Cooking With Spring Vegetables

Paella is a rice-based dish makes a statement visually, nutritionally and texturally. — Photo by StockFood/Getty Images

It’s been an interesting winter in much of the country. But despite the odd weather,  early spring is beginning to deliver its bounty with an array of rich, earthy produce. A trip to your local farmer’s market this time of year will prove bountiful and refreshing.

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Kohlrabi
This little guy may strike you as a quirky vegetable if you’ve never seen one before. Also referred to as a cabbage turnip, kohlrabi usually comes in shades of white or deep purple. Kohlrabi is rich in potassium and vitamin C, and it tastes like a sweet, mild turnip. It can be eaten raw or prepared, and we’ve got you covered for a couple of good recipes.

Very Green Salad with Cucumber, Kohlrabi, Sweet Onion and Herb Vinaigrette by Tal Ronnen: This salad is guaranteed to put your taste buds into spring mode. The herb vinaigrette capitalizes on flavors of the Italian garden. It highly complements spring notes of romaine, kohlrabi and English cucumber, leaving diners satisfied.

Dairy Hollow House Kohlrabi Pudding by Crescent Dragonwagon: If you’re throwing a dinner party with fairly adventurous guests, serving this will have them guessing the ingredient list. Pureed kohlrabi is combined with ingredients such as cream cheese and nutmeg to make a baked pudding.

Morel Mushrooms
These mushrooms are prized by chefs and culinary fanatics alike for their smoky, earthy flavor, and their hollowed caps make them great for stuffing. Morels are cone-shaped, honeycombed wild mushrooms, and usually need little embellishment because of their savory taste.

Wild Mushroom Soup by Christopher Idone: This soup accentuates the rich flavor of the morel mushroom. This simple recipe allows the pure flavor of the mushrooms to lace every spoonful.

Magic Mushroom Medley Pizza by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer: This pizza is the be-all end-all for mushroom lovers. Complex flavors are coaxed out by the addition of cognac and Camembert, assuring that this is not your average pie.

Artichokes
There are a few unrelated plants that go by the name of artichoke (Jerusalem artichoke, Chinese artichoke, Japanese artichoke), but the one you’re probably familiar with is the globe artichoke. Artichokes are not plants themselves, but actually the bud of a larger plant from the thistle family. Artichokes are fairly versatile because the leaves, as well as the hearts and bottoms, can be eaten.

Next: Cooking with asparagus and rhubarb. »