Savoring Spring flavors

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Some Easter-style dishes, clockwise from top: baby spinach and portabello soup, a fruity red wine, pan-roasted lamb chops with spicy mint pesto and braised spring vegetables, lemon parmesan orzo and fruit compote with candied ginger, displayed amid pansies at Shroyer Nursery in Springfield, Ohio. Gannett News Service

This Easter or spring menu is admittedly a very Mainland-style one, but it illustrates some interesting techniques, the dishes are quite simple and straightforward and they'd be perfect for a lighter, more sophisticated Easter menu for a small party.

Don't attempt the entire menu if you're not a very experienced cook — choose a couple of dishes and surround them with things you can make without a fuss.

Also, take advantage of the make-ahead instructions included.

Pan roasting is a restaurant technique that's been getting a lot of attention among home cooks. It combines the advantages of pan-frying with those of roasting: that is, the meat is browned and crisp on the outside but finished in the oven for a moist center. This recipe for lamb chops is an example. You can transfer the meat from the saute pan to a casserole, or just use a large, heat-proof pan that can go from stove-top to oven.

Lamb tastes best rare or medium-rare, and because the meat will continue to cook out of the oven, remove it just before you think it's done. If it's still not cooked to your liking, return it to the oven.

Mint pesto is a different spin on the traditional lamb accompaniment of mint jelly.

To make ahead: Make pesto and hold at room temperature for up to half a day or in refrigerator (bring to room temperature) before use. Chops must be prepared "a la minute" (to order).

Pan-roasted Lamb Chops with Spicy Mint Pesto

For the lamb

• 8 to 12 small lamb chops
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

For the spicy mint pesto

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, stemmed, washed and dried
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped roughly
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray the bottom of a foil-lined sheet pan or shallow casserole with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.

Salt and pepper lamb chops on both sides. When pan is hot, add enough olive oil to barely cover bottom. Add lamb chops to pan (don't crowd the pan; you may need to cook chops in two or three batches) and cook until seared on one side, about five minutes. Turn chops and cook another minute.

Remove chops to sheet pan or casserole and repeat process until all chops are seared.

Roast chops in oven until medium-rare (12 to15 minutes, depending on thickness of chops) or desired doneness. Meanwhile, pour off any accumulated grease in pan and return to medium heat. Add balsamic vinegar and stir bottom of pan with wooden spoon. When vinegar has reduced slightly, remove pan from heat and reserve.

While chops are roasting, make pesto: Place mint, toasted pine nuts, vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper and salt and pepper in food processor. Pulse until pureed. With machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil, until pesto thickens. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Scrape pesto into container and cover until using. (Pesto can be refrigerated for two days before using.) Stir briefly before serving. Makes about two-thirds cup pesto.

To serve, drizzle reduced balsamic vinegar over warm chops and top with a dab of room-temperature mint pesto.

Makes four servings (two to three chops each).

Because this soup is cooked only briefly, it is resplendent with fresh spinach flavors and color. The mushroom garnish is optional. Portabello mushrooms are available in many grocery stores; you can substitute crimini or even regular white mushrooms, but they should be fresh.

Make ahead: Cook, puree and strain soup but don't add cream; chill. Sauteed mushrooms must be done at the last minute. Reheat soup, top with mushrooms and serve.

Baby Spinach & Baby Portabello Soup

• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon or one-fourth teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 bunches baby spinach (about 1? pounds) washed well and stemmed
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 pound baby portabello or crimini mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and sliced thinly
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

In a large or deep soup pot, gently saute chopped onion, garlic, carrot and tarragon in olive oil until soft, about eight minutes. Add salt and white pepper to taste, along with chicken or vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Add parsley and spinach to pot, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Stir greens occasionally until spinach wilts, about five minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove solids from pot to food processor and puree finely. Strain remaining broth in pot, and if you prefer a finer textured soup, strain pureed spinach or pass through a food mill. Soup can be covered and refrigerated at this stage for up to a day before serving.

Saute sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons butter over medium heat until soft and liquid in pan evaporates. Add salt and white pepper to taste and remove mushrooms from heat.

