In March the first signs of Spring appear, with buds forming on trees and snowdrops and daffodils appearing on the ground. The days continue to get lighter and herald the start of greener seasonal produce. Whilst there is not an abundance of vegetables in season these recipes show the variety of what can be made with produce that is available locally. Let’s find out what’s in season in March!
The first leafy greens like spinach and kale, start to appear in March. These greens are a great source of fibre and vitamins and can easily be added to most recipes. This recipe for
Kale & Olive Oil Vegan Mashed Potatoes is an example of adding kale into a meal without the flavour overpowering other elements.
Another vegetable in season this month is cabbage. It can be fermented to make Sauerkraut, a great side to add to dishes with many gut health benefits. This recipe for Sauerkraut comes from Eco Savvy’s Recipe Book which explains how to start the fermentation process in simple steps.
Cauliflower is still in season this month, as well as purple sprouting broccoli. This recipe for a Roasted Cauli-broc Bowl with Tahini Hummus compliments the flavours of these vegetables that have the spotlight in this dish. The recipe requires quinoa and also includes hummus which can be homemade with chickpeas. Both of these are stocked and available at the Zero Waste Cafe, where containers can be filled with dry goods to reduce packaging and waste.
Other vegetables in season in March are spring onions, swede, rhubarb, leeks, beetroot, carrots, parsnips, and radishes. There are also some plants in season this month that can be foraged and added to recipes, such as wild garlic and wild nettles.
In the Garden
March in the garden means the beginning of sowing and planting. Lots more vegetables can be sown outdoors as the weather becomes milder such as leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, spinach, and spring onions. Some other vegetables can be sown outside but may still need to be undercover. It’s a good time to use any organic fertiliser such as seaweed to enhance the quality of your soil.
Kale & Olive Oil Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
2 pounds (1kg) unpeeled yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
¼ cup chopped scallions
4 cups finely chopped kale (1 small bunch)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinches of red pepper flakes (optional)
Method
- Place the potatoes, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Heat ½ teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the scallions and kale, and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Use a potato masher to coarsely mash the potatoes and garlic. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the ⅓ cup olive oil, ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the kale, scallions, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue folding until creamy, adding up to ½ cup more cooking liquid and additional drizzles of olive oil, if desired. Season to taste with up to ½ teaspoon more salt, and pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve hot.
https://www.loveandlemons.com/kale-olive-oil-vegan-mashed-potatoes
Sauerkraut
Ingredients
2 heads of cabbage (any colour) 1600g worth
38g of sea salt
1 tbsp caraway seeds
5g fresh dill
Method
- Remove outer layers of cabbage and wash well. Shred or crop cabbage (as you prefer) and place in a large bowl with the salt. Massage salt into the cabbage until it begins to soften and release moisture. Let it sit 30 – 60 minutes until it is wet, the salt is drawing liquid out of the cabbage. Do not drain! The liquid is your brine that the cabbage will be fermenting in. Add the caraway seeds and dill and mix well.
- Take a sterilised 2 litre jar and pack the cabbage in, pressing down between handfuls to ensure the cabbage is submerged in the brine. Once it is filled to within 2.5cm of the top cover with a cabbage leaf and a weight and seal. Ensure that all the pressed cabbage is covered in brine. Place the jar on a plate and leave to ferment at room temperature for 1 – 3 weeks until the flavour is to your liking. The fermentation process will lead to a carbon dioxide build up in the jar so be sure to open and ‘burp’ the jar every few days. Taste the sauerkraut after a week, if you prefer it more tangy then allow it to keep fermenting. Once you are happy with the taste, move the jar into the fridge and store for up to 6 months.
Roasted Cauli-broc Bowl with Tahini Hummus
Ingredients
400g pack cauliflower & broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
250g ready-to-eat quinoa
2 cooked beetroots, sliced
baby spinach
10 walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp hummus
1 lemon, 1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges
Method
- The night before, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the cauliflower and broccoli in a large roasting tin with the oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Roast for 25-30 mins until browned and cooked. Leave to cool completely.
- Build each bowl by putting half the quinoa in each. Lay the slices of beetroot on top, followed by the spinach, cauliflower, broccoli and walnuts. Combine the tahini, hummus, lemon juice and 1 tbsp water in a small pot. Before eating, coat in the dressing. Serve with the lemon wedges.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/roasted-cauli-broc-bowl-tahini-houmous
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