s a tight package.
7. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) of avocado oil. Working in batches, add the rice cakes to the skillet and pan-fry for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels.
8. To serve, top each crispy rice bite with a spoonful of mashed avocado, followed by the beet tartare. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish each with a slice of jalapeño.

Low-Sugar Sushi Rice

Makes 4 cups

“The sushi rice at most restaurants in the United States has a lot of added sugar, which, when combined with those simple carbs, doesn’t do your blood glucose levels any favors. Still, that slight bit of sweetness complements the vinegar in seasoned sushi rice. This recipe strikes a happy medium. You can use table sugar, but I like using maple syrup or honey because those sweeteners are naturally sticky, which helps when you’re trying to mold your rice into hand rolls or sushi. I used to eat plain sushi rice as my sick-day comfort food, but now that I know better, I try to offset it with lots of vegetables and protein, like in this Crispy Rice with Spicy Beet Tartare.”

Ingredients

1 cup sushi rice

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari or soy sauce

1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear. Tap the sieve a few times to get out as much water as possible. Place the clean rice into a medium-lidded saucepan and pour in 1 1/2 cups water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, and salt until the sweetener is fully incorporated. Pour the seasoning over the rice and fluff with a fork to mix well. Taste and add more salt as needed, especially if the rice tastes too acidic.
3. Garnish with the sesame seeds (if using) to serve.

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Vegan Strawberry Sheet Cake

Recipe and photography by Ciarra Siller

Ciarra Siller is an author, recipe developer, and food photographer based between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Her renowned vegan dessert blog, Peanut Butter Plus Chocolate, showcases her seasoned food styling and photography skills alongside delectable vegan and gluten-free versions of your favorite sweets. Siller is one of our go-to recipe creators after we fell in love with her easy vegan lemon crumb cake last spring! This spring, we are ready to bake her famous vegan strawberry sheet cake to impress guests at picnics and around the table all season. Follow Siller on Instagram @peanutbutterpluschocolate and @ciarrasillermedia and her website PeanutButterPlusChocolate.com.

Ingredients

2 cups organic all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons organic tapioca flour or organic arrowroot

1 cup organic cane sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup almond milk or plant milk of choice

1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree

1 lb fresh strawberries

1/4 cup organic vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 cup vegan butter, room temperature

2–3 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted

1 oz bag freeze-dried strawberries, blended

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons almond milk, room temperature

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries for topping

One of our go-to recipe creators

Directions

1. Make the reduced strawberry puree: Rinse and haul your fresh strawberries and puree

using a blender or food processor. Add the puree to a small pot over medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is reduced to half its size. This should take about 15–20 minutes. Let cool.

2. Prepare your oven and pans: Center your oven rack and preheat the oven to 350°F

(180°C). Prepare a jellyroll or sheet cake pan with nonstick baking spray and parchment

paper at the bottom.

3. Make the cake: In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the almond milk, 1/2 cup of the reduced strawberry puree, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.

4. Whisk just until the batter comes together and no dry spots remain. Be sure to stir from the bottom up to incorporate all the ingredients evenly. Pour the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan and use a spatula to spread the batter to the corners of the pan. Tap the baking sheet on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 23–25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.

5. Make the strawberry buttercream frosting: Use a handheld mixer to cream the vegan

butter until light and fluffy. Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and freeze-dried

strawberries and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and almond milk and continue

mixing until smooth. Add in the remaining powdered sugar until you reach a smooth and

pliable consistency.

6. Assemble the cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, add the frosting and spread it out in an even layer. Top with fresh strawberries and serve.

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Dandelion-Forsythia Alaska Cocktail

By Mike Wolf | Photography by Brooke Dainty

Mike Wolf is a writer, alchemist, gardener, podcast host, and vermouth maker hailing from Nashville. A seasoned mixologist, he has penned the seasonal cocktail book Garden to Glass: Grow Your Drinks from the Ground Up and shared recipes and stories from bartenders around the country in his second publication, Barantined. He also owns CHOPPER, a robot-themed tiki bar in East Nashville, and cohosts the Liquid Gold podcast to talk all things beverage with cocktail enthusiasts. Check him out on Instagram @mikewolf_gardentoglass and at MikeWolfBooks.com.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin (Plymouth or a light Japanese gin would work)

1/2 ounce yellow chartreuse

1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth (Dolin would be great for this)

1 dash orange bitters

2 dandelion flowers, 2 forsythia blossoms, and a lemon twist for garnish

Directions

In a mixing glass, add one dandelion and one forsythia blossom, the dash of bitters, and the yellow chartreuse. Very lightly muddle all to extract some flavor from the blossoms. Add ice and the other ingredients, and stir for 30 seconds until well chilled. Let the drink sit undisturbed for five minutes and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a dandelion flower, forsythia, and lemon twist. You can also sub any edible wildflower or garden flowers, as long as you know what they are! Cheers!

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