The first mushrooms to appear in the spring, morels are in season from late March through June. Hollow from stem to crown, instead of a cap they have rippled, honeycomb-shaped spores throughout. They grow wild in many areas of the United States, though they’re foraged most extensively in the Midwest and in the Appalachians. The …
Spring Produce Guide: Morels, Morel Recipes and More Read More »
Asparagus is native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia minor areas, where the vegetable grows wild. It can take quite a while, 3–4 years, to grow to an edible length, making asparagus something of a luxury vegetable. Most of the crop grown in the U.S. is green and purple; the same seed grown under a blanket of …
Spring Produce Guide: Asparagus, Asparagus Recipes and More Read More »
Related to both garlic and onions but with a milder, sweeter flavor, leeks add punch to soups and sides without overpowering more subtle ingredients. Available year-round in most areas, they’re at home in both hearty cold-weather dishes and light spring recipes. We love them sautéed and added to egg dishes, savory tarts, soups, and just …
Spring Produce Guide: Leeks, Leek Recipes and More Read More »
Endlessly versatile, onions contain a complex mix of sugars and aromatic compounds that have made them a foundation of flavor in cuisines the world over. Pungent when raw, they become sweeter when cooked. The yellow onion is the most widely available variety, but red onions and sweet varieties, such as Vidalia and Maui, are milder in flavor. …
Spring Produce Guide: Onions, Onion Recipes and More Read More »
Also called rocket, arugula is a peppery, nutty-tasting member of the mustard family, whose blossoms and leaves have long been a popular ingredient in the cuisines of Italy, Morocco, Portugal, and Turkey. Widely available year-round, this versatile leafy green can be served raw, but is just as often used in cooked dishes. We love it …
Spring Produce Guide: Arugula, Arugula Recipes and More Read More »
While spinach is available year-round, it’s especially flavorful in spring and summer, when the vibrant green leaves are delightfully delicate and tender. Served raw in salads, spinach boasts a sweet, slightly bitter taste. But the leafy green, celebrated for its high iron, calcium and vitamin content, takes on a more complex, mildly acidic, flavor when cooked. …
Spring Produce Guide: Spinach, Spinach Recipes and More Read More »
This earthy, sweet root vegetable comes in red, pink, orange, yellow, and white varieties, as well as a range of sizes. Both the bulbous root and leafy stalk are edible, making it a versatile ingredient in dishes both raw and cooked. We like to keep roasted beets on hand for soups, purées, and wraps—just rinse …
Spring Produce Guide: Beets, Beet Recipes and More Read More »
While many are available year-round from the grocery store, summer brings abundant fresh herbs that thrive in hot weather, such as basil, rosemary, and thyme, to the farmers’ market. You can use fresh herbs in innumerable ways for every type of dish: Add them to marinades, throw them into salads, purée them into pesto and …
Spring Produce Guide: Herbs, Herb Recipes and More Read More »
Native to southwest Asia, peas were first gathered wild in the spring when fresh and tender, as well as later in the year once they had dried on the vine. In much the same way today, we eat plump, round garden peas both dried in soups and stews, and fresh in preparations from salads to pastas. Early …
Spring Produce Guide: Peas, Pea Recipes and More Read More »