Spring brings an abundance of sweet produce: fruits and vegetables.

Some of our favorites are fleeting: morel mushrooms, ramps, and green garlic.

Sauté them with asparagus and garlic: truly delicious!

Here’s a full list of spring fruits and vegetables, and our menu for a spring-focused dinner.

Don’t overlook rhubarb, a spring favorite that, while botanically a vegetable, makes delicious desserts.

Here’s more about the spring vegetables you shouldn’t miss. You’ll find the familiar as well as those you may not have tried:

 
Check out more in the infographic below.

A favorite spring vegetable: green peas, also known as spring peas and English peas. Note the pea blossoms, leaves and shoots, which are delicacies (photo © The Chef’s Garden).

[1] Serve this gnocchi appetizer in small portions, or make it into a lunch-size salad atop greens (photo © DeLallo Foods).

[2] Cook and drain the gnocchi (photo © iGourmet).

[3] Roasted red pepper strips, a.k.a. pimento or pimiento (photo © Monjardin)./span>

[4] Artichoke hearts (photo © La Tienda).

[5] Genoa salami—salame in Italian (photo © DeLallo Foods).

[6] Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham) (photo © Di Bruno Bros.).

First, let us say that National Gnocchi Day occurs on the 29th of every month, in Argentina.

We’d never pass up a reason to eat gnocchi. So here’s a recipe adapted from DeLallo Foods.

It’s an appetizer, not the main dish.

In fact, it’s gnocchi antipasto!

We preferred to bulk up the antipasto by placing it on a bed of lettuce, whether for an appetizer or as a luncheon salad.

There are more yummy gnocchi recipes below.

The history of National Gnocchi Day is also below.

> What Are Gnocchi?

> The History Of Gnocchi
 
 
RECIPE: GNOCCHI ANTIPASTO

Ingredients For 4 Appetizer Portions

 
For The Dressing

 
Preparation

1. COOK the gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water to stop cooking, and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

2. PREPARE the dressing. Whisk together in a small bowl the vinegar, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, and garlic. While whisking, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Whisk to further emulsify as needed.

3. TOSS together in a large bowl the gnocchi, peppers, artichokes, salami, and prosciutto. Add in the dressing and toss to coat.

4. PLATE over the lettuce, if using. Garnish with basil and lemon zest.

______________

*Italian Seasoning Recipe: If you don’t have an Italian seasoning blend, you can combine 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon dried sage. Keep it in a tightly closed jar. If you don’t have marjoram, use 2 teaspoons of oregano instead.

†Substitute fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.
______________
 
MORE GNOCCHI RECIPES

 
 
THE HISTORY OF GNOCCHI DAY IN ARGENTINA

The story credits the occasion to the Italian immigration to Argentina (their descendants now make up about 50% of Argentina’s population.

This Argentine custom has been a tradition since the first wave of Italian immigrants migrated to the country in 1814 [source].

Since the 29th is almost the end of the month, many families were tight on cash as they waited for their next paycheck, which came on the first of the month.

Potatoes and flour are inexpensive ingredients that enabled the housewife to make a filling (and tasty!) meal.

Some say that the 29th commemorates a patron saint of Venice, San Pantaleon, who was canonized on the 29th, so that each month, the 29th is celebrated as his feast day [source].

What About Good Luck?

As people from the “old country” brought their superstitions along with their recipes, a superstition accompanies the gnocchi.

It assures the eater that good luck may be on the horizon.

 
The tradition spread to neighboring Paraguay and Uruguay, and hey: Will someone please bring it up north to the U.S.A.?

This blue rice (photo #1) is made by steeping the water with the butterfly pea flower, which colors it naturally.

The flower is used to brew herbal tea in Thailand, just by steeping the dried blue pea flowers in water.

 
Substitute dried butterfly pea flowers for tea in a 1:1 ratio.

Here’s more about and how to use the butterfly pea to make blue and purple tea.
 
 
COOKING WITH BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWERS

The flowers are also used as a natural food dye in Southeast Asian dishes, particularly in Malaysia and Thailand.

Rice is the most common food to get colored blue.

Nasi kerabu is a Malaysian cuisine rice dish in which blue-colored rice is eaten with dried fish or fried chicken, crackers, pickles and other salads: a feast!

As a bonus, the butterfly pea flower is packed with health-promoting antioxidants.

 
Instead of flowers, you can purchase ground flowers that dissolve instantly.
 
BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWERS IN AMERICAN DISHES

Since the flower steeps in water, milk or other liquid, it can add color to other foods.

