Seven Spring Fruits and Vegetables and Their Delicious Cooking Methods

After the dull and heavy vegetables of winter, the fruits and vegetables of spring undoubtedly bring a refreshing touch to our dining tables. Although winter citrus fruits are delightful, the delicious and healthy foods available at spring farmers' markets, farm stalls, or in our own gardens can rival those of summer. When the harvest season finally arrives each year, we always feel a sense of relief and joy. Here are seven popular spring fruits and vegetables, along with their delicious cooking methods.

Strawberries

Strawberry Chicken: The sweetness of strawberries combined with the deliciousness of chicken creates a unique dish. Although strawberries are often used to make desserts, mixing them into salads or pairing them with other ingredients can also showcase their unique flavor. For example, a strawberry chicken salad with mustard, red wine vinegar, raisins, and scallions offers a rich flavor profile.

Radishes

Raw and Roasted: Radishes are particularly fresh in spring, with a crisp texture that tastes delicious when eaten raw, especially with butter and sea salt. Additionally, roasted radishes are a popular cooking method that enhances their sweetness with butter and lemon juice. Avocado and watermelon radish salad is a colorful and refreshing dish.

New Potatoes

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with New Potatoes: New potatoes have a crispy texture and thin skin, making them ideal for boiling, steaming, or roasting. Pairing them with roasted pork tenderloin is both delicious and healthy. These tubers are the freshest in spring because they haven't yet converted their sugars into starches.

Lettuce

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Lettuce is also fresh and delicious in spring, making it perfect for salads, spring rolls, or pairing with other ingredients. Thai chicken lettuce wraps are an exotic dish that wraps lettuce with ingredients like bacon and chicken for a rich flavor experience.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb Pandowdy: Rhubarb shines in spring markets, standing as a food that can be enjoyed as both a fruit and a vegetable. Rhubarb mustard spread on pork chops or made into preserves to pair with duck breast can showcase its unique flavor.

Peas

Peas with Basil and Pecorino Cheese: Spring peas are tender and delicious, whether sweet peas, garden peas, or English peas. Adding basil and Pecorino cheese when stir-frying peas adds a rich creamy flavor. Additionally, peas can be paired with cheese, cream, pasta, and other ingredients to create even more delicious dishes.

Asparagus

Asparagus and Burrata Cheese Puff Pastry Tart: Asparagus reaches its peak in flavor and texture when it's in season in spring. Asparagus can be steamed, roasted, grilled, or mixed into risotto. The Asparagus and Burrata Cheese Puff Pastry Tart is a creative and delicious dish that combines asparagus with burrata cheese and puff pastry for a rich and unforgettable flavor experience.

In spring, these fruits and vegetables not only provide us with abundant nutrition and delicious flavors but also allow us to feel the generosity of nature and the beauty of life through cooking and tasting.