I am welcoming spring with more enthusiasm than the new year. Within the first few weeks of spring, the sunshine is warm and the days are long enough to be outside in the evening. The longer days also mean fresh ingredients begin to appear in grocery stores and farmers markets.
Spring foods grow just like the name of the season; they spring up seemingly overnight. They are light in texture and bright in flavor. Spring foods are exactly what our bodies need to shake off the sluggish feelings of winter and get things moving again.
I love creating recipes that celebrate the best spring has to offer. I have already started using herbs from my garden that have come back to life after our mild winter. There are signs that a few more things are about to burst forth from hibernation, too. With luck it will be an abundant growing season.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a gardener to enjoy the freshness of spring on your dinner table. Over the next few months, keep your eyes open for these wonderful ingredients. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Arugula: Thanks to its popularity and how easy it is to grow, we see arugula all year, but it is at its best in the cool months of spring and fall. Its long spikey leaves vary in flavor from mild to peppery making it a wonderful addition to salads, pasta or even to top pizza.
Asparagus: Usually green, sometimes purple or white (grown undersoil) asparagus spears are best eaten soon after picking. Thick or thin, look for supple spears with good color and tight buds at the top. A fun fact about asparagus: We eat the shoots of what would grow into a large feathery fern if left unharvested.
Chard: You can recognize chard by its large, dark green leaves and thick, colorful stems. Several varieties are often available, like Swiss, red and golden. Rainbow chard is a combination of the three. Chard is a two-for-one vegetable in that the leaves and stems can be cooked separately. The leaves are often braised (cooked with a flavorful liquid) while the stems can be sautéed or roasted.
Herbs: Parsley, mint, chives, sage, rosemary and more are happiest in the temperate seasons. These herbs instantly liven up a recipe. Softer herbs like parsley, mint or chives should be added near the end or after a recipe is cooked to maintain their bright flavors. Try mixing herbs into a salad for a refreshing twist. Use the woody stemmed herbs in cooked recipes like roasts, soups or sauces so their essence infuses the main ingredients.
Green garlic or garlic scapes: Green garlic is immature garlic that has been pulled early to make room for the remaining garlic plants to grow into bulbs. It has a milder flavor than mature garlic but is stronger than an onion. Green garlic can be minced and used just like garlic or kept raw to showcase its strong bite. Garlic scapes are the mature stalks from hard-neck garlic. The firm green stalks grow in whimsical swirls and twists giving them a fantastical appearance. Garlic scapes have a mild but distinctly garlic flavor. They can be used raw or cooked. You are most likely to find these ingredients at a farmers market or a supermarket with a specialty produce department. Try turning green garlic or garlic scapes into a pesto with other spring greens.
Lettuce: Lettuce is another ingredient that prefers mild temperatures but has become available year-round. If the larger leaves feel a bit dull, look for one of the many other varieties of lettuces available in spring: butter lettuce, mesclun (a mix of tender young greens), mâche or lamb’s lettuce, purslane or watercress. These lettuces tend to have a more pronounced flavor than the most common grocery store options. You are likely to find a wider variety of lettuces at farmers markets.
Morels: Unlike the light bright flavors of the other spring ingredients listed, morel mushrooms have an earthy richness reminiscent of the forest floor. Fresh morels are a treat in creamy pasta dishes or hearty stews. They are very fragile and highly perishable. Fresh morels should be used immediately or dried for longer term storage. In the store, you are most likely to find them dried. Morels grow wild in the Pacific Northwest — foraging them is a wonderful weekend adventure. Like all wild mushrooms, morels have deadly imposters and should only be harvested under the direction of an experienced mushroom hunter.
New potatoes: Unlike the potatoes that have been stored all winter, new potatoes are small with a thin skin. They have more moisture than overwintered potatoes and tend to be sweeter. New potatoes are excellent in salads or simply prepared as a side dish.
Radishes: Spring radishes are sweeter than later radishes and their bright colors make a wonderful contrast to all the fresh greens on this list. Try boiling radishes, they will soften and the taste is similar to a potato.
Rhubarb: Often used like a fruit, rhubarb is a vegetable. Its celery-like stalks range from green to fuchsia and are naturally very tart. Cooked with fruit and a bit of sugar, rhubarb has a lovely tang that balances the sweet ingredients. Though commonly sweetened rhubarb is also wonderful in savory cooking. When simmered with onions and spices, rhubarb becomes a wonderful sweet and sour chutney.
Spring pasta with asparagus
1 pound asparagus spears
1½ cups frozen shelled edamame
5½ cups water (see note)
2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base
12 ounces Orecchiette pasta (may substitute other short pasta)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ounce (½ cup) shaved Parmesan, with more for serving
¼ cup minced parsley
¼ cup minced chives
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
Salt
Remove the tough ends from the asparagus and chop the remaining stalks into 1 inch pieces then set aside.
Rinse the edamame under cold water using a fine mesh strainer. Leave the edamame in the strainer to continue to thaw.
In a heavy bottomed pot, bring the water and vegetable base to a boil and add the pasta. Boil, uncovered, until the pasta is tender and the liquid reduces and thickens (about 10 minutes). Stir frequently.
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat then cook the asparagus with a sprinkle of salt until it turns bright green and softens slightly (about 5 minutes). Stir frequently.
Return to the pasta, stir in the parmesan, most of the herbs (save a few pinches for garnish), lemon zest, and chili flakes. Add the cooked asparagus and edamame. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Note: For the liquid you may also use 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth plus 1 cup of water.
Nutrition Information: Serves 8. Serving size: 1 cup. Calories: 241. Fat: 5.5g. Carbohydrates: 37g. Sugar: 1.8g. Sodium: 313mg. Fiber: 4g. Protein: 12g
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes.
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