Reasons To Get Excited For Spring Cooking
When springtime rolls around after yet another winter (how is it they keep coming?), people celebrate the longer days, the green buds at the end of every tree branch, and the daffodils harkening the good months to come. But real cooks know that spring is about so much more than enjoying nature. It’s about the glory of spring produce filling the market stands. We’re talking stalks of asparagus, bunches of blush-pink radishes, ombre rhubarb, and peppery ramps. Spring cooking means getting out to the grill more in the warmer weather and longer evenings and shorter cooking times overall, since much of spring produce is best with just a quick sauté or blanch. Here are some ideas for making the most of spring cooking:
Get your pantry ready
Perhaps the best way to get excited about spring cooking is to clean your pantry out after the fall and winter. Halloween candy still lingering in the back corner? Time to toss it. Are there ingredients way past their sell by date? They’re history, too. It’s worth making a list of staples you’ll want to have on hand for your favorite spring dishes to make cooking off-the-cuff that much easier. Feeling inspired? Check out our other tips for resetting your pantry here. As part of your spring cleaning extravaganza, consider investing in some tools to make washing the dishes easier, too.
Celebrate the spring equinox with kuku sabzi
In Persian culture, the transition from winter to spring is celebrated with kuku sabzi, an egg-based dish that’s similar to a frittata, but stuffed with an abundance of herbs. Zoya Biglary’s version of kuku sabzi uses a cup each of chopped parsley and cilantro. Serve kuku sabzi with lavash bread, labneh, and pickled red onions, and pomegranate seeds. (Leftovers make a great sandwich, too. Layer leftover kuku sabzi between slices on sourdough bread for an epic sandwich.)
Lean on tender herbs
In spring, herbs like mint, parsley, cilantro, and dill are returning with abundance. Not only do they offer complexity of flavor to your morning scrambled eggs or weeknight pasta, herbs pack in antioxidants and offer a refreshing pop of color. Avoid bruising your herbs by making sure your knives are sharp (and brush up on your knife skills if you need them). Zoya Biglary suggests using herbs with abundance, adding them in places you might not expect, from stews to pasta to salads, or any time you want a pop of bright, bracing flavors.
Highlight spring produce in easy pasta dishes
The beauty of pasta is that it’s easily adaptable to what you have on hand. When you’ve got a glut of beautiful spring peas or tender asparagus stalks, swap them in for vegetables in other pasta recipes like this vegetable pasta with broccoli, one pot ricotta pasta, or fettuccine alfredo. Watercress, sorrel, and ramps can stand in for the greens in a traditional pesto recipe, perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta. The point is: spring veg tastes great alongside creamy pasta dishes and because they cook quickly, can be added to most recipes without too much adjustment.
Get out to the grill
Beyond just offering a nice way to get out of the house after a long winter, the grill is a great way to make quick and easy spring dinners. Settle on a protein—steak, fish, chicken, tofu—to grill alongside your favorite spring veggies. For small veg, grab your HexClad BBQ Grill Pan. Its perforations will allow the smoke through while preventing anything from falling through the grates. And, since BBQ season is starting anew, it’s worth making sure you’re stocked with all the essential grilling tools, too.
Easter dinner is just around the corner
If you celebrate Easter, this meal can be an exciting opportunity to showcase spring ingredients. Pair your baked ham or roasted lamb with dishes that highlight spring’s bounty, like sautéed asparagus, minted pea salad, and candied carrots. For dessert, opt for a rhubarb upside-down cake or a strawberry shortcake (if first-of-the-year strawberries are already in season where you live).
