Spring has finally sprung here in the Midwest, and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go spend my life’s savings at the farmers’ market. By this point in the growing season, I’m desperate for anything that came out of the ground within 25 miles, and my body is craving all of the vegetables and fruits soon to be piled onto folding tables at farmers’ markets around the city.
As a recipe developer, one of the most frequent questions I get is how to make the best of seasonal produce when it’s around. My answer is always to arm yourself with new cooking techniques that meet the moment (many of which you can learn at the wonderful classes taught at The Chopping Block!).
Here’s a list of my favorite cooking techniques to use as spring turns to summer to celebrate the fresh, beautiful produce of the Midwest.
1. Blanching
Blanching may sound like something your grandma used to do to her hair, but I promise, it’s hip as ever. This quick method of cooking involves boiling vegetables or greens quickly in water, then immediately stopping their cooking process by immersing them into ice water.
I use this technique all the time in the spring because it’s my favorite way to preserve the texture and color of the delicate flavors of spring, like asparagus, fresh peas, and fava beans. My favorite seasonal blanch? Ramps for ramp butter!
2. Grilling
Okay, okay. This isn’t a new technique by any means, but I firmly believe that it takes a few weeks for Midwesterners to remember that their grills work just as well on vegetables as they do on meats. Warmer, longer days makes standing over the grill outside, beverage in hand, much more appealing, so don’t be afraid to grill even on the nights you’re going meatless! Grilling is a great way to add a smoky flavor to tender spring vegetables that you might otherwise roast in the oven. Plus, on those unpredictable Chicago spring days, you won’t warm up the house!
3. Quick Pickling
Quick pickling is my jam in the summer. I wasn’t born a patient person, so this fast, easy way to preserve vegetables in a simple brine speaks to me. Unlike traditional pickling, there's no need for a complicated canning routine or weeks for fermentation. I’ve even been known to make a batch of quick pickles for dinner just an hour before we sit down! It’s a great way to enjoy the fresh taste of spring produce like spring onions, radishes, asparagus, and ramp bulbs without a huge time commitment or fuss.
4. Poaching
Again, you might be thinking that this sounds like the way your grandma used to cook. But let me tell you - she was on to something! I think poached chicken and fish (the kind of lighter proteins I crave this time of year to fuel all of my spring bike rides!) get a bad rap for being boring, but the truth is, poaching is a great way to infuse fresh flavors into your dinner. My advice? Start with low hanging fruit and infuse your poaching liquid with fresh dill, chives, and spring onions to see just how big of a bang these seasonal herbs can make! Always save a bit for a garnish at the end, too.
5. Baking
Baking? In the spring? With herbs? Yep, I said what I said! This might not be top of mind with the warmer weather, but one of my favorite ways to celebrate spring flavors are with fresh herbs baked into my favorite treats. Whether savory scones infused with spicy ramps or delicate strawberry shortcakes studded with fresh basil and topped with a mint leaf, there’s no better way to freshen up your traditional bakes than with spring herbs.
One hack I have for you (which works for cooking in general, not just baking) is to preserve these seasonal flavors for as long as you can by making compound butters for baking later in the season. Just blanch your herbs (see #1 on this list), drain them thoroughly, pat them dry, chop them up, and add them to whipped butter. These compound butters freeze beautifully well and can be used all year long to celebrate those spring flavors in bakes no matter what time of year.
Grilling classes kick off this month! We recommend starting the season armed with all of the necessary grilling know-how to get you through summer with our popular Grilling Boot Camp. It's our most intensive grilling class, and you will get a solid foundation of techniques so you can eat well on the grill all season!
