When Passover comes early, but spring vegetables come late

As if cooking for Passover weren’t demanding enough, now many of us are doing our best to eat fresh, local and seasonal, too. Spring is in the air as the holiday approaches, but after this year’s brutal winter, spring vegetables are barely rooted in the ground.

The date for Passover slides around depending on the lunar calendar. The holiday can fall anywhere from late March to late April, making for big differences in what’s in season. This year, wouldn’t you know it, Passover comes early. The holiday begins the evening of April 3 with the first seder, the traditional holiday meal that welcomes the eight-day observance.

Even though nothing says spring like bright green spears of asparagus on the table, I have decided to resist those California imports this Passover — and seek out some mid-Atlantic Jewish farmers to find out what the people of the land are putting on their Passover tables.

My first conversation starts off discouragingly. “Coming out of our freezing February and early March, farms will be a little slow to wake up this spring,” says Tanya Tolchin, who with husband Scott Hertzberg owns Jug Bay Market Garden, a seven-acre organic vegetable farm in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Like other regional farmers, they are two to four weeks behind their typical planting schedule. As soon as the ground finally showed signs of thawing, the second week of March, Hertzberg was getting ready to plant. Green onions were at the top of the list. Because the onions can be harvested after about four weeks of growth, young ones are nearly always ready for Passover, along with radishes that can be pulled when they are smaller and, some say, sweeter. Parsley overwinters along with other herbs in the farm’s unheated hoop house.

These early spring arrivals gave Tolchin the idea of creating a colorful side dish for Passover with tender green onions, radishes and parsley as the stars rather than in their usual supporting roles in recipes.

As Hertzberg prepares the ground for planting, Tolchin gets excited about some of the weeds that are being dug up. Many of them are edible, she explains, and although Jug Bay doesn’t sell them, others do, and they can be found in some year-round farmers markets.

Chickweed got its name from being planted in the chicken yard as a natural feed. Tolchin uses it fresh in salads or steamed with lemon juice and tamari sauce. Sorrel, another edible weed growing wild around the farm later in the season, is popular among Eastern European Jews who prepare schav, a cold sorrel soup for hot weather.

Edible weeds and roots are also on Mike Tabor’s mind. Tabor and his wife, Esther Siegel, own the 60-acre Licking Creek Bend Farm, which he says grew out of a “diaspora kibbutz started by a bunch of hippies” in 1972 in the foothills of Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. The farm is Certified Naturally Grown (a program tailored to small-scale farms that has standards similar to organic certification but requires less paperwork), and Tabor, 72, who is considered a legend among younger farmers like Hertzberg, rotates his fields each year.

Tabor talks enthusiastically about the edible weeds and roots, such as horseradish, being dug up as the farm gets ready for planting. They are perfect bitter herbs for the ceremonial seder plate. Later in the season, he’ll sell lots of purslane, another edible weed that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids. Just remember, Tabor points out, that “even a tomato is a weed in a cornfield. A weed is just what’s in a field that you don’t want there.”

There’s no getting around the fact that much of the fresh and local produce available now isn’t so different from what was around at Thanksgiving and Hanukkah and, well, during a snowstorm: onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, various squashes and apples. For her seder, Siegel likes to roast chunks of sweet potatoes and squash, then drizzle them with a mixture of maple syrup (yes, a spring product) and Dijon or honey mustard. Another of the couple’s Passover favorites is a crunchy-soft apple crisp for dessert.

And what about those onions? “We plant thousands,” Tabor says, “so it’s one of the first things we wholesale and have at the farmers markets.”

Spring-Dug Parsnip and Celeriac Soup

4 to 6 servings (makes a scant 6 cups)

This soup has the taste of creamy spring goodness. Parsnips are among the few vegetables that can winter over in the earth. The cold turns the starch to sugars to keep the parsnips from freezing. The result is a spring-dug vegetable with a sweetness all its own.