Beyond rice, how about pasta?

How about some blue rice pudding with golden and purple raisins, or a blue cream pie? Blue vodka?

Why not sweeten the blue tea and freeze it for ice pops.

But then…why not just use McCormick blue food coloring?

You certainly can; but not if you want to avoid artificial chemicals.
 
 
NATURAL FOOD COLOR

The color obtained from the butterfly pea flower is totally natural.

But there’s another way to naturally color your food.

If you’re seeking to avoid the artificial dyes in the big commercial food colors, The Watkins Co. makes an all-natural food colorings.

The colors are derived from pure vegetable juices and spices, including beet juice, turmeric and spirulina extract.
Here they are.
 
 
RECIPE: BLUE RICE

This is a simple recipe to make blue rice.

In Asia, lemongrass is typically added for more flavor. Here’s a recipe with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

The dried butterfly pea flowers are available on Amazon and at some Asian markets, as is lemongrass powder and dried kaffir lime leaves.

Ingredients

 
________________

**The typical water:white rice ratio is 2 cups water to 1 cup rice.

 
Preparation

1. BOIL the water. Add the butterfly pea flowers and wait for a few minutes till the color turned dark blue. Usually, the flowers will lose their color in the process.

Don’t worry if the water is too dark. The cooked rice will be a lighter color. You can squeeze the flowers to extract the remaining color.

2. STRAIN or otherwise remove the flowers from the water.

3. WASH the rice and drain,

4. COOK in the butterfly pea water, according to your own rice-cooking technique.
 

WHAT IS THE BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER?

It’s he flower of the plant commonly known as blue pea or butterfly pea.

It is also known as Asian pigeonwings, bluebell vine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea and Darwin pea [source].

The plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, including locations such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines.

The bright blue flower is used as a natural coloring in various recipes. It is one of the most vivid blue colors to exist in nature.

The plant species belongs to the Fabaceae family, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family.

The family includes such familiar foods as beans, carob, chickpeas, licorice, peanuts and peas.

Now for the racy part: The botanical name of the butterfly pea plant is Clitoria ternatea.

The botanist who named saw that the flower had the shape of female genitalia, and gave the genus the Latin name Clitoria, from clitoris (photo #7).

You can see why others call it the butterfly pea plant.

[1] You don’t have to get this fancy; a plain scoop of rice will do. But for a special presentation, use a food mold and top with mango curls (photos #1, #4 and #5 © Suncore Foods).

[2] How the butterfly pea flower colors (and flavors) water (photo © Newby Teas).

[3] How about a blue latte? Here’s how to make it from Oh How Civilized (photo © Oh How Civilized).

[4] How about a blue cream pie? Bring cream or milk to a simmer; then add the butterfly pea flowers, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.

[5] Dried butterfly pea flowers are available on Amazon and elsewhere.

[6] Blue ice cubes in your blue iced tea? Why not? (photo © Anshu | Unsplash).

[7] Butterfly pea flower (photo © India Mart).

[1] Eight great sauces for your kitchen (photo © Good Eggs).

[2] This Buffalo sauce is an enhancement over the original Buffalo wing sauce, created by Good Eggs (photo © Good Eggs).

[3] Cacciatore sauce was originally made with garden ingredients to cook with the hunter’s rabbit. These days, it’s more likely to be a chicken from the market. Here’s the recipe (photo © Joshua Swigart | Wikipedia.

[4] When you see how many ingredients go into authentic Mole Poblano, you may be checking Latino grocers and specialty food for ready-made. Here’s the recipe from Latino Foodie (photo © Latino Foodie).

[5] Check out this quick and easy Penang Curry from Tastes Better From Scratch. Here’s the recipe (photo © Tastes Better From Scratch).

[6] Chunky scallion-ginger sauce from Good Eggs (photo © Good Eggs).

[7] Teriyaki chicken breasts (photo © McCormick).

[8] Butterflied leg of lamb with chermoula sauce (photo © Australian Lamb).

March is National Sauce Month, the perfect time to share this article.

Good Eggs calls their article Around the World in 8 Sauces.

These aren’t the only international sauces you should consider. Here’s a more extensive list.

Our goal today is to provide some inspiration: sauces that can give new pizzazz to your everyday cooking.
 
 
1. AJÍ VERDE FROM PERU

Ají is a spicy chile that’s very popular in Peruvian cuisine. Ají sauce is “like the Latin American version of Sriracha,” says Good Eggs.

While there are green, red and yellow ají chiles and sauces, ají verde (green) is the most popular, served with roast chicken, grilled or seared meat and fish.

