Spring Time in the Kitchen

Nope, sorry. Walmart didn't recall more than 7 tons of bananas due to "parasitic worms." (Ian Waldie/Getty Images)

Say goodbye to winter. Spring is in! A gorgeous time of year when fresh flowers emerge, bringing a bright burst of colour in previously bare gardens and filling the air with heavenly floral scents.

With a brand new cooking revolution taking place after the incredibly popular Masterchef, everyone is creating their very own culinary delights. The first lesson from all the best chefs and cooks is to use local seasonal produce.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables are more nutritious and have superior flavour when they are grown locally, rather than being picked early and stored in refrigeration for months.

If you are a regular shopper at supermarkets, bear in mind that, due to the freezing of fresh produce, most fruits and vegetables will be on shelves all year round. Keep an eye out for produce that is available in abundance and priced well, as it will indicate what is actually in season at the moment. Picking up fruit and veggies from your local farmers markets will give the best indication of what is truly in season.

Vegetables

Spring specific vegetables will include baby vegetables, carrots, peas and radishes. Lots of deep green spinach and silverbeet will be appearing alongside fennel, leek, asparagus and artichokes. Load up with fresh beans and peas of all varieties—sugar-snap peas, baby peas, snow peas, broad beans—a great time of year for a bean salad. Add spinach and sweetcorn to the list for your spring essentials. You will also notice spring onions, bok choy and other Asian greens looking fresher than ever.

Spring is an amazing time for bunches of fresh herbs, which are a sublime addition to all meals. Throw some freshly chopped mint in a fruit salad and hand torn parsley will add fat free flavour and colour to your pasta dishes.

Fruit

One fruit that definitely lets us know that spring is in is the delicious strawberry. Having started to make a comeback at the end of winter, by spring they are in full swing and available at a super low price. Although available all year, citrus will really come to life in spring, as will pineapples and papaya, early season mangoes will also make there first appearance. It really is a luscious time of year for the taste buds!

After 30 years cooking experience, travelling Europe, Africa and Asia, French Chef Jerome Calvar who now resides in Brisbane, Australia, teaches online cooking classes. He says the greatest lesson he has learnt over the years is, simple is always best. He also loves cooking in spring.

“Spring to me inspires renewal, rebirth, freshness, crisp, lightness and I think of lean food,” he says.

Mr Calvar says that markets are the best place for freshness and choice of produce and he uses a variety of cooking techniques.

“I use techniques like steaming, light boil, grill or keep it raw!” he says, adding: “Keep it simple and ensure a balance of colour in your meals.”

Making the most of seasonal produce is really just following the intention nature has already set for us. Try this simple, yet simply delicious, spring recipe.

Jerome’s Spring Salad
Feel free to add any of the ingredients mentioned above for your own take on my easy spring salad.

Serves 4 people

Ingredients
1 green oak lettuce
? bunch of mint leaves torn
1 good soup spoon of coriander leaves
1 yellow capsicum diced
1 Lebanese cucumber peeled and seeded
2 tomatoes diced
1 firm flesh mango diced
Dozen of roasted macadamia nuts crushed
Chicken tenderloins slightly pan fried or steamed

Method
Combine all components in a bowl. Watch the colours and breathe the aroma!
Serve in a bowl then add some lemon olive oil dressing until lightly coated.
Stir lightly and sit the tenderloins on top in an attractive manner.

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing
1 French eschalot [onion plant] chopped finely
½ tsp Celtic or sea salt
½ fresh lemon juiced
Extra virgin olive oil
Combine the eschalot, lemon juice and salt, leave for 20 mins in a small jar. The acidity of the lemon will bring out the sweetness of the eschalot. Add olive oil and shake well.