Healdsburg Chef Kim LaVere Shares a Vibrant Late-Spring Menu for the Ultimate Garden Party

May and June are a time for getting together. It’s the season for Mother’s Day, graduations and warm evenings when the sunlight — and the conversation — can last for hours. For chef Kim LaVere, this is also the time of year when her scenic Dry Creek Valley garden begins to overflow with produce and edible flowers, including lavender, roses and vivid orange calendula.

LaVere, a former semi-professional soccer player turned private chef and entrepreneur, sees local food as a key player in both physical and emotional health. The events she produces are plant-forward and garden-fresh, as is her handcrafted lineup of botanical syrups, cocktail salts and teas (landandlocal.com).

“The plants in our gardens are here to support us; there are so many benefits to eating simply and seasonally,” says LaVere.

The late spring menu she has created here makes excellent use of our local bounty of fresh herbs, berries and more. Think of it as the ultimate welcome to the beginning of summer — seasonal, celebratory, and of course, beyond delicious.

Strawberry-Snap Pea Tartines

Serves 6

Chef Kim LaVere recommends either walnut or olive sourdough as the base for this seasonal appetizer, which combines sweet fruit with crisp snap peas and lemon-y, whipped ricotta (she often uses ricotta from Petaluma’s Bellwether Farms). Slicing the peapods lengthwise on the diagonal allows for a peek at the peas nestled inside, while a garnish of fresh pea shoots adds to the vibrancy of the dish.

1 small loaf or boule sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch-thick slices

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces ricotta

Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups snap peas, sliced diagonally

1 pint strawberries, thinly sliced

1 bunch mint, destemmed and picked

1 handful fresh pea shoots, to garnish (optional)

Additional extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Working with 2-3 slices at a time, toast the bread for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Add ricotta, half the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil to a food processor. Pulse until creamy, about 1 minute.

To assemble the tartines, slather each slice of toast with a spoonful of whipped ricotta, leaving a small hollow at the center of each slice. In a small bowl, toss the snap peas with the other half of the lemon juice and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Top the ricotta with the dressed peas and sliced strawberries, and garnish with lemon zest, mint and pea shoots, if using. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve right away.

Harissa Grilled Chicken and Cauliflower with Yogurt Tahina

Serves 6

This light, healthful main course combines chicken marinated overnight in yogurt and harissa with a charred cauliflower salad brightened by quick-pickled currants and fresh herbs. The Middle Eastern spices are amplified by time on the grill, and a simple sauce of yogurt and tahini unites the flavors.

Though the dish involves a few separate steps, it comes together easily. You can prepare the marinated chicken, sauce and pickled currants one day ahead, and the cauliflower and chicken can go on the grill at the same time.

For the Chicken:

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

3 tbsp. harissa dry spice blend

2 cups whole-fat yogurt

1 tbsp. kosher salt

For the Grilled Cauliflower:

2 heads cauliflower

¼ cup avocado oil

For the Quick-Pickled Currants:

½ cup dried currants

½ cup white wine vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

For the Yogurt Tahina Sauce:

1½ cups whole fat yogurt

3 tbsp. tahini

1 garlic clove, grated

Zest of 1 Meyer lemon

2 tbsp. water

2 tsp. chile powder

1 tsp. salt to taste

1 tsp. sumac(optional)

For Serving:

1 tbsp. za’atar (optional)

1 cup fresh herbs, such as flatleaf parsley and mint, to garnish

Lemon wedges, to garnish

In a large mixing bowl, combine harissa, salt and yogurt with chicken thighs and mix well to incorporate. Place into a 1-gallon plastic bag or glass container, seal tightly, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Next, place the dried currants in a wide-mouth, heatproof jar with a lid. Combine the white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan and heat over medium, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from heat once the mixture has started to boil and pour the hot liquid over the currants. Allow the mixture to cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before grilling and allow to come to room temperature.

