Spring is finally here in Oregon, which means fresh flavors, bright colors and sunny days ahead. Our meals should reflect the season’s changes, too. If you’re ready to ditch winter’s heavy comfort food, these quick and tasty recipes are perfect for spring.
Lemon Possets
Originating in Great Britain, possets can be traced back to medieval times when milk was curdled with wine or ale and flavored with spices for medicinal purposes. Since then, possets have evolved into a classic British dessert with bright flavors that are perfect for spring.
To make these easy Lemon Possets from Natasha’s Kitchen, you will only need 3 ingredients: lemons, heavy whipping cream and sugar. After boiling the whipping cream and sugar in a saucepan, you simply add the lemon juice and divide it into your lemon shells or ramekins.
If you are looking to add an extra cherry on top, fresh raspberries, a lemon slice or mint leaves can make these possets even more fitting for the spring.
Caprese
Caprese, or Insalata Caprese (Capri salad), originated in the early 20th century from the Isle of Capri, Italy. It was designed to represent the colors of the Italian flag (red, white, and green), with its iconic ingredients of tomato, mozzarella and basil. The dish gained popularity in the 1950s as a light springtime meal.
In addition to its typical, colorful ingredients, caprese often includes fresh olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt as a garnish. It’s commonly served as “antipasti” in Italy, also known as an appetizer.
To make the dish, slice the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella and assemble them in a circle, alternating mozzarella and tomatoes. Wash and separate the basil leaves, and place them on top of the produce. Lastly, sprinkle the assembly with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Raspberry Lemon Scones
If you’re looking for an easy sweet treat this spring, these scones are perfect: they’re simple, delicious and leave a memorable impression.
This recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction is both versatile and capable of making any type of scone you wish. But for this spring, raspberries and lemons work perfectly together. Once the dough has been made, knead in some freshly-grated lemon zest and either fresh or frozen raspberries. If using fresh berries, though, a little more flour might be needed to prevent it from sticking to your hands and the counter.
If you’re looking to add a little more sweetness and detail, think about making a lemon icing for the top: a simple two-ingredient syrup will work perfectly. Next, whisk together powdered sugar and a little lemon juice, and drizzle the icing over the scones—but be sure to wait until they’ve cooled down beforehand, as you don’t want melted icing.
Salad Rolls
Salad rolls, also known as fresh spring rolls or summer rolls, are a traditional Vietnamese dish that originated in Southern Vietnam. They are a non-fried alternative to the typical spring rolls, wrapped in rice paper and consisting of fresher ingredients.
Usually, salad rolls contain lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, avocado, fresh herbs and rice noodles. Oftentimes, they also include various proteins such as prawns, shrimp, pork belly, chicken or tofu. They are served cold, sometimes cut in half, often alongside a sauce: most commonly a peanut butter or fish sauce-based dip.
Cherry Buns
While sweet buns are a fan favorite across the globe for many occasions, these Cherry Buns from Cuisine Fiend are a perfect breakfast or snack item to add to your repertoire this season. Using three versions of cherries (glace cherries, dried cherries and cherry jam), this sweet bun is full of flavor.
First, make the dough, which is a mixture of flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, vanilla extract, eggs and butter, all mixed with the dough hook of a stand mixer, before leaving it out to proof. While you can also knead the dough by hand, the dough can be quite sticky, making it a time-consuming process.
Then, for the most exciting part, you split the dough into three parts and roll out each section of the dough into long, flat rectangles. Afterwards, the cherry jam, glace cherries and dried cherries are spread along the rectangles before they are tightly rolled up.
After splitting the rolls into three, they are placed in the pan, brushed with melted butter and left again to proof. Finally, the tops are brushed with beaten egg and some remaining cherries then placed in the oven. While they are delicious and warm, right out of the oven, these buns also freeze wonderfully and are easy to defrost and have for breakfast.
We hope you enjoy these easy and fresh recipes, perfect for brightening up a spring day. Happy baking!
