Fresh, light and hopeful: Here are 7 of our favorite starters for spring
Sabzi Khordan, the herb platter that starts nearly every Persian meal. Here it is shown with a quickly made version of naan-e barbari (Persian flatbread) fashioned from frozen pizza dough.
By Leslie Brenner
As spring beginnings go, planet Earth has seen better. (Really — tornadoes just now??!)
Here’s to hope and renewal — and with that in mind, a few delicious ways to begin the meals of spring.
The Greenest Gazpacho
Vegan, gluten-free, easy-to-make (in a blender, no cooking) and finished with a handful of gorgeous fresh spring herbs, this is the soup I turn to when the sun warms the earth, but tomato season is still a ways off. It gets richness from raw almonds or cashews and optimistic tang from sherry vinegar.
Asparagus Gribiche
Inspired by a recipe in the Gjelina cookbook, this dish celebrates two of my favorite springtime treats: asparagus and eggs. It’s dressy enough for Easter or Passover, and a delightful treat any old time.
Pea-Ricotta Dip
Foolproof and addictive, this dip is made with frozen peas, swirled with ricotta and brightened with lemon zest. It comes together in a flash.
Ridiculously Easy Minted Pea Soup
Our spin on French potage Saint-Germain — fresh pea soup, served warm — this one’s also made from frozen peas, yet it tastes like you spent hours shelling fresh ones. Elegant and easy, it’s the perfect beginning to a spring dinner, or dreamy for lunch.
Sabzi Khordan — Persian Herb Platter
Sabzi Khordan is the platter of herbs and accouterments that appears on nearly every Iranian table. You can nibble on the herbs from the start of the meal and throughout, or wrap a small assortment in a piece of nan-e barbari, Persian flatbread. Our friend Nilou Motamed shared her super-easy recipe for the nan shown here, made from frozen pizza dough; find a link in our Sabzi Khordan recipe.
Vegan Spring Beauty Soup
Made with beautiful spring vegetables — asparagus, leeks, sugar-snap peas, young carrots, turnips and more — this plant-based soup is light and elegant.
Artichokes Vinaigrette
Spring begins artichoke season, and artichokes are a great thing to have in your repertoire from now through the end of summer. You can boil them and serve them with mayo to dip the leaves in, or open up the petals and drizzle on a shallot vinaigrette in classic French style. Our recipe links to a story that shows how to prep them.
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