Serve the soup warm or chilled. MAKE AHEAD: The soup can be refrigerated (without the cream) for up to 3 days. You might wish to thin it with a little extra water or milk. Adapted from Michael Docter at Winter Moon Roots in Hadley, Mass.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium or 5 small potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (11 ounces total)

2 spring-dug parsnips, peeled and cut into small chunks (6 to 8 ounces total; see headnote)

1 medium celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into small chunks (about 15 ounces)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

2 cups homemade or no-salt-added vegetable broth (may substitute water)

2 cups regular or low-fat milk

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, for garnish

1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until it is translucent but not browned.

Add the potatoes, parsnips, celeriac, the teaspoon of salt and the ground fennel seed; stir to incorporate. Cook for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the broth; cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender. Uncover and stir in the milk; reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring a few times, just until the mixture is heated through.

Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the mixture into a thick soup in the saucepan. Or, working in batches, transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender; if using the latter, remove the center knob of the lid (so steam can escape) and place a towel over the opening (to avoid splash-ups). Puree until smooth, then return it to the pot to warm through over low heat.

Taste, and season lightly with pepper and/or salt, as needed.

To serve (warm or chilled), ladle the soup into individual bowls. Garnish each portion with dill and, if desired, a drizzle of heavy cream.

Per serving (based on 6, using low-fat milk): 170 calories, 5 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar

Saute of Green Onions and Radish

4 to 6 servings

This quick and easy side dish highlights ingredients that more often play supporting roles. The flavors come together in fresh, savory bites. ost years, green onions, radishes and parsley are available at local farmers markets by early April.

Serve hot or at room temperature. Adapted from Tanya Tolchin at Jug Bay Market Garden in Upper Marlboro, Md.

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound green onions or scallions, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 pound small radishes, Easter egg or a red variety, trimmed and quartered

1 cup coarsely chopped curly or flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the garlic, green onions or scallions and the radishes; cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low; stir in all but a large pinch of the chopped parsley, plus the salt and the lemon juice. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the ingredients are just softened.

To serve, spoon the mixture into a shallow bowl and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Garnish with the reserved pinch of parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Per serving (based on 6): 110 calories, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar

Roz’s Lamb Stew

6 to 8 servings (makes about 16 cups)

This spring stew makes the most of seasonal root vegetables at a time of year when local produce can be hard to come by. Feel free to add more or less of any one of the vegetables, as you like. The dish has long been a Seder staple for Devora Kimelman-Block, chief executive of KOL Foods in Silver Spring, Maryland, who got the recipe from Roz Kram, kitchen manager for Tifereth Israel Congregation in Washington. Lamb on the bone, called for in this recipe, gives greater flavor. It can be ordered from KOLfoods.com, but if you can’t easily find bone-in lamb (including neck), you can add a roasted lamb shank to the pot. See the NOTE, below. MAKE AHEAD: The stew can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 or 2 days, and it can be frozen for up to 3 months.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat on the bone, preferably from Kol Foods, or 3 pounds boneless lamb, cut into chunks (see headnote and NOTE)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 medium turnips, peeled and chopped (about 1 pound total)

5 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

6 to 8 tender celery inner ribs (heart), chopped

2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped (about 1 pound total)

4 to 6 small potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (about 1 pound total)

10 cups homemade or no-salt-added chicken broth

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

Water, as needed

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Lightly season the meat with salt and pepper.

Once the oil shimmers, add half of the lamb and stir to coat. Cook for about 6 minutes or until it has browned on all sides, turning as needed, then transfer it to a plate. Add the remaining lamb and cook it in the same way (no need to add oil). Transfer to the plate.

Add the onions and garlic (to taste) to the pot; cook for about 2 minutes, using a wooden spatula to stir constantly and dislodge any browned bits on the bottom.

Reduce the heat to medium; add the turnips, carrots, celery, parsnips and potatoes, stirring to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then return all the lamb to the pot. Add the broth and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper, then pour in enough water so the meat and vegetables are covered by a few inches. Stir well and cover; once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Spoon the stew into a large serving bowl or high-sided platter, either with the bones (for an old-fashioned feel) or without. Serve warm.

