Seasonal vegetables are natural supplements and just see how healthy, tasty dishes can be made from what we usually throw away.

Artichokes, asparagus and radishes bring the scents and flavours of spring to the table. The international programme “I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe” not only promotes their consumption and export, but seeks to reintroduce zero-waste cooking, in which nothing is thrown away, and delicious dishes are made with scraps.

Let’s start with artichokes, (a Mediterranean plant with Middle Eastern origins), known to the ancient Egyptians and popular throughout Europe for their dietary and phytotherapeutic attributes. In his writing, Pablo Neruda defines the artichoke as a “warrior with a tender heart”, which perfectly describes this vegetable, which “wears” an armour of thorny, tough leaves, but has a tender and flavoursome soul. Artichokes are considered “functional” foods, i.e. they can be beneficial, as part of a healthy diet, because they contain bioactive compounds, which protect against the risk of developing certain diseases. A study by researchers from the Universities of Bari and Foggia, published in March 2024 in the journal “Nutrients”, showed that “The artichoke, a plant commonly used in the Mediterranean diet and traditional medicine, contains several bioactive compounds. Various studies have demonstrated its potential as an anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective agent due to its phytochemical composition. The observations reported in this review indicate that compounds extracted from artichoke could facilitate the protection against various inflammatory diseases, thus suggesting their use as a dietary supplement in combination with conventional therapies.” In the kitchen we can use the outer leaves of the artichokes, which are usually discarded, but which with the right recipe can be enjoyed as a side dish. Simply steam or blanch them, then season with melted butter or mayonnaise; or add feta cheese, black olives and oregano, and make a new version of Greek salad.

Let’s turn to asparagus, a spring vegetable par excellence: whether green, white or purple, they are delicious and good for you. Their history is rooted in antiquity; it seems they were eaten in prehistoric times, as well as by the Egyptians. The Greeks consumed them for their aphrodisiac properties, the Romans thought they were an effective contraceptive. It is also said that the Roman emperors had special ships called “asparagus” to guarantee their supply. Asparagus spears are considered a natural diuretic because they help detoxify the body and combat cellulite, by reducing the build-up of excess fluids in tissues. Asparagus performs an even more vital function for heart sufferers: in fact, eaten frequently, it helps eliminate water that remains in the tissues due to low cardiac activity and cannot be expelled normally. Now to the kitchen and a way to use asparagus following the zero-waste advice from “I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe”.

Don’t throw away the stalks! Clean them well, cut them in half lengthwise, breadcrumb and fry them; or use them to flavour a broth – they are rich in mineral salts and release all that fantastic asparagus taste. They are also excellent for enriching soups, creams and purées: sauté the stalks with a little onion, carrot and celery, then add a potato cut into cubes, a pinch of salt, deglaze with white wine and cover with hot water. Cook until the potato has softened, add a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and a little cream, and you have a delicious soup.

And now on to radishes, with their characteristic pungent flavour. They were already enjoyed at the time of the construction of the Pyramids; the Egyptians ate them accompanied by cloves of garlic. The Greeks and Romans also appreciated their virtues and used them as medicine to calm coughs and aid digestion. Radishes are part of the family of cruciferous vegetables, such as turnips, cabbage and rocket. There are different varieties, and they come in various shapes and sizes: red, white, black, purple, round and elongated.

They are rich in mineral salts, vitamins B and C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. They boast a “calming” effect and have digestive, purifying and diuretic properties. They increase the body’s antioxidant defences, strengthen the immune system and fight inflammation. They are important for the synthesis of collagen, a protein that forms the structure in connective tissues.

Now back to the kitchen again. This zero-waste recipe is a super fresh radish pesto, which is prepared in minutes with radish leaves, feta cheese and pepper. Wash the leaves and radishes, put them in a blender with the chunks of feta and a sprinkling of pepper and blitz until you get a velvety cream. This is a light and healthy pesto, for dressing salads or spreading on croutons to accompany an aperitif.

Enjoy. It’s from Europe!