1. Wild garlic tzatziki: The perfect spring dip
The wild garlic season has started: Prepare a spicy, aromatic wild garlic tzatziki that will not only delight the palate of your guests, but will also be healthy. Wild garlic is a seasonal ingredient that is harvested from March to May and has a strong, garlicky aroma. Also known as forest garlic, wild garlic not only provides the unique taste, but is also a valuable source of vitamins and minerals. With crunchy cucumbers, fresh green onions and savory feta, tzatziki becomes a yummy highlight on your table. Serve it as an appetizer, as a side dish with grilled meats and fish, or as a dip with vegetable sticks.
The following ingredients are needed:
- cucumber
- wild garlic
- cream yogurt
- white wine vinegar
- olive oil
- wholegrain toast
- red peppers
- spring onions
- feta
- salt
- pepper
Step-by-step guide:
- Wash and coarsely grate the cucumber. Season with a little salt and drain in a colander. Wash the wild garlic, spin dry, chop finely and mix with the squeezed cucumbers.
- Mix cream yogurt with white wine vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the cucumbers and wild garlic. Mix everything well.
- Cut the wholegrain toast into small cubes and toast in a non-stick frying pan until golden brown. Cut the red pepper into cubes and the spring onions into fine rings. Crunch the feta.
- Serve the wild garlic tzatziki with the croutons, diced peppers, green onions and the feta.
2. Hearty rhubarb risotto with green asparagus and bacon
Rhubarb risotto with roasted green asparagus and bacon is an ideal dish for the spring and summer months. Rhubarb is a seasonal ingredient, usually available from April through June. It is a versatile plant that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. In this recipe, the sour rhubarb is finely diced and marinated with a vanilla and sugar mix, giving the risotto a special touch that is perfect for springtime. The green asparagus is roasted and makes an aromatic complement to the creamy risotto. Rosé wine gives the dish a delicate, fruity note. The bacon rounds off the taste sensation with its salty note.
The following ingredients are needed:
- rhubarb, cleaned and peeled
- sugar
- water
- pulp of one vanilla pod
- risotto rice
- onion, finely diced
- olive oil
- rosé wine
- hot vegetable stock
- grated parmesan cheese
- thyme
- freshly grated ginger
- cold butter
- green asparagus
- bacon
- salt and pepper
Step-by-step guide:
- Cut the rhubarb into very small cubes and put it in a bowl. Boil sugar, water and the pulp of half a vanilla pod. Pour over the rhubarb and set aside. Cut the remaining rhubarb into small pieces.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the diced onion until translucent. Add the risotto rice and the larger pieces of rhubarb and braise. Deglaze with rosé wine and reduce slightly. Pour in a large ladle of hot vegetable stock and reduce, stirring. Continue in this way until the vegetable stock is used up and the risotto is firm to the bite.
- In the meantime, wash the green asparagus and cut off the woody ends. Cut each asparagus into 3-4 pieces and roast gently in a pan with olive oil.
- Fry the bacon in a pan until it is crispy.
- When the risotto is done, stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter. Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated ginger.
- Arrange the risotto on plates, spread the roasted green asparagus and the diced rhubarb on top. Garnish each with two strips of bacon.
3. Radish green pesto: Delicious pesto from radish leaves
Radish greens, often considered a waste product when eating radishes, are a tasty and healthy ingredient for a variety of dishes. When you turn radish greens into a delicious pesto, you get a dish that not only tastes good, but is also rich in nutrients. Adding toasted walnuts or hazelnuts and the fresh taste of lemon and salt gives the pesto a rich, full-bodied texture that makes it an ideal addition to many dishes. Serve the radish pesto as a dip with potato pies, pasta dishes or vegetables. It also tastes great as a spread or with rice dishes.
The following ingredients are needed:
- radish greens, washed and spun dry
- walnuts or hazelnuts (or toasted white bread)
- organic lemon, juice and zest
- olive oil or canola oil
- salt
Step-by-step guide:
- Place the nuts or toasted white bread in the stand mixer and coarsely chop. Add the radish greens, lemon juice and zest and puree everything finely.
