Just Cook It!: Enjoy the freshness of spring
It seems that it’s finally safe to say so long to the winter season and welcome the warm and inviting weather of spring. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year, not only because it’s when baseball season starts, but because the seasonal spring food is simply wonderful.
During the winter months, we focus more on hearty root vegetables and richer foods with generally longer and more complex cooking methods.
During the spring months, we begin to once again focus on freshness and some of my favorite foods such as asparagus, papayas, limes, and peas, just to name a few.
It’s foods like these that will really have you looking forward to the spring season once you’ve tried them.
Asparagus was seen at one time as a luxury item, but today it can be easily found in most produce aisles. Asparagus can even be found throughout the entire year in most supermarkets. However, just because it can be found and purchased all throughout the year doesn’t mean that it will be at its peak flavor all throughout the year. This time of the year, the spring season, is when asparagus is in its peak season.
Asparagus has a plethora of health advantages. Asparagus is made up of 93 percent water. Asparagus is also low in calories and low in sodium. Asparagus is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, and selenium, as well as chromium. Chromium is a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into the cells.
The amino acid asparagine actually gets its name from asparagus, as the asparagus plant is relatively rich in this compound.
As with most vegetables, the less you cook asparagus the more it will preserve its vitamins, minerals, and health benefits. I personally prefer to enjoy my asparagus al dente for not only the increased health benefits, but also for the enjoyable crunch.
Asparagus can be prepared and served many different ways. Asparagus makes a fantastic hors d’oeuvre, side dish, salad garnish, or even as the star of the meal in some instances.
In my humble opinion, a lot of fresh foods, including asparagus, are best enjoyed very simply prepared. I like to allow the natural asparagus flavor to shine.
One of my favorite ways to prepare asparagus is to season it with extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, a touch of fresh squeezed lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of fresh cracked black pepper. I then take the seasoned asparagus and grill them for five to eight minutes until al dente with nice grill marks. The key is to constantly turn the asparagus as it grills so it doesn’t burn, but a little char is just fine.
Papayas and limes are really what I look forward to enjoying every spring. If you follow me on social media, you know that papaya is actually my favorite fruit. Fresh papaya has an orange-pink flesh and is sweet, but not overly sweet.
My favorite way to enjoy papaya is to peel it, remove and discard the seeds, and simply dice it into bite size pieces. I then dress the fruit with a drizzle of fresh squeezed lime juice and it is ready to thoroughly enjoy.
Peas are another vegetable that are very common and also in their peak season during the spring. Frozen peas can be purchased all year long and are a viable alternative, although fresh peas are definitely better and you understand if you’ve ever had the opportunity to try them.
A common restaurant trick is to actually combine fresh and frozen peas during this time of year when making a pea soup or something of that nature. Utilizing fresh peas allows for the flavor benefit while adding some frozen peas helps bulk up the recipe.
Frozen peas are also cheaper and usually easier to find in large quantities than their fresh counterparts. That being said, I still prefer the flavor of fresh peas over frozen when possible.
Today peas are most commonly boiled or steamed. These cooking methods break down the cell walls and make the taste sweeter and the nutrients more bioavailable.
Butter is one of peas best friends. Boiled, tossed in butter, and seasoned with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper is a simple and delicious way to enjoy peas.
Peas are also fantastic with fresh mint. Prepare them as stated above and also toss in some fresh chiffonade mint and you’ll experience a magical flavor combination.
Peas can also be enjoyed pureed as a soup, as a garnish in risotto, in pasta dishes, cooked with mushrooms to really celebrate spring, and in so many other delicious variations, too many to cover in this column alone.
Now that you are aware of a few of the delicious foods currently in their peak season, be sure to incorporate them into your meal repertoire. Start cooking seasonally today and enjoy all of the delicious foods spring has to offer. We’ll talk about more spring foods soon, but until then – Just Cook It!
Mario J. Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, author, and the host of Just Cook It on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.JustCookIt.net. Twitter: @MarioPorreca