Spring produce adds intense flavor to soups

This Bisque of English Peas is topped with crab and mint.

Recipes

An emerald bisque with a texture so luscious you’d never guess it was made without cream. A chunky chowder rich with the earthy flavor of fresh potatoes and the pungent sweetness of green garlic. A shrimp broth enlivened by artichokes and gnocchi perfumed with fresh spring herbs.

During the winter months, cooks work to get flavor – roasting, caramelizing, simmering for hours. Now, with vibrant spring produce in the markets, that same intensity of taste is ours for the asking.

Green garlic slender as scallions, artichokes no bigger than a billiard ball, potatoes with skins so tender you can rub them off. Just add water, indeed.

Spring soups made from these ingredients come together in a flash. They can be made low in calories and even vegetarian without diminishment of flavor. And they allow improvisation. The good news is you can make a spring soup from just about any vegetable.