If, for most people, the sign to look for is the arrival of swallows, nothing says spring to me more than the first deliveries of locally grown vegetables and wild herbs.
I must admit, I am not a winter person. After spending most of the cold season hibernating in the kitchen, searching for warmth in soups and in comfort and rich foods such as foie gras, it is no surprise that when the first vegetables make their appearance I get a rush of adrenaline that pushes me to modify my entire menu.
The philosophy behind the food we serve at Toqué! mostly relies on my passion for vegetables. I like them all - humble or sophisticated, cooked or raw - and cherish their flavours, freshness, textures, shapes and intensities: all those different characteristics that stimulate creativity and lead to the singularity of a great dish.
Because Toqué! is committed to serving seasonal produce, we have, over the years, developed a unique relationship with the market gardeners and pickers who share the same enthusiasm for fresh vegetables. Most sell their finds directly to Montreal restaurants, but if the harvest is good small markets such as Les Cinq Saisons on Avenue Bernard will carry their bounty.
White asparagus, morel mushrooms and wild herbs signal the arrival of spring at Normand Laprise's restaurant Toque! (John Morstad for The Globe and Mail)
In May, I love the combined flavours of wild greens such as fiddlehead ferns, day lily sprouts, daisy leaves and wild sorrel, all of which are grown with dedication by restaurant produce supplier Diane Duquet in Dunham, a small town in the Eastern Townships.
I toss them with white asparagus carefully cultivated by Mr. P.A. Daignault in Blainville, a city northwest of Montreal near the foot of the Laurentians.
But the best thing about May is the arrival of the first morels of the season. Morels are probably the most earthy food there is. They are special and not easy to find. In Quebec, the entire Desteredjian family works on finding morels in the Eastern Townships.
Gérard Mathar and his team of pickers will do the same, later in the season, on the North Shore and in the Gaspé Peninsula.There are two different types of morels found in Quebec: the conical morel (morchella elata) and the yellow morel (morchella esculenta). Both enjoy cold and humid temperatures. The conical morel can be found from April until the end of May in sandy soil under balsam poplar, trembling aspen or pine trees. The yellow morel can be found from mid-May until the end of June in more open areas in forest, under elms and poplars, or in orchards under old apple trees. It is easier to find morels after a forest fire.
Once you've found your morels, they are simple to prepare and easy to serve. And they are also easy to clean when you know how. At Toqué we blanch the morels first, then leave them at room temperature. This technique cleans them properly and keeps them moist and tasty.
Now is the time to take advantage of all the fresh, locally grown produce available at the markets.
And remember, when you're eating those vegetables, wild herbs and mushrooms, keep it simple to fully enjoy the flavour!
WARM MORELS AND ASPARAGUS WITH GRIBICHE SAUCE
What you need
200 grams (about 7 ounces) of fresh morels
12 medium-sized white asparagus (3 per person)
What you do
Morel mushrooms: Trim the foot of the mushroom carefully with a knife. Blanch in salted boiling water for about one minute.
Strain well and lay on paper towel or cloth to drain.
Just before serving: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in frying pan. Sauté morels under medium to high heat to create a nice crispy exterior.
Season and serve warm.
Asparagus: Blanch lightly, drain from water and save, covered. Drizzle with olive oil before serving warm with morels.
GRIBICHE SAUCE
What you need
3 cold hard-boiled eggs
2/3 cup 2/3 cup? very thick mayonnaise
1/5 cup sliced, marinated day-lily buds
1/5 cup chopped fresh tarragon
1/5 cup chopped fresh sea lovage
1 1/3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
What you do
Chop the egg whites and yolks separately and reserve. Mix the whites and half of the yolks into the mayonnaise.
Add buds, lovage and tarragon.
Gently mix in vinegar. Season, and reserve in the fridge.
PLATINGWhat you do
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of gribiche sauce onto each plate. Arrange morels on and around the sauce.
Serve with warm asparagus and springtime shoots.
Serves 4.
Normand Laprise is the head chef and co-owner of the restaurant Toqué! in Montreal
Beppi's wine matches
Pinot noir, particularly red Burgundy (made from the pinot noir grape), is a sublime match for wild mushrooms, especially rich morels. Another good choice is Barolo or Barbaresco from Italy, based on the nebbiolo grape. None of these comes cheap, regrettably. One disclaimer: The gribiche sauce poses a challenge. Eggs and vinegar tend to be unfriendly to wine in general. But the nice thing about both pinot noir and nebbiolo is that they're rich in acidity and can joust with the gribiche if need be.
On the more affordable side, good choices include Malivoire Pinot Noir 2004 from Niagara ($27.95 in Ontario), Church & State Pinot Noir Hollenbach Vineyard 2005 from B.C. ($21 in B.C.) and Elio Filippino Barolo La Morra 2001 from Italy ($45.95).
Beppi Crosariol
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