I do love all of our seasonal vegetables and the roots do hold a special place in my heart for their longlasting, practical nature, loyally keeping us fed through the (usually) long Vermont winters. That said, I always look forward to this moment that comes every year between late March and early April when the salad and cooking greens explode.
What had been a lovely, but limited treat all winter long, a small accent to meals dominated by roots & storage veggies steps into center stage. The harvest goes from one small bin to bins and bins and bins filling the walk-in. Spinach and supple salad greens that have been on the slow boat, planted last fall, growing slowly and incrementally, and just holding on all winter are overwhelmed by all of this sunlight and warmth and grow at gangbuster pace and even start to think it is time to flower such that we have to stop that course and harvest heavy.
It becomes nearly a mandate to eat lots of fresh greens, which is no hardship. Like with all things seasonal, this moment will too pass and the mountain of spinach will become smaller as the days heat up. But for now, it becomes the beautiful moment of bright green in so many meals. No longer do the greens need to be reserved for salads only to stretch them, they can be anything!
Some of our favorite ways to enjoy this early spring bounty, in addition to the Turkey & Spinach Curry below!
from AcupofJo.com
Pasta with Spring Greens. Joanna Goddard talks about this transition to greens and has a great recipe on her blog, A Cup of Jo
Mac and Cheese with Squash and Greens…cozy, comfort food!
Photo by EggsonSunday
Spinach & Ham Pie – giving you a chance to work on your pastry skills!
Spinach & Gruyère Soufflé – Yum!
Goat Stew for these days that are still a bit crisp
And of course, just the simple saute. Heating a bit of tasty farm fat (chicken schmaltz from roasting chicken or sausage or bacon fat and lard if none of that exists), sauteing a bunch of garlic in the fat and then dumping in a load of spinach, covering, stirring a few times and then onto the plate.
photo from food.com