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After what felt like months and months of endless rain this winter, in the UK at least, the arrival of spring is more welcome than ever this year. It’s undeniable that a few days of sunshine and milder temperatures change everything: my mood, my palate, my dinner table (see below for my achilles heel: serveware).
And to mark the change in season, the Guardian is launching a new seasonal food magazine. This Saturday will see the arrival of the Guardian Food Quarterly, for which I have showcased crab – one of my favourite spring arrivals. I have written five recipes, including a speedy, spicy crab cake banh mi with quick pickles, and a hot cheesy crab and chive dip inspired by the American south. If you are in the camp that thinks that cheese and seafood are a no-no, then I hope you will trust me on this one. Just be sure to use that sweet, punchy brown meat in the mix, too, for maximum flavour.
Other springtime joys include forced rhubarb. Technically arriving in winter, the much-prized vegetable (which, when forced, is grown in dark and harvested by candlelight), is pretty constant until late spring. And, by late April, the outdoor variety will be making an appearance, too, meaning you haven’t missed the boat on recipes such as Felicity Cloake’s rhubarb and custard tart, or Thomasina Miers’s rhubarb, cardamom and mascarpone trifle.
Despite its tendency to be teamed with puddings and all things sweet, rhubarb has a tartness that lends itself perfectly to savoury dishes. These seared king prawns with rhubarb and ginger sambol from Alexina Anatole officially take all the frumpiness out of winter. As does this mackerel with rhubarb and sherry vinegar from Nigel Slater; they are exactly the kind of dishes I want to eat to see in the arrival of the new season.
For quick weeknight dinners, meanwhile, you can’t go wrong with a risotto, or my personal favourite, an orzotto, and this asparagus, pea and lemon orzotto from Rukmini Iyer is putting a spring in my step this week. It also celebrates one of the UK’s other much-loved spring arrivals: asparagus. You can almost mark the departure of winter by the arrival of asparagus and jersey royals in the greengrocers and supermarket veg aisles. These pakora-esque asparagus and artichoke fritters from Yotam Ottolenghi are high up on my to-make list, as is this recipe for asparagus wild garlic hollandaise by Nigel Slater (pictured top). A double spring hitter with asparagus and wild garlic in the mix. Boom!
And for the aforementioned jersey royals? Well, they have to be simply boiled for me, and dressed in an eye-watering amount of salty butter. Or, at the very most, a light dressing. One of these from Anna Jones would be perfect; a bowl of aïoli, a pan of hot, tender spuds and a fork. Spring perfection.
My week at the kitchen table
Zesty vibes | While I’m not in the habit of a seasonal wardrobe overhaul, my kitchen, on the other hand, does get a little sunshine glow-up. This zesty citrus garland is hanging on the wall, and providing me with constant joy. And these tulip jute placemats (from one of my all-time favourite shops Luna & Curious) have brought an instant pop of colour.
Tomatoes, I love you | Another current obsession, for a lot of people it seems, are tomatoes. My new book MEDesque comes out soon, with tomatoes featuring on the cover and heavily throughout (of course), and I’ve recently bought almost all the tomato-themed items on Modern Love Store’s website. These tomato napkins are a personal favourite, and this half-a-tomato storage container is especially adorable. We don’t often have tomato halves left over in our greedy house, however I absolutely get the appeal. The lemon one is excellent, too.
Water-meadow whimsy | If you’re in the market for investment pieces to elevate your dining table, then linens from Bertioli by Thyme (a hotel and spa in the Cotswolds, with an excellent farm-to-table restaurant) are a great choice. They are heirloom pieces, but you don’t need the whole set – a few napkins or a tea towel would bring an instant wow factor (for spring, I especially love the cherry blossom design). They are very special pieces indeed, with the range being hand-painted by Thyme founder Caryn Hibbert.
