Spring Recipe Roundup

Spring brings with it a sense of new beginnings. With the blooming flowers and warmer weather, we tend to spend more time outside and enjoying fresh and flavorful warm-weather recipes. Below, we rounded up a few of our favorites from our culinarians to try this Spring!

Chef Chris Ivens-Brown’s Chinese Chinois Fire Braised Chicken Salad

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, butternut squash and poblano and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
2. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute.
4. Stir in the beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle, 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
5. Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the corn.
   Divide the chili among bowls and top with the cheddar and scallions.

Chef Caroline’s Cranberry Curd Tart

Ingredients:

For the hazelnut crust:

• 1 1/4 cups raw hazelnuts
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 Tablespoons softened butter, more as needed

For the cranberry curd:

• 12 oz. cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• Peel (orange part only) and juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 stick softened butter
• 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks

Instructions:

1.  Make the crust; heat oven to 325 F. Put hazelnuts on baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, until skin darkens and cracks.
2. Put roasted nuts in clean towel and rub skins off. Discard skins and let nuts cool.
3. In a food processor, grind nuts with half of the rice flour until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining rice flour and salt and pulse briefly.
4. Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minuts until pale and thick. Add nut mixture and combine until dough forms. If crumbly, add 1-2 Tablespoons softened butter or a little cold water.
5. Press the dough evenly into a 10-inch tart pan; use half the dough for the sides and half for the bottom. Prick the bottom with a form and freeze for 30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake chilled tart shell for 15 minutes until lightly brown. Set aside to cool.
7. Meanwhile, make the cranberry curd; Put cranberries, sugar and orange juice & peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes.
8. Transfer to a food mill or medium mesh sleeve and press the liquid and solids into a bowl. Whisk butter into the warm liquid.
9. Put eggs and yolks into a bowl and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together.
10. Wipe out the pot if necessary, then return the liquid to the pot and cook over low heat until nearly bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes.
11. If using immediately, let cool to room temperature. If working ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap (plastic wrap against the curd) and refrigerate. This may be cooked 1 day ahead.
12. Pour the cooled cranberry curd into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top with a spatula.
    Bake at 350 F to set the curd. Cool on a rack. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Registered Dietitian Karleigh’s Berry Protein Pancake Muffins

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. Combine protein pancake mix, water and egg.
3. Add in berries, pecans and chia seeds. Mix until combined.
4. Pour batter into muffin tin. Pro tip: use an ice cream scoop to make them even!
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes.