Fresh Spring Dishes

Why not try out new recipes this spring? The season brings delicious fruits and vegetables that can make scrumptious, fresh spring dishes. Here are a few Midwest Living-inspired dishes that you can try at home.

Spring Chive Scampi

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound raw jumbo shrimp, shelled, leaving tails on

½ cup dry white wine

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons coarsely chopped chives

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

How to Make

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter on medium-high heat, then add garlic and red pepper; cook 1 minute.
2. Add shrimp to skillet content and cook for a minute, then turn; add wine and salt and cook for another minute.
3. Take off the heat and add chives and lemon juice; stir. Serve in bowls.

 

Filet Mignon Spring Revival Couscous Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quick-cooking couscous

1 ½ cups beef broth

2 cups chopped fresh asparagus

½ cup frozen baby sweet peas

¼ cup finely chopped green onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 8 ounces beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1½-inches thick

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons snipped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

2 teaspoons lemon zest

How to Make

1. Place couscous in a large bowl and bring beef broth to a boil in a saucepan.
2. To the beef broth, add asparagus, oil, green onion, peas garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and return to a boil, then remove from heat.
3. Pour broth mixture over couscous, mixing to combine, then cover the bowl tightly and set aside.
4. Season steaks with salt and pepper, and cook steak over medium heat on the grill to desired liking; Let steaks stand 5 minutes.
5. Fluff couscous lightly with a fork, separating grains. Add parsley and lemon zest and stir. Serve with grilled steaks.

 

Chicken and Shrimp Spanish Rice

Ingredients

1 6.1 ounces package Spanish rice pilaf mix

8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped (¾ cup)

½ cup chopped red onion

1 14 ½- ounce can whole tomatoes, cut up

¼ cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1 clove garlic, minced

8 ounces fresh or frozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 4½ – ounce can diced green chili peppers

¾ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

Salt

Pepper

Nonstick cooking spray

How to Make

1. Thaw, if using frozen shrimp.
2. Prepare rice mix according to package directions, excluding a fat or cooking oil suggested use.
3. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the chicken, sweet pepper, red onion, and thyme. Cook chicken until no longer pink and vegetables are the desired tenderness.
4. Add the undrained tomatoes, wine, and garlic to the skillet, stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Let mixture simmer uncovered for roughly 10 minutes.
5. Stir in shrimp, peas and chili peppers. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring in the process, or until shrimp turn pink.

Spring is the time to make delightful dishes that reflects the freshness and colors of the season. Now that you know a couple of new recipes, are you ready to try them out? If not, that’s okay! Restaurants such as Quattro in Boston’s North End offers a lot of dishes that are perfect for spring! Call us now or head on over to our website and make a reservation!