Sitting between winter and spring, this month announces the arrival of the good weather, partly thanks to the many delicious fruit and vegetables that brighten up our dinner tables at this time of year. Let’s have a look at a few examples.
Artichokes. Artichokes are important for their antioxidant, detoxing and diuretic properties. They can be purchased from November until May, but the spring varieties are undoubtedly the most popular for both their flavour and tenderness. Thanks to their versatility, they are good for making many recipes, from starters to side dishes (check out these artichoke and potato ravioli).
Asparagus. This herbaceous perennial belongs to the Liliaceae family, the same one as garlic and onions. Asparagus is harvested from January, but is perfectly ripe in spring. Its varieties – green, white, purple and purple-red – mainly differ in their flavour, although they share many beneficial properties, most notably their antioxidant and detoxing effects.
New potatoes. Small and tender with a delicate flavour and a thin skin – which means you can eat them without having to peel them – new potatoes start to become available towards the end of the month. Compared with other varieties, they contain more water and give your body more zinc and selenium. They are good for making a great variety of dishes. For example, use them to make these delicious new potato bites with sour cream.
Puntarelle chicory. Perhaps less well-known compared with chicory, puntarelle are “Catalogna chicory” shoots. They are traditionally used in central-southern Italian cuisine but are now commonly found and enjoyed all over Italy. We recommend adding them to artichokes or oranges to make a crunchy salad.
Grapefruit. Found on winter dinner tables, grapefruit also keeps ripening in March. Just like all citrus fruits, it is rich in vitamins, so it is very useful for combating the symptoms of the common cold, which our bodies are particularly exposed to with the “crazy” weather of March. Add it to oranges and kiwis to make fresh fruit salads or thirst-quenching smoothies.
Oranges. Just like grapefruit, oranges are also considered a winter fruit that still keeps ripening when spring starts. If you are used to eating them on their own but are looking for a more original alternative, you can try making homemade orange and lemon jam.
Image by Kim Daniels from Unsplash
