The Spring Kitchen: Cooking with Seasonal Vegetables and Fruit

Thanks to an early burst of spring at the market, I have been thinking about the seasonal produce soon to make its way to our tables.  The dish that made its way to mine, sesame asparagus with roasted plums, was so vibrant that I was told it looked like roses and stems.  With its green spears and crimson pieces of fruit, it likely will return for spring gatherings and holidays. Certainly the flavor of toasty sesame and the tangy sweetness of roasted plums is something I look forward to sharing again.

As bits of spring soon will surface everywhere, here are some tips on how to make use of the season’s finest in ways that are as beautiful as they are delicious.

Make Dishes with Beautiful Colors

The deep tones of the plums that inspired my weeknight side dish, and the promise of the gorgeous red ones they would develop in the oven, assured me that they would be the right accompaniment to the bundle of asparagus in my hand both in terms of flavor and color.  Plating dishes beautifully and thinking about their finished appearance can help you to create a bit of weeknight magic. When it comes to holidays like upcoming Easter and Mother’s Day, we think about flower arrangements and decor, but I always consider the food itself to be a key element of a beautiful table.

Be Prepared to Improvise

As we shift toward spring, improvisation is key to plant-forward meals that shake up your week and your palate in a good way.  Even when I teach meal planning classes, I share tips for a bit of planned improvisation by sharing recipes in which the fruit and vegetables easily can be adjusted according to what looks best at the market.  Swapping the produce in a recipe or using an ingredient in a different way helps you to become a more versatile cook and appreciate your own inventiveness.  Take, for example, seasonal desserts. If the plums you were planning to roast are a bit soft or tart, they become a delicious cobbler. A well-stocked pantry of baking staples such as old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, and the like make this a quick last-minute switch.

Bring Home Fresh Ingredients with Complementary Flavors

Firmly rooted in February, I was not anticipating taking home some plums for a side dish the other day, but they had the perfect ripe firmness to withstand roasting and a promise of tangy sweetness to complement my sesame asparagus.  If you think about your favorite salads, they may include flavor combinations that work in similar ways. Experiment with vegetable and fruit pairings that bring out the best qualities in each.

Anticipate Tender Greens

Depending on the area in which you live, the first bits of local spring produce you may find include arugula, pea shoots, sprouts, and microgreens versus the local berries and other fruit you might be craving.  Certainly incorporate any ingredients you feel like enjoying at the moment, but for a decidedly spring-like feel, find ways to incorporate these tender greens in your cooking. Their delicate tendrils and ribbons are the first signs of the season.

Craft a Versatile House Dressing

Whether I’m making a simple chopped salad or dressing a batch of roasted vegetables, I make a sherry vinaigrette that goes well with it all, plus or minus a few touches.  You will notice variations of it in some of my recipes, but the basics – extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar (preferably aged), and a touch of honey plus salt and freshly cracked black pepper – are my house dressing.  From there, I can take the flavors just about anywhere I need. Once you have a versatile salad dressing recipe, you’re prepared to enjoy spring’s finest in a quick and easy way that highlights the flavor of fresh spring ingredients.

For even more tips, see how I welcome spring into the kitchen.