A little bit of lovage...

What's cooking right now:  Chicken stock, with lovage

...goes a long way.  That's what every cookbook I have says.  One said, "A single plant supplies a neighborhood."  But I bought a bunch at the farmers' market last Friday, and I've been trying to coordinate some food around it.  

Lovage is an herb that looks a little like parsley, but more like celery leaves.  That's because I think that's basically what it is--wild celery.  C.Z. and I read that is has an intense celery flavor. After that, she had to try a bite for herself, of course, "They're not kidding!" she exclaimed.

On Saturday, I tried out Halibut Baked with Leeks, Apple and Lovage, from Jerry Traunfeld's The Herbfarm Cookbook.  The lovage certainly doesn't overwhelm this one.  I'd type out the recipe, but it's a page and a half long, in small print.  Basically, you make a ragout of sauteed leeks cut up like matchsticks, add 3/4 c. white wine, reduce it, add 1 1/2 c. apple cider, reduce that, then add 1 T. lovage, 2. T sherry vinegar, and a diced tart apple.  

Then you put this leek ragout in a baking dish as a bed for the halibut, butter a piece of parchment paper, cover the dish, and bake for 10 minutes at 425.  Bob's comment:  "It's like dessert without the sugar!"

Sauteeing the leeks for the leek/apple/lovage ragout

Still, there was a lot of lovage left.  (Do you know how hard it is to resist making bad puns when writing about lovage?)  Not to mention most of a bottle of white wine, and some asparagus that was in season at the farmer's market.  I happen to have a recipe for a good risotto that involves wine and asparagus, and calls for some homemade chicken stock.  And for once we didn't have to go to physical therapy today, so I had the time to let something simmer.

Into the pot went a Tello chicken (notice the feet, Jody!), a few carrots, parsnips and onions, various spices that I had tied into a bouquet garni (I substituted fennel for dill, because that's what I had), garlic, salt, pepper, and instead of celery--a bundle of lovage.  Oh, yes, and a veal knuckle from a previous stock, because I'm not convinced it's used up yet. This is not a "by the book" recipe, so I'm not sure how it will turn out.  Could be I've broken the first rule of lovage (use sparingly), but at any rate, it smells great in my kitchen right now, and it's going into tonight's risotto.  Will it be an asparagus risotto or a LOVAGE risotto?  Only time will tell!

Meanwhile, the risotto calls for a 1/3 c. of of mascarpone.  What to do with the rest of that? How about...tiramisu?  I love it when things come together in the kitchen!