Recipes to savor spring vegetables like peas, spinach and asparagus

>>EASY

Spinach and Romaine Salad

Light, fresh and colorful, this salad screams spring. The creamy dressing with shallots and mint complements the salad so well that it will have you craving for more.

For the salad:

1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach

2 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped

2 cucumbers, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup thinly sliced radishes

For the dressing:

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup half-and-half

½ cup fresh mint, chopped, plus leaves for garnish

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Toss together spinach, romaine, cucumbers and radishes in large bowl.

Stir together shallot, vinegar and lemon juice in a medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream and gradually whisk in half-and-half. Stir in chopped mint, salt and black pepper.

Top greens mixture with feta cheese; garnish with mint leaves and serve with dressing.

Serves 6.

Source: Southern Living magazine, March 2016

>>MODERATE

Lemon Chicken With Fried Capers

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets, thinly sliced

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, dried

Flour for dredging

⅛ teaspoon chili powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 large lemon, sliced thin crosswise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 shallots, minced

1 ¼ cups chicken stock

Pound chicken flat, pat dry and cut pieces in half if they are too large.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high and then add capers. Stir until they are crisp (they do pop, so be careful), about 2 minutes. Transfer capers to a small bowl.

Mix flour and chili powder on a plate. Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and heat it over medium-high.

Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and coat pieces lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.

Add chicken to oil and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

Dip lemon slices in sugar, coating them on both sides, and add to skillet. Cook over medium heat until they are lightly caramelized, about 1 to 2 minutes each side. Transfer to plate with chicken.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, then add shallots, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Return chicken and lemon slices to the pan, along with any juices from the plate. Simmer gently, turning the chicken over several times until it is heated through.

Transfer chicken and lemon to plates and simmer sauce until it has thickened slightly. Spoon sauce and lemon slices over chicken and top with fried capers. Serve with Sweet Pea Puree (recipe below).

Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from Sara Moulton's Home Cooking 101 by Sara Moulton (Oxmoor House, March 2016)

>>EASY

Chickpea, Egg and Potato Salad

This hearty salad is best served warm. For a less tangy dressing, use white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice.

4 tablespoons olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, crushed

Salt and ground black pepper to taste, divided

1 pound new potatoes

1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas

Handful of pitted black olives

3 hard-boiled eggs

Handful of fresh chives, chopped

For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and garlic. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and slightly squash with back of a fork in a bowl.

Drain and rinse chickpeas, smash 1/3 of them slightly, then mix with remaining chickpeas and add to potatoes in bowl. Add olives and dressing; mix gently.

Transfer salad to serving plate.

Peel and chop the eggs in quarters and place them all over the salad. Sprinkle chives on top, and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Appetizers by Ryland, Peters & Small (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2016)

>>EASY

Sweet Pea Puree

This sweet and spicy puree with a hint of mint radiates with spring flavor and color. It complements sauteed chicken, flaky crab cakes or pan-seared tilapia.

8 ounces frozen green peas, thawed

½ cup vegetable stock

1 tablespoon feta cheese

1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint

2 garlic cloves

1 green chile

Salt to taste

Combine peas, stock, feta, mint, garlic, chile and salt in food processor; blend until smooth. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Arthi Subramaniam, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

>>EASY

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

Stylish and satisfying, there's no mistaking that the asparagus spears, placed closely beside one another, are the stars here.

For the pastry:

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of sea salt flakes

2 to 3 tablespoons ice-cold water

For the filling:

7 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

¾ cup sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cups goat cheese

1 medium white onion, diced

12 asparagus spears, ends removed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place butter, flour and salt in a food processor and pulse mixture for 20 to 40 seconds, until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Add water slowly and mix until dough comes together. Don't over-mix. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Roll dough out as thinly as possible on a lightly floured surface. Line 9-inch fluted tart pan with the pastry and prick base all over with a fork.

Place on baking sheet, line with greased parchment paper slightly larger than the pan and fill with baking beans.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove baking beans and parchment paper and return pastry to oven for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until it is pale golden and cooked through.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, then gently mix in goat cheese and onion. Pour mixture into tart, distributing it evenly.

Lay asparagus spears in a single layer on top of filling, alternating heads and tails, and gently push them into the tart.

Bake for about 1 hour, or until golden and just set. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 8 to 10.

Source: Adapted from Cooking With Cheese by Ryland, Peters & Small (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2016)