Savouring the Season

We look forward to the change in season every year as it allows us the opportunity to buy delicious local vegetables. This writer makes a point of visiting Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market every weekend to talk with the organic growers about their produce, and to get the scoop on what’s in season.

Although we can appreciate the lower prices of vegetables as they come into season, few of us actually follow the patterns of some of our favourite foods. Lifestyle provides our guide to some of the most common grocery-list items that are at their best in spring, along with what to look for so that you can make sure you’re providing your families with the freshest, healthiest produce.

To summarize, some of the major spring crops include: asparagus, arugula, rhubarb, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, peas, beans and spinach.

Asparagus: These vitamin-rich spears are best when eaten quickly. Contrary to popular belief, the width of the stalk does not determine the vegetable’s tenderness; the time elapsed after picking is the biggest determinant. Look for bright green stalks with tightly furled heads. 

Arugula: This uniquely bitter salad ingredient is at its most flavourful in spring. It pairs well with sweeter ingredients (such as pears, berries, et cetera) to add complexity and depth to a salad.

Rhubarb: Rhubarb is the quintessential spring vegetable. Its distinctive sweet-sour blend of flavours makes it a welcome addition to sweet desserts, such as rhubarb crisp or strawberry-rhubarb pie. Look for firm, bright red stalks and remember to discard the leaves – they’re poisonous when eaten! 

Cherries: Now that they’re in season there’s no excuse not to buy big bags of delicious sweet cherries. The darker the colour, the sweeter the cherry, so look for the burgundy fruit instead of the bright reds. Stems should be green and pliable; avoid split fruit. It is best to hand-select cherries rather than picking a bag off of the shelf to ensure the best fruit. 

Raspberries & Strawberries: Easy favourites; enjoy these sweet treats with gusto now that they’re in season and are bursting with flavour without having travelled across the globe to your fridge. Look for dark strawberries with full green leaves. Be wary of the very large strawberries and raspberries as they contain the least flavour – large strawberries often have a hollow centre. 

Peas & Green Beans: Delicious peas and green beans add a burst of fresh flavour to salads, soups and meat dishes. Look for bright green pods but avoid the overly large – this does not promise a plentiful pod, but rather indicates a starchy, tough vegetable!

Spinach: Spinach is easily one of the healthiest salad ingredients that pairs beautifully with strawberries and walnuts for a fresh springtime meal. Look for fresh crispy leaves with no sign of wilt – spinach leaves are fairly delicate and will wilt quickly if left wet. 

Looking to take advantage of Toronto’s spring produce? Lifestyle shares some of our favorite spring recipes for a light lunch that is as fresh as it is beautiful. 

Cream of Asparagus Soup with a Bean Salad & Rhubarb-Berry Crisp

Asparagus Soup
As the weather warms we stop craving rich stews and look instead for bright fresh soups that highlight the new flavours of the season. This Cream of Asparagus soup is a Lifestyle favorite: rich enough to keep you full ‘til dinner, but light enough to be a refreshing springtime lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 regular onion or 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large potato, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of fresh asparagus, peeled and chopped
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cream or milk

Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the half-onion until light brown and mostly translucent.

Add the potatoes and the broth. Simmer it all together until the potato is soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork.

Add the asparagus and celery and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender, or pour batches into a blender in small doses, passing through a sieve to remove larger pieces of vegetables. Add milk or cream to desired consistency and serve with a garnish of fresh cream and chives.

Fresh Green Bean Salad
Sometimes the simplest recipes are best to showcase the season’s new flavours. Here, fresh green beans are complemented by bright flavours of lemon and olive oil. Be sure to use good-quality extra virgin olive oil for best results.

• 1 1/2-2 pounds green beans, topped and tailed
• Lemon quarters
• Olive oil
• Salt and fresh pepper to taste

Steam the green beans for 5-7 minutes until tender crisp. Plate beans with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon quarters to garnish.

Rhubarb Berry Crisp 

The smell alone is reason enough to make this flavourful dessert — and it’s healthy, too! The sweet-sour rhubarb complements the season's first crops of strawberries beautifully. Serve with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream. 

• 5 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups each of strawberries and raspberries
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup instant plain oatmeal
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut in 1/2 in./1 cm cubes
• 1/3 cup honey

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

Combine berries, rhubarb, honey, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl. Mix well so that the honey coats fruit evenly, being careful not to crush the delicate raspberries. Pour into a casserole dish.

To make your topping, combine the flour and oatmeal in another bowl. Add butter and honey into the mixture and crumble with your hands until soft pebbles form. (A food processor can also be used.)

Sprinkle topping evenly over the fruit. Note that double the topping can be made to enjoy this dish with a crumbly base.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until fruit has softened and the topping is crisp and golden. •