Joy of the freezer: Last year’s produce can create these dishes for a sumptuous spring meal

Regular readers of this column know that I’m a passionate advocate of seasonal eating. It’s usually easy and doesn’t involve any deprivation — quite the opposite, in fact. Late March may be the exception. Once known as the hungry month, it was the time of year when root cellars were empty and preserved food was running low. It was still too early for harvesting, hunting or fishing. Simply, there wasn’t much to eat.

These days, refrigerated shipping ensures that everything is available to us all year round. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good for our bodies or the planet or that it will taste as it should. Plenty of research has demonstrated nutrient loss after harvest. For instance, a UC-Davis study showed that most vegetables lose 15% to 77% of their vitamin C within a week.

A bit of planning and a chest freezer can change that calculus. I still have last year’s berries, kale and asparagus tucked away. All were frozen on the day they were picked, sometimes blanched, then vacuum-sealed before freezing. I used them recently in a cooking class to create a meal bursting with flavor and nutrients. Texture is usually the barrier between frozen and fresh produce, but choosing the right recipe makes all the difference.

In this case, we made spring vegetable risotto with greens, cheese-stuffed chicken and triple-berry crumble for dessert. The children and the adults were proud of the results, and nobody went hungry.

• Leslie Meredith is the winner of the 2019 Cook of the Week Challenge and teaches people how to grow and cook “real” food. She runs Farmhouse School on a historic homestead in Campton Hills. See the school’s Facebook or Instagram pages @FarmhouseSchool or contact Leslie at food@dailyherald.com.

Spring Vegetable Risotto

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 cup Arborio rice

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

4 cups spinach or 5 ounces frozen spinach

1/2 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed

1/2 cup frozen asparagus, slightly thawed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 a lemon, zested and juiced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and stir. Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente (tender, not mushy), about 20 minutes.

Add the spinach, peas and asparagus and stir until the spinach wilts or vegetables have thoroughly warmed. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, butter and lemon juice. Serve topped with extra Parmesan and lemon zest.

Serves 4

— Leslie Meredith

Greens and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3 pounds total)

Fine salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

12 ounces frozen greens (spinach, chard, kale), thawed and squeezed with a clean towel to remove moisture

1 small sweet onion, grated

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1½ tablespoons grapeseed oil

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

If chicken breasts are fat, slice them horizontally into two thinner cutlets by placing a hand on the meat and carefully slicing through. Cut a 3-inch opening into the side of each piece using a similar technique, but do not go all the way through or cut the full length of the breast. Pat dry with paper towels and season well on both sides and inside the opening, with salt and pepper.

Combine cream cheese, mozzarella, greens, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Spoon into the pockets of each chicken breast.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot and shimmering. Add the chicken and allow to cook, undisturbed, for 5-7 minutes. Do not crowd the pan. Use two skillets or cook in batches if necessary.

Flip the chicken and add butter to the skillet. Swirl it around and cook chicken for another 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the skillet and allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing in half, crosswise and serving.

Serves 4-6

— Leslie Meredith

Triple Berry Crumble

4 cups frozen berries (not thawed)

3 tablespoons sugar

½ cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

Zest from 1 lemon

Pinch of salt

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the berries, sugar, 3 tablespoons of flour, zest and salt. In a different bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar and remaining flour. Cut in the butter, using a pastry cutter or two knives, until crumbly but evenly mixed.

Pour berry filling into a baking dish. Top with oat crumble and spread evenly.

Bake on the center rack for about 1 hour or until the topping has turned a golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling. Cool before serving with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 6

— Leslie Meredith