To serve soup, warm it over low heat to just under a simmer. Add more stock if desired to make soup thinner. Stir in heavy cream and one tablespoon of butter. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a few slices of sauteed mushrooms. Makes six-to-eight servings.

Source: Adapted from "Chez Panisse Vegetables" (HarperCollins; $32.50)

If you can't find all of these young vegetables, omit them or substitute others.

Make ahead: Prep the vegetables and blanch the ones that need blanched; immediately plunge into ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain. The rest of the dish can be prepared while the lamb is pan-roasting.

Braised Spring Vegetables

• 4 baby leeks, including a little of the pale green, or 1 bunch scallions
• 6 young slender carrots
• 12 firm button mushrooms, no gills showing
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1/2 pound asparagus spears, tough stems snapped off
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Wash vegetables well. Trim and slice leeks lengthwise; rinse and drain. Cut all but about one-half inch of the carrot greens off; peel and wash again. Slice carrots in half lengthwise. Cut mushrooms in half lengthwise. Leave about one-half inch of greens attached to radishes and cut them in half lengthwise.

Bring six cups of water to boil and add one and one-half teaspoons salt. Blanch carrots and radishes about seven minutes, then scoop them out and set aside. Blanch asparagus spears about two minutes; remove and rinse with cold water. Reserve vegetable cooking water.

Melt one tablespoon butter in a large, deep saute pan. Add leeks and cook over medium heat about two minutes, stirring frequently. Add one-half cup of the vegetable cooking water and mushrooms and all the blanched vegetables except for the asparagus. Add one tablespoon chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are fully tender, 10 to15 minutes, adding a little more vegetable cooking water if needed.

During the last three minutes of cooking, add the blanched asparagus and remaining tablespoon of butter and simmer until asparagus is warmed through. Remove pan from heat and add remaining chopped parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Makes four to six servings.

Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta available at most groceries.

Make ahead: Although this dish tastes best cooked just before serving, you can cook it ahead and refrigerate it. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

Lemon Parmesan Orzo

• 1 pound dried orzo
• Salt
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Black pepper, to taste

Bring large pot of water to boil and add generous amount of salt. Add orzo and cook according to directions until pasta is barely tender, about four minutes.

Drain orzo briefly, stirring in colander to remove excess water. While orzo is still damp and hot, turn it into a large mixing bowl. Add lemon zest, grated parmesan, olive oil and chopped parsley. Stir well and add salt and pepper, to taste. Add more olive oil if desired. Makes six to eight servings.

This dessert can be made ahead and refrigerated. It was designed to be made with rhubarb but that wonderful tangy ingredient can be difficult to find here, and the quality isn't always wonderful. Quartered tart cooking apples are a nice substitute. Don't peel them — you want a little texture.

Creme fraiche is a tangy, thickened cream difficult to find here. You can substitute whipped cream or even a dollop of sour cream. Or to make your own creme fraiche, blend one cup heavy cream with two tablespoons buttermilk, or two-thirds cup heavy cream with one-third cup sour cream. Cover; let sit at room temperature until very thick, eight to 24 hours. Stir well before using. Keep covered in refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Fruit Compote with Candied Ginger

• 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, washed and cut crosswise into half-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon minute tapioca
• Juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 pint strawberries, rinsed and hulled
• Creme fraiche (see note) or whipped cream
• Candied or crystallized ginger, sliced thinly

Toss sliced rhubarb with sugar, tapioca, orange juice and zest, and cloves.

Spread mixture in an eight-by-10-inch shallow casserole or gratin dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake rhubarb in preheated 400-degree oven until rhubarb is tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

While rhubarb is baking, slice strawberries thickly, lengthwise. When rhubarb is done, remove it from oven and scatter sliced strawberries over top.

Cover dish again with foil and allow it to sit out of the oven for a few minutes, until strawberries begin to release their juice.

Taste and add a little white sugar if needed.

Serve compote with simple butter or ginger cookies at room temperature.

Add dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream and garnish with strips of candied ginger.

Makes four servings.

Adapted from "Local Flavors" (Broadway; $39.95)

Chuck Martin of the Cincinnati Enquirer and The Advertiser's Wanda Adams contributed to this report.