Flavors from the Garden

Many local farm stands have already opened for the season with their offering of fresh spring vegetables. Here are just a few tips for using the best vegetables of the season:

• Asparagus: One of the most familiar springtime vegetables, asparagus come in colors ranging from green to purple to pure white. These tender spears are great on their own either steamed or incorporated into a stir-fry.
• Green Beans: Crunchy green beans are delicious additions to side dishes. Forgo the green-bean casserole and try them over a crisp salad. You can cook green beans in advance without losing their freshness. Just steam them until they're tender, then place them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
• Green Onions Most often referred to as scallions or spring onions, these tender vegetables have a sweet yet spicy onion flavor. Try adding them to mashed potatoes combined with grated Cheddar cheese for extra flavor.
• Radishes Ranging in flavor from slightly peppery to fiery hot, radishes are a great garnish to many different meals and they're great on their own for snacking. Just slice off the roots and leaves and serve them with the dip of your choice. If you just can't get past the spicy flavor, try cooking them briefly in melted unsalted butter for a few minutes. This brief cooking will help tame the strong flavor of raw radishes.