Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY DEBRA J. MORRIS
After a winter of dense stews and carb-heavy recipes, it’s time to lighten up your meals with fresh and delicious spring greens and baby vegetables. You’ll find spring lettuce and baby spinach, fat spring leeks, fragrant spring garlic and green onions, big stalks of asparagus, and the new spring crop of artichokes. Toward the end of the month into April you’ll discover the arrival of sweet green peas, flavorful fava beans, and tasty spring herbs.
March also brings some unusual spring greens to try. Find these delicious but unusual greens at the farmers market because you will seldom find them anywhere else. Enjoy something different this spring in salads, soups, pastas, eggs, and casseroles.
• Amaranth leaves: Also called pigweed. Grown and harvested in the summer months. We’re talking about the leaves, not the grain amaranth. The leaves taste a bit like spinach. Best when simply sautéed, but good in salads, soups, and casseroles or with eggs.
• Green garlic or spring garlic: Best in the early spring. This type of garlic does not produce the large bulbs like regular garlic. It has a mild garlic flavor. The entire plant, from greens to bulb, can be consumed. Use as you would any garlic with added greens.
• Spring onions: Good throughout the spring months. Compared to green onions, they have a small, round, white bulb at its base. They have a slightly stronger flavor than scallions. Use as flavor for any dish for moderate onion flavor.
• Yam (sweet potato) leaves: Grown year-round, but good in spring. Brightly colored green with heart shaped leaves, they taste similar to spinach and can be eaten raw or cooked. Try in soups, salads, or sandwiches.
• Pea greens or shoots: Available throughout the spring months. Young pea vines or shoots and leaves that are tender and mild with an herbal flavor. They typically come from snow or snap peas. Add raw pea greens to salads, sandwiches, bowls, pasta, and soups for crunch and textural variety.
• Ramps: Early spring is best for these. They are a species of wild onion and have a flavor similar to garlic and onions. They look like scallions but have broad leaves and a purplish stem. Use in any recipes calling for onions or garlic. Both bulb and greens can be eaten.
• Mustard greens: These grow year-round. This peppery and spicy green has ruffled small leaves and can be used in a variety of ways, from salads to soups. They’re used in both traditional Southern dishes as well as Asian recipes.
• Mâche: Good in late winter to early spring. Also called Lamb’s Lettuce, this tender salad green grows in bunches and has small, delicate leaves. They have a nutty taste and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked, steamed or sautéed and served as a vegetable.
Lighten up your meals this spring and add some exciting new tastes to your recipes! They’re full of healthy nutrients, offer interesting textures, and fill your plate with flavor! Find them at your local farmers market!
