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Springtime Recipes | How To Make The Most Of Seasonal Fruit & Veg
As the nights brighten and weather warms, springtime brings with it a whole new palette of flavours. While supermarkets may have made seasonal eating seem like a foreign concept with a whole host of fruits and veg shipped in year-round, eating with the seasons is a beautiful way to get the best flavours and introduce new tastes to your calendar. The perfect accompaniment to days in the garden or picnics in the park, seasonal springtime fruit and vegetables are the best of the bunch. Here are some springtime recipes to help you make the most of seasonal fruits & veg.
#1 Citrus Fizz
You might associate them with summer, but citrus fruits are actually at their best in March and April. Perfect for blowing away the winter cobwebs, this start citrus mix is perfect for adding to prosecco or gin to create a custom cocktail or add some extra fruit juice for a punchy morning soothing.
- Grapefruit segments
- Orange segments – Valencia oranges are at their best in May, but tangerines will also be delicious and easy to juice.
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Using a blender, put all the ingredients in and blitz it up.
- Make it your own. If you want it sweeter, add more orange juice. Or if you like yours sharper, and add a splash of lemon juice for refreshing flavour.
- We like adding ours into a glass jar with gin and topped with tonic.
#2 Rhubarb & Custard Ice Cream
A classic flavour combo that tastes even better in springtime. Perfect for rounding off an alfresco dinner, or even freeze it into ice lollies for a sunny afternoon snack.
Ingredients
For the ice-cream:
- 300ml Semi Skimmed Milk
- 175g Golden Caster Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- 5 Egg Yolks
- 425ml Double Cream
For the rhubarb:
- 400g Fresh Rhubarb
- 1 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
Method
- Add the milk, 50g of sugar and vanilla extract to a pan and bring it to the boil while mixing to combine then set to the side.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the remaining caster sugar.
- Combine the milk mixture with the whisked eggs slowly, whisk it all together the put the mixture back onto the hob on a low heat to thicken.
- Once its thickened, put to the side to cool down to room temp before putting it in the fridge.
- As the custard ice cream cools, wash and chop the fresh rhubarb to add into a pan with sugar and water.
- Bring it to the boil then put the pan lid on to let the rhubarb steam and soften. Once that’s done, blend the mixture until smooth or as lumpy as you like it.
- To make the ice cream, pour the custard mixture into your ice cream machine and let it churn until really thick.
- Pour half the mixture into a tub and swirl in half of the rhubarb, then pour in the other half and repeat before placing it into the freezer.
- Let it freeze, then enjoy! Why not have it with some cake or topped with some granola?
#3 Hot Artichoke Dip
Full of fresh and delicious flavour, perfect as part of a charcuterie board or nachos, artichoke dip is an easy way to enjoy the vegetable at its best. Paired with thick cut crusty bread, get big herby flavour in no time.
- 1 tin of artichoke hearts (or steam your own if you have the patience)
- 2 gloves of garlic
- 113g mayonnaise
- 113g parmesan
- Mix together all the ingredients, using a fork to mash the artichoke to your desired thickness.
- Transfer it all into an overproof dish and bake for around 15 minutes.
- For toppings you can customise it, why not add some more cheese or some jalapenos for a kick.
