5 early fruits and veggies for a delicious spring

Every year, early harvest fruits and veggies bring that breath of freshness to our dishes. At grocery stores, these early crops are renowned for their subtle sweetness and pique our curiosity. In this article, find out more about these fresh products that arrive early in the spring, and discover five varieties you can cook with right away!

Early harvest

Early harvest fruits and vegetables are picked in March or April, before reaching full maturity. Their skin is thinner, their flesh is full of water, and their texture is unmatched when it comes to tenderness. These characteristics, along with their distinctive flavour that’s sweeter than those picked later in the season, have made them renowned.

Optimal storage

These spring products, however, are fragile and delicate. It’s best to consume them quickly after purchase to fully enjoy their freshness. At home, they can be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator’s vegetable drawer. It is imperative to not leave them exposed to air on the kitchen counter, in order to prevent dehydration.

Adapted cooking methods

To benefit from the nutritional qualities and subtle flavours of early harvest produce, it’s best to avoid peeling them. A quick rinse under tap water is sufficient. They can be enjoyed raw (with certain exceptions), and when it comes to cooking, short and simple cooking methods are preferred, such as steaming or sautéing with butter.

The production of early harvest vegetables is carried out in greenhouses, through natural market gardening techniques. These varieties, which are mostly fast-growing, are sown during the winter, some as early as January. Vegetables are then harvested in March or April, 20 to 70 days after planting, on average.

1. Asparagus

These are among the first to emerge from the ground in spring. Unlike other vegetables, this is a perennial plant. Before cooking the spears, they need to be snapped at the base to remove their tough, fibrous part. They can be blanched in boiling water, steamed or sautéed; whichever you choose, the aim is to achieve a texture that’s just crunchy enough.

2. Fiddleheads

These perennial veggies are actually the shoots of the ostrich fern, its only edible variety. They should never be consumed raw. It’s necessary to blanch them at least once, ideally twice, but without using the same water. They can be simply sautéed with butter afterwards or prepared even further in one of these recipes.

3. Radishes

Radishes tend to grow quickly (in about 20 days for the earliest varieties), which is why they appear early in the spring. These root vegetables with the pink and white crunchy flesh are enjoyed thanks to their freshness and slightly spicy flavour. They can be eaten as is, in a salad, along with a dip, or even baked in the oven like chips.

4. Carrots

Spring carrots are a favourite early harvest veggie. They’re wonderfully crunchy, and their delicate flavour will inspire you to create a variety of delicious meals. It’s important to consume them quickly while they’re fresh. They can be eaten raw in salads or in a veggie platter. They can also be served as a side dish with their tops intact, glazed with butter and maple syrup.

5. Strawberries

These iconic red summer berries can also be grown in greenhouses during the colder months. The early varieties are harvested around mid-April, and it’s an absolute treat to find them in grocery stores at the start of spring. After a winter of eating fruits that have come from far away, it’s always appreciated when we can enjoy something that’s sourced locally.