While the chicken comes to room temperature, prepare the cauliflower wedges and tahina sauce. Remove any leaves at the base of each head of cauliflower and trim the stem. Cut each head into quarters, leaving the stem intact. Slice each quarter into 3-4 triangular-shaped cauliflower steaks, each about 3/4 inch thick. Spread a large baking sheet with half the avocado oil and lay the cauliflower steaks on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the steaks with the remainder of the oil and season with salt. Set aside.

In a small serving bowl, whisk together the yogurt and tahini. Add garlic, lemon zest, chile powder, salt and sumac, if using, and whisk until well-combined. If the sauce is too thick, thin with 1-2 tsp. of water until it drizzles easily. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Clean and oil the grates of a grill, and heat to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade, wipe off any excess, and discard. Place the cauliflower and chicken on the hot grill (the chicken goes skin-side down first) and grill for 6-8 minutes on each side. Then, turn off the grill, lower the grill cover, and allow the chicken and cauliflower to cook in the residual heat for an additional 8-10 minutes. Stack the cauliflower steaks at the side of the grill to prevent them from drying out while they finish cooking. Before removing the chicken from heat, check that it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Arrange the chicken and cauliflower on serving platters. Remove the pickled currants from the refrigerator, drain and add to the grilled cauliflower. Remove the yogurt tahina sauce from the refrigerator and drizzle half on top of the meat and vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs, za’atar (if using), and lemon wedges, and serve with the remainder of the sauce.

Lavender-Lemon Cups with Shortbread Crumble

Serves 6

This elegant dessert adds a lavender-infused whipped cream to a base of homemade lemon curd for a sweet-tart balance that speaks to late spring. You can infuse the lavender into the cream and make the lemon curd up to a day ahead, but wait until just before serving to whip the cream. LaVere notes that fresh or dried rose petals substitute beautifully for the lavender if you prefer their flavor.

For the Lavender Whipped Cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

½ cup fresh or dried lavender flowers

1 pinch salt

1 tbsp. agave or maple syrup

For the Lemon Curd:

Zest of 2-3 Meyer lemons

4 ounces Meyer lemon juice (from about 4-6 large Meyer lemons)

½ cup cane sugar

3 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

3 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 shortbread cookies, crumbled

Edible flowers (optional), to garnish

First, prepare the lavender-infused cream. Place the lavender flowers in a quart mason jar and pour in half of the cream. Using the back of a spoon or a wooden pestle, gently crush the lavender to release its oil. Pour the remainder of the cream on top, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to one day.

Next, cook the curd in a bain-marie. In a small saucepan with high sides, bring 4-6 cups of water to a gentle boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down to simmer. In a medium stainless steel bowl that fits atop the saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, sugar, whole eggs and egg yolks. Rest the bowl containing the egg and lemon mixture on top of the saucepan (do not dump the mixture into the water).

While the water in the saucepan below remains at a gentle boil, whisk the egg mixture in the bowl on top continuously for 8-10 minutes, until it reaches a glossy, thick consistency. Remove the egg mixture from the heat and whisk in the butter, one cube at a time. Strain the finished curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the finished curd (to avoid the formation of a skin on top) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to one day.

About 15 minutes before serving, remove the infused cream from the refrigerator and strain through a sieve into a cold, stainless steel mixing bowl. Discard the lavender. Add a tiny pinch of salt to the infused cream, and whip with a handheld or stand mixer on high until the cream begins to firm. Add the agave or maple syrup and continue whipping until the cream forms peaks, about 5 minutes total.

To assemble each dessert, place 2-3 ounces of cooled lemon curd in a serving glass. Top with a generous spoonful of lavender whipped cream and crumbled shortbread. Garnish with lavender flowers, if using, and serve right away.

Elderflower Spritz

Pretty, pale elderflowers are in season in late spring and make for a delicately flavored sparkling cocktail. If you’d like to make your own cocktail syrup, you can find dried elderflower for sale online. LaVere also sells an elderflower-mint syrup as part of her Land + Local line of botanicals. For an alcohol version of this cocktail, substitute 3 ounces of the sparkling water with a sparkling white wine. LaVere’s local favorites include Lioco 2023 Sonoma County Pet Nat of Chardonnay or Lichen Estate 2018 Anderson Valley Blanc de Gris.