Spring has officially sprung, and continuing with last month’s theme we’ve got another round-up of some of the freshest seasonal veggies available in the month of April (including some example recipes).
Rhubarb
Rhubarb and custard, anyone? This wonderful and slightly confusing vegetable (yes, it’s technically a vegetable) makes for such a diverse ingredient in your kitchen. It pairs well with both sweet and savoury dishes, so can be used in all sorts of dishes. There are two types of rhubarb: Forced and maincrop. Forced rhubarb is what you find earlier in the year, from January to early February; maincrop is what comes later — from late March to June.
Recipe ideas: apple and rhubarb crumble (replace the flour for gluten free), poached rhubarb, rhubarb and lentil curry.
Radish
This peppery root vegetable is arguably at its best when thinly sliced and added to salads. But the humble radish has much more up its sleeve than that, and now that it’s coming into season it’s a great time to get experimenting!
Recipe ideas: roasted radishes, pickled radish, simple radish salad.
Spring greens
It’s all in the name… now’s a great time to grab the first spring greens of the season and start making some fresh salads. Who knows, weather-permitting, you might even be able to eat in the garden!
Recipe idea: spring greens with lemon dressing.
Spring onions
Another obvious one. Quiet and understated, spring onions often don’t get the credit they deserve. And though they may not feature as the centrepiece of many dishes, they‘re a staple ingredient in so many fantastic meals — from stir-fries to soups.
Recipe ideas: spring onion fritters (replace flour for gluten free), quick green pasta (replace pasta for gluten free), roasted aubergine laksa.
Jersey Royal New Potatoes
There are many types of new potatoes, but (at least for us) the Jersey Royal is a particularly special and tasty variety. They’re soon coming into peak season, so now’s the perfect moment to purchase a bag!
Recipe idea: Rosemary Roasted Jersey Royals by Jamie Oliver. In fact, just head over to the Jersey Royals website – they’ve got more recipes than you can shake a potato at…
Watercress
Did you know that, gram for gram, watercress contains more folate than a banana and more Vitamin C than an orange? It’s also a good source of iron. Oh, and it’s tasty.
Recipe ideas: Watercress, Mango, & Pineapple Smoothie.
Spinach
Spinach is a wonderful green. It’s incredibly versatile and can be prepared in so many different ways.
Recipe ideas: Jamie Oliver’s Ultimate Mushroom Risotto, Spinach, feta, and pine nut salad.
Eating seasonal
For more information on seasonal eating, you can take a look at these fantastic resources: Eat The Seasons (a wonderfully simple website with week-to-week updates on what’s in season in the uk), and Eat Seasonably (another simple and informative resource, featuring a brilliant seasonal food wheel).