Spring. It brings a joyful, “fresh start” feeling, bright blossoms, and a welcome change of pace in the kitchen as we turn from winter’s comfort foods to the versatility of nutrient-rich fresh vegetables.
Starting in late February, look for Jerusalem artichokes. These sweet tubers, also called “sunchokes,” look like a cross between a potato and a ginger root, and offer a nutty depth of flavor without the starchiness. You can fry, mash, or puree them into a smooth, nutty-sweet spring soup.
We love the color and peppery punch of radishes. Eat them raw and thinly sliced for maximum crunch, stuff them into sandwiches, or cook heartier varietals with other root vegetables, such as turnips, carrots, beets, and parsnips.
Warmer sunshine in April and May brings tender, flavorful mesclun lettuce — a sublime addition to salads and smoothies — and hearty, sweet spinach, which can find a home in everything from pasta dishes to brunch frittatas and sauces. And fiber-rich green and white asparagus can be enjoyed raw, roasted, or pureed.
For maximum flavor, texture, and sustainability, choose these and other spring vegetables from regenerative farmers — those whose farming practices protect the soil. Most vegetables sold by Harry & David are sourced from The Chef’s Garden, a family-owned regenerative farm located in Huron, Ohio, along the shores of Lake Erie, and led by Farmer Lee Jones. Generations of Jones’ family have farmed the land for decades, and, for the past 40 years, have provided top-quality products to the world’s finest chefs and restaurants around the globe.
Harry & David partners with The Chef’s Garden to offer traditional and exotic vegetables, available through its Veggie of the Month Club. Should you prefer a vegetable assortment, try the Classic Farm or Gourmet Vegetable box.
Here are seven spring vegetable recipes we love that will bring freshness and joy to your kitchen all season long.
Fresh juices and cocktails
The Chef's Garden's regenerative farming methods produce the healthiest soil, which results in its vegetables containing as much as 500% more mineral content than the USDA average. The Chef's Garden Juicing box features six to eight pounds of leafy microgreens and root vegetables for making incredible-tasting, vitamin-rich fresh juices.
Use juices as a base for celebratory cocktails, too: Think a carrot and ginger cocktail for Easter brunch!
Veggie and Bacon Frittata
A cheesy egg frittata is the perfect vehicle for folding in peak-of-season cooked spring vegetables, such as sugar snap peas, spinach, and asparagus. Create a vegetarian version culling a mélange of veggies for your next brunch spread, or go all carnivore and add bits of bacon for a salty punch of porky fat.
Spring Salad with Eatable Flowers
Tender herbs, lettuces, crisp-tender asparagus, sweet green peas, and eatable flowers emulate the beauty of spring in this texturally satisfying and refreshing salad. A zesty mustard and honey dressing gives it the right balance of sweet and acidity to tie it together.
Jerusalem Artichoke and Pear Soup
Lighten up this fall soup recipe by swapping sugar pumpkin and pumpkin butter for the nutty sweetness of diced Jerusalem artichokes paired with now-in-season Royal Verano Pears. Instead of peeling the artichokes, scrub them and gently remove any soil residue with a knife (their flesh will oxidize once it's exposed to air).
Roasted Vegetables with Homemade Yogurt Dip
Lightly season, then spread baby vegetables across a sheet pan and roast at 400° F to bring out their natural sweetness. Select a Baby Vegetable Crate filled with a five-pound assortment of the season's prime picks.
Pro-tip: Separate the vegetables into two groups — those that take longer to cook and those that cook quickly. Larger, firmer vegetables, such as root vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes), take longer to roast than smaller, softer vegetables (zucchini). Serve them with a zesty, herb-filled yogurt dip.
Bourbon Pepper Steak Salad
Create chef Antonia Lofaso's stunning steak salad by searing, slicing, and surrounding Bourbon-peppercorn marinated steaks with a bounty of fresh, versatile spring vegetables. Pick from an assortment of artichokes, radishes, kohlrabi, cauliflower, French-style green beans, and beets to make a stellar presentation that is easy enough to prepare for a weeknight dinner and beautiful enough to be celebration worthy.
Honey Balsamic Chicken with Baby Vegetables
Honey-balsamic glazed chicken is a showstopper dish to pair with your favorite spring vegetables, including roasted asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower. We love to serve it for the season's celebratory milestones — Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, the start of graduation season — as well as birthday gatherings, since it can feed a crowd.