- Season with salt and slowly add the oil until a creamy consistency is reached.
- Put the pesto in a clean jar and store in the fridge.
4. Vegetarian bread dumpling salad with baked radishes
This bread dumpling salad with baked radishes is a yummy, hearty salad that makes a great side dish or light main course. The crispy, baked radishes add a pleasant bite and a slight sweetness to the salad, while the bread dumplings add texture and a nutty flavor to the dish. Dressed with a simple vinaigrette of apple cider vinegar and canola oil, this salad is a delicious and easy way to enjoy the months of spring.
The following ingredients are needed:
- bread dumplings
- radishes
- canola oil
- iodized salt
- apple cider vinegar
- pepper as needed
Step-by-step guide:
- Prepare the bread dumplings according to recipe and cook until done. When the dumplings have cooled, cut into slices.
- Wash and halve the radishes. Season with oil and iodized salt and bake in the oven on a baking tray at 170 °C for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Place the cooled dumpling slices and radishes in a bowl and season with apple cider vinegar and pepper, if desired.
- Allow the salad to infuse briefly before serving and enjoy.
5. Salmon on spring salad: A light main course
This tasty dish combines spring-fresh ingredients like rhubarb, radishes, and carrots with flavorful salmon and beluga lentils to create a delicious and healthy salad. The ingredients harmonize perfectly and create a culinary delight. The salmon is fried in a pan with sweet rhubarb and then served on the salad. A great option for a light lunch or dinner for all fish lovers and health conscious guests.
The following ingredients are needed:
- black lentils (Beluga)
- organic lemon, grated zest and juice
- hazelnut oil
- salt and pepper
- chervil, finely chopped
- radishes with radish greens
- carrots
- fillet of salmon back
- olive oil
- rhubarb
- yacon syrup
Step-by-step guide:
- Simmer the black beluga lentils in a pot of simmering water over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Then drain, salt and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix the grated zest and juice of an organic lemon with the hazelnut oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the finely chopped chervil and radish greens and mix well. Then add the quartered radishes, finely chopped carrots and drained lentils to the dressing and mix everything well.
- In a coated pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the rhubarb for about 2 minutes. Then add the yacon syrup and simmer for about 2 minutes until a creamy liquid is formed. Blend this mixture into the salad.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil and fry the salmon in it for about 3 minutes on both sides until golden brown. Arrange the roasted salmon on the salad and serve.
6. Fruity strawberry coconut tiramisu
This refreshing strawberry coconut tiramisu is the perfect dessert for springtime. The fluffy tiramisu is prepared with a creamy mixture of mascarpone, cream, white chocolate and coconut liqueur and garnished with fresh strawberries and crispy ladyfingers. The coconut flavor adds a tropical touch to the dessert, and the juicy strawberries bring the freshness of the season to the plate. A genuine delight that successfully rounds off any spring menu.
The following ingredients are needed:
- coconut flakes
- strawberries
- orange juice
- coconut liqueur or alternatively coconut cream
- vanilla pod
- mascarpone
- sugar
- lemon juice
- white chocolate
- cream
- ladyfingers
Step-by-step guide:
- Toast coconut flakes in a pan without fat. Then finely puree the washed strawberries with the orange juice and coconut liqueur.
- Scrape the pulp from the vanilla pod into a large bowl and mix with the mascarpone, sugar and lemon juice. Fold the coarsely chopped white chocolate, the stiffly whipped cream and the toasted coconut flakes in the mascarpone cream. Cut the strawberries into small cubes and carefully mix into the cream.
- Line the bottom of a baking dish with ladyfingers, drizzle with half of the strawberry puree and spread half of the mascarpone cream on top. Layer the remaining ladyfingers on top, drizzle with the strawberry puree and spread with the mascarpone cream. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Just before serving, slice the remaining strawberries, mix with the remaining coconut flakes and spread over the tiramisu.