• NOTE: If you’re using boneless lamb and want to add flavor, first place a lamb shank in a pan with half of a medium onion and a few cloves of garlic; roast in a 375-degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Add the shank when the rest of the lamb is returned to the pot.

Per serving (based on 8): 560 calories, 63 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 185 mg cholesterol, 320 mg sodium, 8 g dietary fiber, 12 g sugar

Sumptuous Duck Cholent

8 to 12 servings (makes about 16 cups)

Here, the cholent — an overnight-simmered, traditional Jewish dish of meat and vegetables — is treated to herbs and brighter flavors. The recipe comes from Gidon van Emden, who has worked as a cook and kashrut (kosher) supervisor for KOL Foods in Silver Spring, Maryland, and is now the company’s customer experience manager. The Amsterdam native loves to create dishes that remind him of his Dutch roots.

You’ll need a large slow-cooker. MAKE AHEAD: The dish tastes even better after a few days’ refrigeration. It can be refrigerated (without the parsley) in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat, covered, in a 300-degree oven until warmed through. Adapted from Gidon van Emden of KOL Foods.

2 cups dried cannellini beans (may substitute other white, creamy beans, such as yellow eye)

8 small to medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 whole duckling, cut into 6 pieces, or 6 duckling legs (5 to 6 pounds total)

1 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion

Cloves from 1 small head garlic, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (may substitute 1 tablespoon dried rosemary)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh savory (may substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons dried savory)

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Kosher salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

2 cups dry red wine

8 to 9 cups duck, chicken or vegetable broth, preferably low-sodium, at room temperature

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Place the dried beans in the bottom of a large slow-cooker. Scatter the potatoes on top of the beans.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the duck pieces. Sear on both sides, rendering as much of the fat as possible. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate; discard the skin, if desired.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet; strain and reserve for another use, if desired. Stir the chopped onion into the skillet; cook for about 5 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two.

Transfer the onion and garlic to the slow-cooker, spreading them over the beans and potatoes. Pack the browned duck pieces over the onion-garlic mixture. Sprinkle with the rosemary, savory and orange zest. Season with a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Pour the wine over the mixture, then add just enough of the broth to cover.

Cover and cook for at least 10 hours or overnight on the lowest heat setting (no stirring).

Uncover and taste; add salt and/or pepper as needed. Transfer the duck to a cutting board; use two forks to partially shred the meat or separate the duck into smaller serving-size pieces; discard the bones and the skin (if it wasn’t discarded earlier), if desired. Spoon the bean-vegetable mixture and broth onto a shallow serving platter and top with the duck. Garnish with the parsley; serve warm.

Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.

Passover Apple Crisp

6 to 8 servings

Warm, soft fruit with a crisp topping is always a comforting dessert. Even better, this dish is quick to make and provides a local-produce alternative to the berry desserts that are not so seasonal yet often served at Passover. It’s delicious on its own, or try it warm with vanilla ice cream or for breakfast with plain yogurt.

MAKE AHEAD: The crisp can be assembled and refrigerated a day in advance, or baked, cooled and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance. Cover and reheat in a 300-degree oven until warmed through. Adapted from Esther Siegel of Licking Creek Bend Farm in Needmore, Pa.

6 to 8 firm, medium-size apples, preferably Honeycrisp, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup matzo meal

3/4 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter substitute or margarine, melted (may substitute unsalted butter)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or casserole of equal volume) with cooking oil spray.

Spread the apple slices in the baking dish, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon.

Combine the matzo meal, almonds, brown sugar and melted butter substitute or margarine in a medium bowl, stirring to incorporate.

Scatter the mixture evenly over the cinnamon apples. Bake for 1 hour or until the crisp is bubbling and lightly browned.

Serve warm.

Per serving (based on 8): 210 calories, 3 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 85 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 26 g sugar