Make the most of early season local produce

Farmers market season is officially open, yet vegetable favorites such as tomatoes, peppers and beans are still a month away. Making the most of early season crops is the best way to eat local and eat healthy.

A walk through a local market reveals the bright colors of early summer. Hot pink peonies and lavender iris fill the bouquets and luscious red strawberries and the greens of early snap peas and late spinach line the tables. It’s no mystery that these early season crops combine into tasty mains, sides and salads.

Spinach, arugula and lettuces are still available before they fade with the heat of summer. Simply combined with sliced strawberries, goat cheese, toasted slivered almonds and your favorite poppyseed dressing, these greens pack a punch in a spring salad.

Pick up a bunch of asparagus and a dozen fresh eggs and you have the makings for a quick frittata. Nothing says spring like asparagus drizzled in olive oil, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and roasted to perfection, but this vegetable is terrific in pasta and soups.

Wily farmers get a head start with herbs, and bouquets of fresh dill, parsley and basil pack a punch in salads and soups. A green goddess dressing made with fresh herbs is delicious on new potatoes or roasted asparagus.

Made with vibrant green peas, fresh basil and curly lasagna noodles, a simple spring pasta dinner looks as beautiful plated as it is tasty.

Early beets and new potatoes are making their first appearances, and when combined into a salad, they make a delicious side for a grilled chicken dinner or a meal on their own. Add the peppery punch of sliced radishes to finish the dish.

Here’s a sampling of vegetable-forward recipes from http://www.marthastewart.com.

 

 

 

Spring Pea Soup with Asparagus and Potatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced, washed well, and drained

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 carrot, finely chopped

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 piece (about 2 inches) Parmesan rind

4 ounces baby potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch rounds

1 cup shelled green peas (from 1 pound in pods), or 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces

½ bunch asparagus, tips separated, stalks cut into ½-inch pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons fresh dill, for serving

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium. Add leek, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth, 2 cups water, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until aromatic, about 10 minutes.

Add potatoes and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Add shelled peas, snap peas, and asparagus tips and stalks; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, remove Parmesan rind, and season with salt and pepper. Serve, topped with dill.

 

Green Goddess Dressing and Dip

½ cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry

¾ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

¼ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

2 scallions, white and pale-green parts separated from dark-green tops

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons lightly packed chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Crudites or crostini, for serving

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, anchovy, parsley, basil, white and pale-green parts of scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.

Finely chop scallion tops and stir into dressing along with tarragon. Season with salt and pepper and serve with crudites or crostini.

 

 

Pea-Pesto Handkerchiefs

2 tablespoons pine nuts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 ounces frozen peas

¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped

¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

12 ounces curly lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces

1 cup ricotta, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet 5 to 7 minutes; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add peas and cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Let cool slightly.

When cool enough to handle, add half of peas to a food processor with basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1 tablespoon water. Pulse until a paste forms. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Return water in pot to a boil; add pasta, a handful at a time. Cook according to package instructions, stirring frequently, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain. Return pasta to pot; toss with pesto and reserved pasta water. Divide among 4 plates; top with remaining peas and more basil leaves and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Dollop with ricotta, drizzle with oil, and serve.

 

Spaghettini With Charred Scallions and Peas

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 large bunch scallions, chopped (2 cups)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh shelled peas

8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

12 ounces spaghettini

4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated (1 cup), plus more for serving

1 teaspoon julienned lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice

Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high. Add scallions; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and beginning to char, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic, peas and asparagus. Add ¼ cup water, cover, and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook per package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain. Add pasta to skillet along with 1/2 cup pasta water and remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

Stir vigorously, adding more water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, to create a silky sauce. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, zest and juice, and more pasta water if needed. Season and serve, with more cheese and pepper.

 

Salmon, Asparagus, and Leek in Parchment

½ bunch asparagus (about 8 ounces), trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias

1 small leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced, washed well, and drained

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 skinless salmon fillets (each about 5 ounces and 1 inch thick), preferably wild

¼ cup packed fresh herbs, such as tarragon, dill, basil, or parsley, or a combination, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut four 12-by-17-inch pieces of parchment. Fold each in half crosswise to make a crease, then unfold and lay flat. Toss asparagus and leek with oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Season fish with salt and pepper. Arrange a fillet on one side of crease on each piece of parchment. Top with asparagus mixture, dividing evenly. Fold each piece of parchment over, then make small overlapping pleats to seal open sides, creating half-moon-shaped packets.

Bake on 2 rimmed baking sheets, 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to plates and carefully cut packets open with kitchen shears (steam will be released). Serve, topped with herbs and squeezed with lemon wedges.

 

 

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

2 bunches (1 ½ pounds) asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim tough ends from asparagus.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus with olive oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

 

 

Roasted Beet and Potato Borscht

2 pounds red beets, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into a medium dice

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into a medium dice

2 shallots, coarsely chopped

3 to 5 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

Sour cream, thinly sliced scallion greens, and chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet, toss together beets, potatoes, shallots, thyme, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until beets and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.

Discard thyme. Add vegetables to a medium pot along with broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook to heat through. With a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash some vegetables until soup is thick and chunky. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; top with sour cream, scallion greens, and parsley; serve.

 

 

Penne with shrimp, feta and spring vegetables

Coarse salt and ground pepper

12 ounces penne rigate (ridged)

1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 pound peeled and deveined frozen shrimp, thawed

8 ounces snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal

3 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup crumbled feta (4 ounces)

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne 5 minutes less than al dente. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes. Add shrimp and snow peas; cook 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta mixture, and return to pot.

To pasta mixture, add oil, lemon juice, garlic, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Gently mix in feta and mint; adjust to desired consistency with some pasta water as needed. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Notes: Before cooking the penne, double-check the package instructions to help you determine when to add in the rest of the ingredients.