Seasonal Spring Veg – What should you eat During the Spring?
Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. The winter’s snow and rain has finally disappeared, and we’re having more and more sunny days. As with all enjoyable times, I love to celebrate it with food, and so I like to know what veg is in season so that I can get it fresh from a local farmer’s market.
Beetroot
This bright purple root veg can be very divisive amongst people far and wide. It looks unique, and the bright red liquid that it can release when cut can turn people away in a heartbeat. The truth of the matter is that it’s a wonderful root vegetable, and like all root veg: it’s amazing roasted.
It’s a spring staple of mine, roasting a handful of different types of root veg, and serving them tossed with a little goat’s cheese or parmesan as a side dish for a big meal. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, and a personal favourite too. I love recipes like that: they’re simple, easy, and delicious! It’s one of the reasons I’m a big fan of one-pot meals.
Cabbage
This really is divisive veg. A huge number of us (myself included), grew up with it being boiled to death until it was plopped onto the plate as a shapeless green mush which we were forced to eat. As with all veg, it will be delicious if it’s treated right.
A personal favourite cabbage recipe of mine is an eastern European one called, simply, ‘cabbage rolls’. This dish is, essentially, cabbage that has been gently softened until it’s rollable, which is then wrapped around a filling of sausage meat (or a vegetarian alternative) and herbs.
You end up forming delicious little parcels of flavour, which can be absolutely divine if served with a little salted butter or herby tomato sauce.
If you opt for the herby tomato sauce, try to match the herbs in the sauce with the herbs in your filling: that will give the meal a continuity that pleases everyone.
Another recipe you might like is my cabbage and bacon recipe which is a perfect way to enjoy cabbage all year but especially as a side dish at Christmas.
New Potatoes
These little spuds are a hugely popular harvest in home gardens. You can plant them in January, and have a bountiful crop by mid-spring. They tend to be smaller and sweeter than other potatoes, so are often served boiled as a side dish. Personally, I’d recommend dicing them before tossing them in a spice mixture and roasting them until crispy.
If you’re looking to jazz up an old favourite, you could boil your new potatoes before adding some butter to the pot, along with some mint and parsley. Toss the potatoes and then leave them while you plate everything else. When you come back, the herbs will have wilted, and you’ll have a glorious side dish.
Spring veg is amongst the most popular in the world. So many of the varieties that are on offer during the spring harvest are smaller and sweeter than in other seasons, which means they’re perfect roasted, boiled, or steamed and served as a springtime delight.