Spring is in the Air and on the Plate

This is a sophisticated take on soup and a sandwich, one that is perfect for early spring. Asparagus is the star of the soup (which comes from Jasper White's Cooking from New England) but the wild rice gives it a fantastic nutty base and a lovely texture. The sandwich is a smoked trout melt with cucumber on pumpernickel (from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone). The combination of smoked trout (which I adore) with the crème fraîche and cucumber, highlighted with lemon and lots of dill, and grounded with the pumpernickel bread is just brilliant.

Asparagus and Wild Rice Soup (4 to 6 servings)

• 2 lbs. asparagus
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 cup wild rice
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup light cream
• juice of ½ lemon

1. Cut of the asparagus tips and save for garnish Roughly chop the stalks.
2. Sweat the onion in butter in a heavy soup pot. After a few minutes, add half the wild rice and the chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add the stalks. Simmer 30 minutes more.
3. While the soup is cooking, prepare the garnishes. Cut the asparagus tips into ½-in. pieces and blanch in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Shock in cold water and set aside.
   Simmer the remaining ½ cup wild rice in lightly salted water for about 40 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
4. After the soup has simmered for a hour, purée in a blender and return to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil and add the asparagus and wild rice garnishes. Add the cream and simmer 5 minutes more.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Smoked Trout Melt with Cucumber on Pumpernickel (4 servings)

• 10 oz. smoked trout, skin and any bones removed
• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 ½ tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1 ½ tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• lemon zest
• 4 slices pumpernickel
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• cheese to melt on top (the original recipe calls for Emmentaler, I used raclette)

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Flake the trout into large chunks and toss in a medium bowl with the crème fraîche, dill, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
3. Arrange the pumpernickel slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil for about 2 minutes on each side.
4. Arrange the cucumber slices on the toast and spoon the trout mixture over the cucumbers.
5. Top the sandwiches with the cheese and broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly golden.