An herbaceous sauce, the addition of cilantro, lime and jalapeño add heat and zest to just about anything. (It’s the pale green sauce in photo #1.)

Try it on ceviche/tiraditio, enchiladas, huevos rancheros, or as a substitute for tomatillo salsa.

Use a dollop as a colorful garnish for chili or black bean soup, and on top of the sour cream or crema garnish for them.
 
 
2. BUFFALO SAUCE FROM BUFFALO, NEW YORK, USA

Buffalo wings have become an American snack staple.

Some people use Frank’s Hot Sauce (or other brand) straight; others blend the hot sauce with butter.

Good Eggs makes their own version of Buffalo Sauce (photo #2). Bay Area residents can purchase it from Good Eggs.

Their recipe is a secret, but combines white wine vinegar, unsalted butter, red bell pepper, yellow onion, jalapeño, honey, garlic and salt.

 
Think beyond the chicken wing!
 
 
3. CACCIATORE SAUCE FROM ITALY

Cacciatore is Italian for hunter, so to prepare something “alla cacciatore” means “hunter-style.”

The sauce was so named because it was how hunters would prepare the game that they caught that day—typically, a rabbit.

Today a cacciatore dish is most often a quartered chicken from the market.

The rustic sauce (photo #3) is made with tomatoes, onions, olives, bell peppers and red wine.

Here’s a recipe for Chicken Cacciatore.

You can thin the cacciatore sauce with broth or more wine for braises, or reduce it for a pasta sauce.

Or, just heat the sauce and serve with grilled chicken or fish.

In Italy, fare la scarpetta means to sop up all the sauce left on your plate (or in the pot) with bread.

Cacciatore is served with warm, crusty bread for this purpose.
 
 
4. CHERMOULA SAUCE FROM MOROCCO

Chermoula is a North African sauce, traditionally used with seafood.

A mix of fresh herbs and spices, it can be a marinade or a finishing sauce for both fish and meat.

We like it to serve it with roasted lamb (photo #8).

Chermoula is also delicious with grains and roasted vegetables.

Mix it with plain yogurt to make a Middle Eastern-inspired dipping sauce, or thin it out with a bit of olive oil for a bright salad dressing.

You can mix up chermoula from cilantro and extra virgin olive oil, seasoned with chili flakes. coriander, cumin, paprika, sea salt.

Here’s a recipe.
 
 
5. MOLE POBLANO SAUCE FROM MEXICO

There are numerous types of Mexican mole sauces. Regional preferences result in different ingredients, colors and degrees of heat.

Mole poblano is famous for the smoky, sweet flavors of the poblano chiles, blended with unsweetened chocolate, fruit, almonds and warm spices.

The result: a rich, earthy sauce that can serve as the foundation of many recipes—grain, meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables.

Use mole sauce to dress roast vegetables or grilled meats, to braise chicken or pork, and with enchiladas and tamales.

You can also use mole to marinate firm fish like swordfish, or as an alternative to barbecue sauce for Mexican-style pulled pork.

Here’s a recipe for mole sauce.
 
 
6. PENANG CURRY SIMMER SAUCE FROM THAILAND

Penang curry sauce blends classic Thai spices like coriander, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, and aromatic ginger with coconut milk and fish sauce.

Balancing salty, citrus, and sweet flavors, it’s a mild curry meant for beef or pork, but it it’s also delicious with with chicken or tofu.

Good Eggs sells a Penang Curry simmer sauce.

If you’re not in their delivery area, check at your local specialty food store.

We’ve never made Penang curry, but we have enjoyed it often, at Thai restaurants.

If you want to make it at home, here’s a recipe for Penang Curry that looks very good (photo #5).
 
 
7. SCALLION GINGER SAUCE FROM CHINA

Good Egg’s scallion ginger sauce is different from the ginger scallion sauce that’s usually served with Chinese dumplings.

Their ready-to-buy sauce (photo #6) is a thick paste of scallions, canola oil, ginger and salt.

It goes with any savory dish, from poached chicken to grilled veggies, lettuce wraps and more.

Simply add garlic to this mix, says Good Eggs, and you’ll have the “holy trinity” of Cantonese cooking: a base for stir-fries or almost any sautéed dish.

 
Here’s our recipe for classic Chinese restaurant style ginger scallion sauce.

Bring on the dumplings, or a bowl of rice or other grain!
 
 
8. TERIYAKI GLAZE FROM JAPAN

The word “teriyaki” actually refers to a style of cooking in which meat is coated with the sweet and salty sauce, then roasted over an open fire.

