The crisper whisperer

Wrangling greens with chef David Punch of Ten Tables

By JENNIFER CACICIO

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Perhaps you're part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, receiving the freshest crops from the farm. Or maybe hitting up your local farmers market with a crumpled wad of cash is part of the weekly regimen. But what happens after you get home? The counter's covered by a slew of raw veggies, and suddenly you're feeling a little anxious. What are you supposed to do with it all? How does a chef see a salad in an asparagus, a chilled soup in a bulb of fennel, a sweet sorbet in a strawberry? Well, I asked one.

At Ten Tables, chef David Punch has made the best of what's local for almost three years. His menu is in "constant evolution," and he depends on his farmers to make his job easier. I spent a recent morning with him in the kitchen, hovering around him as the deliveries came in—leafy turnips, shiny radishes, the season's first box of strawberries. While he prepped his menu for that evening's dinner, I picked his brain for tips on how the average home cook can make the most of seasonal produce.

DON'T BE AFRAID.

Maybe you didn't like zucchini as a kid, or you can't even begin to imagine what to do with a turnip. Well, Punch says it's time to get over it. Tastes change as you get older, and you might be surprised by what you like. So buy what you see. Try new things. If you don't know what something is or how to prepare it, ask the farmer who's selling it. Chances are they'll know better than anyone. After all, they grew it.

USE IT ALL.

Don't let anything go to waste. Say you get a bunch of beets. Split them in half—roast some for a salad and then use the rest in a soup, which you can freeze for another day. But, wait! Don't throw the leaves away! Sauté them as a side dish for tomorrow's meal, or braise them down and add bacon. Save scraps for stocks, and compost what's left. Punch says do some research—or better yet, just experiment!

STORE FOOD PROPERLY.

Don't be one of those people who throw it all into the fridge. If you store your produce right, it'll stay fresh that much longer. Leafy things should go into the crisping drawer under a dry rag, while most fruit can be kept out on the counter. Keep asparagus upright, tips up, in a small bowl of water. And for the love of god, Punch pleads, don't put your tomatoes in the refrigerator. It sucks the flavor right out.

PRESERVE CREATIVELY.

One of the drawbacks of a CSA or an over-eager trip to the farmers market is buying more than you can realistically chew. Punch likes to pickle his produce before it has the chance to go bad. Or even better, he says, teach yourself to can. You'll impress all your friends, and as Punch puts it, save a slice of the season for later.

GET INVOLVED.

Punch insists that food always tastes better when you know where it comes from. Farmers markets and CSAs are great, but it's even better to make a day of it. Get to know your farmer. Shop at the source. Take a drive to Powisset Farm in Dover—Ten Tables is the only restaurant in town that gets produce there. If you can't go that far, ask the chefs at your favorite restaurants what they might do with a fennel bulb. A good chef, he says, will always kindly respond.

[Ten Tables, 597 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617.524.8810. tentables.net]

CHILLED FENNEL SOUP WITH ORANGE AND BASIL PISTOU | COURTESY OF DAVID PUNCH

FOR THE SOUP

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 Spanish onion, sliced thinly

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 leek, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp fresh thyme

3 fennel bulbs, chopped

1 cup half-and-half

vegetable stock

1/3 cup crème fraîche

1 Tbsp Champagne vinegar

salt and white pepper

Melt butter in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, leek, thyme and 1/4 cup of water. Cook ingredients gently, being careful not to let them color. Once the onions have begun to soften and sweeten, add the fennel. Cook until fennel just begins to soften. Add the half-and-half and enough vegetable stock to cover contents by an inch. Bring soup to a simmer and cook until fennel is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Be careful! Once blended, pass through a fine sieve. Stir in crème fraîche and vinegar. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Chill.

FOR THE PISTOU

1/3 cup pistachios, toasted

1 bunch basil, picked and washed

1 orange, zested

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Piave cheese, grated

salt and black pepper

Pulse toasted pistachios in a food processor until almost fine. Add basil, orange zest and olive oil, then process until smooth. Add the grated cheese, pulsing until combined. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

TO COMPLETE THE DISH

Ladle soup into chilled bowls and add a spoonful of the pistou to the center of the soup. Drizzle with olive oil and top with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve and enjoy!