Seattle trip serves up spring, great dining

What an odd winter. I don’t think I can recall a sunnier, more pleasant February, although I wish we’d gotten drenched a few times. This time of year always makes me hungry for fresh greens and the bright flavors of spring. I’ve picked a little over-wintered mesclun from my cold frame, but the garden’s pleasures are mostly some weeks to come.

A trip to Seattle last month was like time travel, as spring was fully sprung on the wet side.

Eating out was great, too. At Wild Ginger our family-style dinner included the best calamari I’ve ever had, along with one of the most perfect rare lamb chops I’ve eaten. Prices are amazingly low for such superb fare and I doubt that there’s a better fine dining value in the Northwest.

Our dinner the following evening at Etta’s Seafood was equally good, if twice as expensive. Fish notwithstanding, I hadn’t had quail in ages, and went with that. The dish featured an artfully stacked pair of de-boned quail atop a memorable vegetable side – a foundation of pureed cannelini beans covered with braised endive, then topped with a scattering of whole beans, small chunks of pancetta and dry-cured black olives, drizzled with a simple sauce from the quail.

The flavors worked well together and as I ate I happily considered how to make it when back at home. I found a nice looking recipe for leg of lamb in Bon Appetit that pairs perfectly with the cannelini.

The recipe is for those who like well-done lamb. I prefer mine rare, but this was tender and very flavorful. Here’s to spring and the new eating pleasures of the season.

Wine-braised Leg of Lamb with Garlic

From Bon Appetit, March 2005

1 (5 3/4 pound) bone-in leg of lamb, well trimmed

4 large garlic cloves, minced, divided

3 large heads of garlic, cut horizontally in half

1 bunch fresh thyme (about 1 ounce)

1 bottle (750 milliliters) dry white wine

2 tablespoons ( 1/4 stick) butter

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place lamb in large roasting pan. Rub all over with half of minced garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place halved heads of garlic around lamb, cut side up. Scatter thyme over and around lamb. Roast lamb 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Boil wine in large saucepan for 5 minutes. Pour wine around lamb. Cover and roast until lamb is very tender, about 2 hours 45 minutes longer.

Transfer lamb and heads of garlic to platter. Tent with foil. Using slotted spoon, remove thyme sprigs and garlic skins from pan juices. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat on stovetop. Bring juices to boil. Add butter and remaining garlic. Boil until juices thicken slightly, about 12 minutes. Season jus with salt and pepper. Slice lamb; pour jus over.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 319 calories, 16.5 grams fat (8.3 grams saturated, 48 percent fat calories), 39.5 grams protein, no carbohydrate, 137 milligrams cholesterol, no dietary fiber, 99 milligrams sodium.

Cannelini Beans with Endive, Pancetta and Olives

Freely adapted from Etta’s Seafood

2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt added cannelini beans, rinsed well and drained

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

2 ounces (about 2 dozen) dry-cured black olives, pits removed and halved

2 ounces thin sliced pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 head frisée lettuce or endive, about 8 ounces

2 ounces radicchio, washed, dried, cut into thin strips

Balsamic vinegar

Reserve 4 ounces whole beans, add olive oil, and puree the rest. For a thicker texture just mash with a fork. Season to taste with salt. Set aside in a microwaveable bowl.

Trim bottom from the lettuce or endive and cut into strips about 6 inches long. Wash with the radicchio and dry in a salad spinner. Refrigerate until ready to prepare.

Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a large wok and heat to medium high. Add the pancetta, lower to medium and fry until crisp and fat is rendered, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain, reserving the fat in the wok, and set pancetta aside with the olives.

Warm beans in a microwave. Heat wok to medium, add lettuces and a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar and cook until barely wilted, a minute or two.

Plate the beans first, with lettuces over, then pancetta, olives, and whole beans scattered on top. Drizzle with lamb jus and serve hot or warm.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving (based on 6): 191 calories, 7 grams fat (less than 1 gram saturated, 34 percent fat calories), 8 grams protein, 22.5 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 6.8 grams dietary fiber, 606 milligrams sodium.