Today, the word applies to the sauce and anything cooked with it (photo #7).

A simple teriyaki sauce is made from soy sauce, mirin, sugar and ginger.

Some cooks—and the Good Eggs Kitchen—substitute honey for the refined sugar.

And they reduce it into a glaze.

Teriyaki is traditionally meant to be a cooking sauce, but when reduced to a glaze, you can also:

 
Here’s a recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce.

Are you inspired?

We hope this “world of sauces” will make your proteins, grains and veggies sing.
 
 
This article was adapted from one © Good Eggs, Around the World in 8 Sauces.

March is National Sauce Month.

The sauce most used in American homes is tomato sauce—for pasta, pizza, eggs, meatloaf, soup base, dipping and so much more.

However, tomato sauce/pasta sauce is one of the biggest sources of hidden added sugar in prepared foods.

Look at the labels of the foods you buy: both the grams of sugar per serving and the serving size.

Check out the sugar in these popular tomato sauces:
For example:

 
And on and on. You can check more brands’ sugar content here.

According to the American Heart Association:

 
That includes not only the sugar you put onto oatmeal and into tea, but the hidden added sugars, which can comprise the majority of sugar grams consumed daily.

Added sugars are those sugars that have been used by the food industry to enhance a food’s flavor. These are processed sugars, compared to the natural sugars in a piece of fruit.

Natural sugars are digested more slowly and help you feel full for longer. Refined (processed sugar) can spike your metabolism stable.

Plus, why add to your 40g of daily sugar when you don’t have to?

That’s why we’re highlighting three pasta sauces for National Sauce Month.

 
There are other sauces out there that meet these criteria. But in our particular supermarket, we don’t find them on the shelf.

Instead, we head to natural foods and specialty foods markets and stock up. And, online ordering!

In alphabetical order, we present:
 
 
JAR GOODS

These are gourmet sauces, in that they can dress the most elegant dishes.

The line was begun by two sisters-in-law. With initial investment of $150, they bottled a family recipe by hand and began to sell at farmers markets and street fairs.

Their grass-roots efforts were a success, and today the line—bottled in a food packaging plant—includes:

 
The Classic Red, Classic Spicy and Vegan Vodka sauces are certified OU Kosher/Pareve. The Vodka sauce contains cream.

Here’s a store locator.

You can also buy directly from the website.

And if you like to bring little gifts to friends and family, these slender jars look great with a bow or ribbon.
 
 
OTAMOT ESSENTIAL SAUCE

Otamot is called Essential Sauce because it sneaks in 10 vegetables and their nutrients. And no one is the wiser.

The main ingredient, of course, is tomato. Otamot is tomato spelled backwards.

Otamot was created by the parent of a picky eater, who set out to create a more nutritious tomato sauce, a food his daughter would eat.

Starting with the concept of tomato sauce, he found a way to add a nutrient boost to meals, including vitamins, minerals and fiber.

The solution: a tomato-based sauce combined with ten other vegetables.

It’s full of flavor, and a great way to sneak in vegetables that the vegetable-averse will never suspect.

But you don’t have to be vegetable-averse to love this sauce: It’s delicious for everyone.

There are three varieties:

 
The sauces are gluten free, no sugar added, Non GMO, USDA Organic, high in fiber, and have 3 grams of protein per serving.

We made it a Top Pick Of The Week (here’s our review).
Check out the website, OtamotFoods.com, for a store locator and online purchase.
 
 
THE JERSEY TOMATO CO.

The brand, made from Jersey tomatoes, has Top Chef Head Judge Tom Colicchio as the brand’s official partner and culinary consultant.

The brand’s emphasis on vine-ripened, garden-fresh taste and naturally healthful attributes.

The sauces are very chunky. Varieties include:

 
The line is certified kosher by KOF-K.

Head to JerseyTomatoCo.com for more information and online sales.
 
 
Are you ready to get saucy?

[1] Jar Goods’ four varieties of tomato sauce (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Jar Goods).

[2] Use it anywhere, including shakshouka: eggs cooked in spicy sauce.

[3] The classic: spaghetti and meatballs.

[4] Otamot: a tomato sauce with 10 additional “hidden” vegetables for more nutrition (photos #4 and #5 © Otamot Foods).

[5] Get creative: Here’s Otamot on tacos.

[6] The Jersey Tomato brand is made from—you guessed it!—Jersey tomatoes (photos #6 and #7 © The Jersey Tomato Co.).

[7] Comfort food!