March seasonal update

From highly flavoured hake to versatile spinach and visually striking blood oranges, read our market seasonal report and be inspired by Chefs' favourite ingredients this march

A scent of spring is in the air

Chefs love to forage, and nettles, gorses, wild garlic and chickweed are just a few of the UK's most prolific wild plants. They start appearing mid-February and grow through spring and summer; they are easy to locate, cook, and they are highly versatile. 

Why not to start adding some wild plants and edible flowers to your recipes? Take a look at this beautiful and colourful egg and asparagus dish made by John Barber, 

Cooking with blood oranges

One of the more visually striking of the citrus family, blood oranges sadly don't grow in the UK, but flourish in temperate climates of the Mediterranean. Their sweet flavour and bright colour make them the ideal candidates for cutting into "supremes," or sections with the outer pith removed.

The most common varieties of blood orange are Moro, a deep red, slightly bitter orange; Ruby, (which, despite its name, isn't very red), Sanguinello, which is sweet, has few seeds and and bears red streaks; and Tarocco, which are very sweet and easy to peel, but inconsistent in colour.

Mainly used in desserts to balance the sweetness. Have a look at Chef Tom Jeffrery’s orange pannacotta with pistachio, fig chutney, honeycomb and dehydrated orange, and Chef Shane Davies-Nilsson’s chocolate with Sicilian blood orange (54% dark chocolate cremieux, blood orange curd & ice cream).

When is halibut in season?

A white-fleshed fish found in the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans. The largest flat fish, stocks in the Atlantic are becoming depleted so organisations dedicated to sustainability, such as Seafood Watch, recommend eating halibut from the Pacific Ocean. Halibut has a very low fat content compared to other fish. It is available most of the year round, but comes into its own in March.

Check out how chef Adam Jackson from The Old Deanery in Ripon creates a Halibut recipe with a white wine and dill sauce:

Alternatively be inspired by our archive collection of halibut’s recipes:

       • How should you cook halibut? We have some great halibut recipes for you!

How to cook CAULIFLOWER

Throughout the year, cauliflower can be harvested in both summer and winter, with March marking the midpoint between these periods.

Originally hailed as a brain food, cauliflower is rich in vitamin C, essential for maintaining a healthy immune system to combat illnesses and flu. Additionally, it serves as a source of folic acid. Eight florets or 80g equate to one portion towards fulfilling your 5-a-day.

With its remarkable versatility in cooking methods, cauliflower has become a culinary favourite in recent years. It can be transformed into a rice-like texture, mashed, roasted, boiled, or even grilled akin to a steak.

Head Chef Michael Balding roasts cauliflower as a side alongside a yeast puree, almond, pickled raisins for a marmite glazed mackerel, while Senior Chef de Partie Calvin Williams makes a cauliflower goa.

What goes well with wild salmon?

Although farmed salmon is available throughout the year, wild salmon only appears on the market starting in February to March. One of the most popular food fishes, salmon has high levels of protein, fatty acids and vitamins which are all essential to our diet. This recipe pairs the fish with cucumber, honey and soy vinaigrette.

Cook Donna Kelly makes some zucchini fritters with smoked salmon creamed cheese capers red onion and dill and Head Chef Thomas Lemercier pairs salmon with ginger, smoked tuna vinegar and soy-marinated egg yolk.

What’s the best way to cook celeriac?

Available from September to April, celeriac, commonly known as celery root, is precisely that – the hefty root bulb of the celery plant. Classified as a root vegetable, it can be enjoyed raw or cooked. It stars in traditional dishes such as celeriac rémoulade, a refreshing salad akin to coleslaw, as well as contemporary creations like gratins or purées, offering a lower-carb alternative to potatoes.

Chef Jason Cummins creates a turnip ravioli, confit turnips, celeriac crisps and sage butter emulsion recipe. We also found an archive video of British Chef Richard Phillips create a seasonal beef recipe with celeriac. Watch the video here:

The Tanner Brothers, Head Chefs at The Kentish Hare delighted all the guests at the February Networking lunch, a couple of weeks ago, with a smoked celeriac recipe. Read more about other seasonal dishes from the networking lunch menu: The Staff Canteen Live 2024: Lunch at The Kentish Hare.

Why is hake a great substitute for cod?

Highly favoured in Italian, Spanish and French cuisine, hake is long and slender and makes for a great steak or loin supreme. Though similar to cod, its firmer, fleshier texture means it can hold its own better than its flaky counterpart.

Head Chef Thomas Lemercier cooks hake with mussels, kohlrabi, turnips, mushroom consommé and pickled wakamé, while Head Chef Barry Liversidge prepares a scottish hake, mushroom, pancetta and pea fricassee, thyme creamed potatoes and red wine sauce recipe.

From our archive, watch 3-Michelin star Chef Elena Arzak create her hake and chocolate truffle dish:

HOW to eat Jerusalem artichokes

Regarded as in season until March, Jerusalem artichokes should not be mistaken for globe artichokes. Belonging to the sunflower family, Jerusalem artichokes are prized for their small, knobbly underground tubers, which are consumed. These tubers, sweet and succulent, pair well with various flavorings and are commonly featured in soups or served as side dishes.

Watch Michelin-starred Chef Seamus Sam creating a Jerusalem artichoke terrine with mandarine dressing:

A very late winter / early spring dish featuring most of seasonal ingredients is Head Chef Sam Lewis’ Brixham halibut with Jerusalem artichoke, confit leeks and smoked bacon beurre blanc.

Inspiration for spinach dishes

Another vegetable which can be bought 12 months of the year, spinach is at its best from March to September.

Great raw on its own or as part of a salad, the green plant is regularly found accompanying main dishes and is a rich source of iron, many vitamins, calcium, essential acids.

       • Recipe for egg florentine with smoked salmon, spinach and roe

Another great spinach dish is this spinach and ricotta tortellini dish bound in a cream garlic and parmesan sauce created by our new Member of the Month, Mike Tudor or a parmesan gnocchi, wild mushrooms, spinach, tender stem broccoli, charred spring onion, black truffle, feta, chives recipe created by Head Chef Barry Liversidge.

These are just few of the delicious recipes with seasonal ingredients that our members have posted on their TSC accounts. You can do the same for a chance to be featured in our next seasonal update! Additionally, don't forget that posting a recipe, photo, or video of your culinary creation can enhance your prospects of being chosen as the Member of the Month. Join in and showcase your culinary prowess!

Are you using any seasonal ingredients in your menus? Upload your pics and recipes to our Chef+ mobile app for a chance to be featured on our next seasonal update!