Favorite veggies new each spring

Nothing says springtime like a trip to my local farmers market. There the stalls brim with all the colorful, often offbeat produce that the season brings. Whether it’s coiled, green fiddlehead ferns or rotund red and white radishes, I always find a wondrous vegetable for my dinner plate.

Here are some of my springtime favorites, along with suggestions on how to prepare them:

FAVA BEANS

Long, pale green and shaped like a large lima bean, the fava or broad bean originated along the Mediterranean during ancient times. Their subtle flavor goes well with a variety of the region’s signature ingredients, including olive oil, garlic, lemon, mint, parsley and sesame paste.

As for what to do with a bag of fresh fava beans, I boil them in their pods for about 10 minutes before shelling. After slipping the legumes out of their tough skins, I can saute them with butter, garlic, asparagus tips and a splash of chicken stock for a spring-inspired side dish. I can also add them to fresh pasta, or puree them with potatoes for a light yet creamy soup. Or I can slow-cook them, then partially mash them with garlic, olive oil, cumin and lemon juice to create ful medame, an Egyptian specialty.

If looking for a healthful appetizer, I can make these iron and Vitamin B-rich beans into hummus, feature them on bruschetta, or toss them into a salad of radishes, mint and greens. The culinary possibilities are limitless.

RADISHES

Often relegated to the status of garnish, crisp, juicy radishes hit their peak in springtime. Beyond their minor roles in salads and crudite platters, radishes taste great when steamed, sauteed, roasted, mashed or stir-fried. Thinly sliced, they work well in tempuras, as substitutes for water chestnuts, or in tea sandwiches with butter and sprinkle of salt.

Likewise, radish tops are a delight to eat. Tossed into soups or salads, the greens provide a peppery zing.

Although I know them best as little, red globes, radishes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Mild yet succulent, French breakfast radishes resemble small, scarlet carrots with white tips. Watermelon radishes look like pale green softballs. Cut open, they possess a slightly sweet, ruby flesh.

No matter what their form, radishes should be firm and blemish-free, with perky greens. To increase crispness, soak the radishes, with the roots on, in cold water for several hours before using.

CHANTERELLES

Reminiscent of a brass, rather than string, instrument, the trumpet-shaped chanterelle mushroom rears its wavy, apricot-orange head during the rainy southeastern spring. It possesses a scent similar to apricots and a flavor ranging from meaty to peppery.

Attempts to cultivate chanterelles have met with little success. However, many markets carry these wild mushrooms starting in late spring and — thanks to the Pacific Northwest, which has a fall to winter chanterelle season — extending through February.

When buying this exquisite fungus, choose plump and spongy ones. Steer clear of those with broken or withered caps.

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