Spring has Sprung

Now that we can see the cold winter is finally behind us, it is time to start looking forward to the bountiful harvest that will be before us. What do you have to look forward to? Well, just take a look at these choices.

Apricots come into season towards the end of spring in the warmer areas where they grow.

Artichokes have a second crop in the fall, but the main harvest takes place in the spring when the largest thistles are available. Look for artichokes with tight, compact leaves and fresh-cut stem ends.

Arugula (a.k.a. rocket) is a cool-weather crop. Long days and warm weather make it bolt, or flower, and bring an unpleasantly bitter flavor to the leaves. Wild arugula is foraged in spring and again the fall. Cultivated arugula is grown year-round, thanks to coastal, temperate growing areas and winter greenhouses.

Asparagus is harvested from March through June, depending on your region. Note that thickness in no way indicates tenderness, which is related to how the plant is grown and how soon it is eaten after harvest rather than spear size.

Beets are in season in temperate climates fall through spring and available from storage most of the year everywhere else. Fresh beets are often sold with their greens still attached.

Cardoons taste a lot like artichokes; look for firm, heavy-feeling specimens.

Carrots are harvested year-round in temperate areas. True baby carrots - not the milled down versions of regular carrots sold as "baby carrots" at grocery stores - are available in spring and early summer.

Chard and other greens grows year-round in temperate areas, is best harvested in late summer or early fall in colder areas, and fall through spring in warmer regions. Like all cooking greens, chard turns bitter when it gets too hot.

Cherries are ready to harvest at the end of spring in warmer areas. Sweet cherries, including the popular Bing and Rainier varieties, are available from May to August. Sour cherries have a much shorter season, and can be found for a week or two, usually during the middle of June in warmer areas and as late as July and August in colder regions.

Fava beans are a Mediterranean favorite available in the U.S. from early spring through summer.

Fennel has a natural season from fall through early spring.

Fiddleheads are available in early spring through early summer depending on the region; these young wild ferns are foraged. The fiddleheads of certain ferns are eaten as a cooked leaf vegetable; they must be cooked first to remove shikimic acid.

Garlic scapes/green garlic are both available in spring and early summer. Green garlic is immature garlic and looks like a slightly overgrown scallion. Garlic scapes are the curled flower stalks of hardnecked garlic varieties grown in colder climates.

Grapefruit from California, Texas, Florida, and Arizona comes into season in January and stays sweet and juicy into early summer.

Green onions/Scallions are cultivated year-round in temperate climates and come into harvest in the spring in warmer areas.

Kiwis grow on vines and are harvested winter through springing warmer and temperate areas.

Kohlrabi is harvested in the fall in cooler areas, and through early spring in more temperate areas.

Kumquats are still available in very early spring.

Leeks more than about 1 1/2 inches wide tend to have tough inner cores. The top green leaves should look fresh - avoid leeks with wilted tops.

Lemons are at their juicy best from winter into early summer.

Lettuce starts coming into season in cooler climates (it grows through the winter in temperate and warmer areas).

Mint starts thriving in the spring.

Morels are foraged in the wild in the spring. Look for firm specimens at specialty markets and foragers' stalls at farmers markets.

Nettles are sold at markets by foragers and farmers, but most people get theirs the old-fashioned way: foraging them themselves. If you're lucky they're growing as "weeds" in your garden.

Navel oranges hit the end of their season in the spring.

Pea greens are sold in big tumbled masses in spring and early summer. Look for bright vines with fresh, vibrant looking leaves. Avoid vines with brown or mushy ends or damaged leaves.
Peas (garden, snap, snow, etc.) come into season in the spring and continue in most areas well into summer.

Radishes are at their sweet, crunchy best in the spring.

Rhubarb is the first fruit of spring in many areas - look for heavy stalks with shiny skin.

Spinach season varies with your climate - year-round in temperate areas, summer and fall in cooler areas, fall through spring in warmers regions.

Spring onions are simply regular onions that farmers pull from the field to thin the rows in spring and early summer.

Strawberries are mostly grown in California or Florida, where the strawberry growing season runs from January through November. Peak season is April through June. Other areas of the country have shorter growing seasons that range from five-months to as short as a few weeks in the coldest areas.

Sweet Onions have slightly different seasons, but in general they are available in spring and summer.

Turnips have a sharp but bright and sweet flavor. Look for turnips that feel heavy for their size.


Try this pressure-cooker recipe at harvest time:

Spring Vegetable Risotto
Vegetarian Times Issue: April 1, 2009 p.71

This fast, no-stir risotto has all the creamy goodness of its traditional counterpart. A pressure cooker slashes the cooking time to just 15 minutes (compared with the 45 minutes it usually takes to make risotto). Try this technique with other risotto recipes as well.


Ingredient List
Serves 6

• 2 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 small fennel bulbs, chopped (2 cups)
• 8 green onions, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 small leek, white and light green parts chopped (1 cup)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced (5 tsp.)
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup chopped fresh mixed herbs, such as dill, tarragon, and basil, divided
• 4 oz. aged goat cheese, grated (1 cup)

Directions

1. Heat oil in pressure cooker over medium heat. Add fennel and green onions, and sauté 6 minutes, or until softened and beginning to brown. Transfer half of fennel mixture to small bowl; cover and keep warm.

2. Add leek, garlic, and rice to remaining fennel mixture, stirring well to coat ingredients with oil. Stir in broth, and bring mixture to a boil.

3. Lock pressure cooker lid in place. Increase heat to high, and bring to high pressure. Lower heat just enough to maintain high pressure, and cook 5 minutes.

4. Reduce pressure with quick-release method, or according to equipment instructions. Gently remove lid, taking care to avoid escaping steam. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

5. Divide risotto among 6 bowls. Top each serving with reserved fennel mixture, remaining herbs, and goat cheese.

Nutritional Information

Per : Calories: 219, Protein: 8g, Total fat: 9g, Saturated fat: 5g, Carbs: 26g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 360mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 3g