Officially, Spring began on March 20th. For me, Easter marks the turning point. It’s not Spring until I’ve bought marshmallow peeps in every color of the rainbow. I don’t eat them. I just buy them.
After the long winter of soups, stews, slow cooker meals and chili, we can finally begin cooking with seasonal (and hopefully local) products. Don’t get me wrong, I love chili. But fresh asparagus and the first lettuce of the season from a local farm….that’s exciting! Check out the new recipes I just developed and tested (with enthusiastic results) using the season’s earliest crops.
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Victoria Taylor’s Ginger Citrus Seasoning Dressing
Now that it’s spring invite friends over and enjoy serving these wraps that take advantage of the bountiful fresh produce this time of year.
Prep time: 35 minutes
Serves 6-8
Dressing
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Victoria Taylor’s Ginger Citrus Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)
Salad
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 8 radishes, thinly sliced or chopped
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions with tops
- 1 head Boston lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry
For dressing, combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, Ginger Citrus Seasoning and sugar in small bowl. Whisk until well blended; add peanuts if desired, set aside.
Prepare all vegetables. Place carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, radishes and scallions into small serving bowls. To serve, top each lettuce leaf with salad ingredients; drizzle with dressing and roll up.
*Tip: For a main dish meal, add 3 cups shredded cooked chicken.
Simple Asparagus Salad with Victoria Taylor’s Ginger Citrus Seasoning
The best time to enjoy the delicate flavor of asparagus is between March and June, so here’s a flavorful salad to get you started.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 minutes*
Serves 6
Salad
1½ pounds asparagus spears, ends trimmed
Dressing
- 3 Tbsp. orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Victoria Taylor’s Ginger Citrus Seasoning
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
Boil asparagus spears in a large skillet covering with 1 inch of water. Cook until crisp-tender; about 3-4 minutes. Rinse immediately under cold water; drain.
For dressing, combine orange juice, vinegar, oil, mustard, Ginger Citrus Seasoning, and sugar in small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Pour dressing over asparagus. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.
*Tip: To cook asparagus in microwave, place rinsed spears in a microwave-safe plastic bag. Cook on HIGH about 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender. Rinse immediately in cold water; drain. Proceed with recipe.
Toasted Sesame Ginger Asparagus
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
- 1 bunch of asparagus, ends discarded
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. Tamari soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Victoria Taylor’s Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning
Slice asparagus on the diagonal into 1/2 inch pieces. Put the asparagus into a microwave safe zip top bag. Keep the bag partly open and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, and Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning in a sauté pan; heat until hot, but not smoking. Add asparagus and sauté, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.
