Spring is here, and there’s no better time to visit Rome. The weather is mild, there are lots of events around town, and best of all, plenty of delicious vegetables and fruits are on offer in Rome’s many open-air markets and farmer’s markets. Here are just a few suggestions for what to eat to satisfy your taste buds:
Agretti
They may look quite simply like grass, but these Mediterranean succulents are delicious, vitamin-rich, and simple to prepare. Normally found in the coastal regions, they thrive in saline soil and embody a rich flavor that is slightly reminiscent of Japanese sea algae.
To prepare: After removing the roots and rinsing, simply steam or boil them for five to seven minutes. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon, add a touch of pepper, and you’ll be in for an exquisite treat.
Wild Asparagus
photo source: ##http://www.greenheartofitaly.com/newsletter/05_10/may10_news.html##greenheartofitaly##
You might be surprised at how expensive wild asparagus are compared to the cultivated kind, but this long, thin variety has a knack for hiding amidst brambles and bushes, so foraging them requires an expert eye. They have a strong and slightly bitter flavor, which is probably why they are hardly ever served in and on their own as a vegetable dish. More often, they are used in
frittate, and as part of
risotto and pasta dishes where they blend deliciously with flavors from the sea. In fact, you can often find specialities like
risotto con gamberetti e asparagi selvatici (risotto with shrimp and asparagus), or
spaghetti alle vongole e asparagi selvatici (spaghetti with clams and wild asparagus) served in restaurants around Rome.
Fava
The fava, or broad bean, is popular in Mediterranean cuisine, and used in many spring and summertime dishes. Amenable to different kinds of preparation, they can be pureed or sauteed, used in soups or salads, or quite simply, eaten raw. Romans traditionally eat raw fave and pecorino cheese on the first of May to mark Labor day, ideally with a good bottle of wine, and under the shade of a tree in the Roman countryside. Apulians like to puree fave with wild chicory, and serve them as an antipasto along with toasted bread.
Radicchio
photo by ##http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Radicchio_from_Venice.jpg#file##Marieke Kuijjer##
The radicchio is another flexible vegetable that comes in many varieties and finds its way into diverse recipes. The raw radicchio is distinctly bitter, which adds a hearty zing to salads and blends particularly well with honey, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, gorgonzola and pear. When eaten grilled, mixed in risottos, or stuffed in strudel or duck, the bitterness cooks out and you’re left with a slightly sweet taste that easily compliments stronger flavors.
