Among the season’s many other tantalizing attributes, spring is a herald to long-awaited fresh produce—from fragrant herbs to tender greens—and nowhere is spring produce fresher than at your local farmer’s market. Look for stalls that sell organic produce, but don’t eschew fresh, local food for imported organics from the grocery store. Those juicy, ripe strawberries (grown by the farmer whose name you know) make a much better pie than the organic strawberries picked early and shipped in from another country.

Our recipes showcase the best of early- spring produce. Delicate, sweet onions are caramelized into a quiche. Tender greens are tossed lightly with a shallot dressing, and new potatoes dusted with spring herbs are at once a light and hearty side dish. A creamy, tart rhubarb cake crowns the meal.

Sweet Onion Quiche
Serves 6 to 8

Even the hungriest of men will find this hearty quiche with bacon and sweet, caramelized onions up to par. This dish involves several steps, but you can make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature if you wish. Use a fresh cheese from your farmer’s market if you can find it.
 
- 9-inch pie crust (homemade or refrigerated ready-to-bake)
- 1 medium sweet onion, halved and
thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 eggs
- 11/2 cups milk or half-and-half
- 2 cups grated cheese
(Swiss or white cheddar)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 strips of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Line a 9-inch pie pan with pie crust; trim and crimp edges of pastry. Set aside.
3. Cook onions, butter and sugar in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl; stir in milk, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Layer onions in pie crust and pour egg mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle with bacon. Bake quiche for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is just set. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Spring Green Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Serves 6

This simple salad complements and offsets the richness of the quiche. Look for fresh greens such as spinach, lettuces, dandelion, watercress and arugula. Use a gentle hand when drizzling the vinaigrette; a light coating allows the taste of the fresh greens to shine through.
 
- 8 cups fresh spring greens (about two small bunches)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper