Spring is tough for Idahoans who grow our own food or who try to support local farmers: while warmer regions of the country are happily tasting their first strawberries, we’re still stuck at the end of the hungry gap, that period when winter’s stored foods are running out and the new year’s crops have just begun to grow.

Farmer’s markets often have limited produce at this time of year, but salad greens, fresh herbs, asparagus, a few overwintered vegetables and stored or prepared foods will be available — maybe even peas, if growers took advantage of our mild winter and planted extra early. Also available are vegetable starts and nursery plants, with their promise of fresh food and flowers later in the summer.

Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing recipes that use ingredients found at the Caldwell Farmers Market, with a focus on local farmers, community, seasonality and sustainability. The trickiest part of helping others eat seasonally is navigating the hungry gap while the aforementioned California-grown strawberries are appearing in grocery stores — large, bright red temptations.

To that end, meet the genus Allium, which includes domesticated onions, leeks, garlic, spring onions, scallions, shallots, chives and hundreds of wild species.

Onions, leeks and garlic store well and Alliums of all kinds will overwinter in our gardens, providing succulent green growth when we need it most. Their flowers are also highly ornamental — usually globes in shades of white, purple and pink — and are a valuable addition to any functional landscape, especially considering their pest-repellant powers. Nestle a chive or bunching onion into a corner of your vegetable bed and you’ll be able to enjoy their flowers and tasty greens for years to come, all the while providing nectar for pollinators and the predatory insects that protect your veggies from pests.

Our Allium and potato soup is an open-ended variation of classic leek and potato soup, giving you the freedom to use whatever Alliums you can find in your garden or at a farmers market, even if you stick with the familiar leeks and onions. Also included is the potato, another locally-grown staple. Your choices will make the soup unique to this season and this area, which is one of the most exciting aspects of eating!

Allium & Potato Soup

• Start to finish: 40 Minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups any combination of fresh Alliums with leaves attached (leeks, spring onions, green onions or scallions), equivalent to 2 large or 4 medium leeks
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ½ cup coarsely chopped onion
• 4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 3 cups boiling water, chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 2 cups hot milk or water

Method:

• Cut leeks in half lengthwise and then into ½-inch slices. Wash and dry. Cut smaller leafy Alliums into ¼-inch slices.
• In a heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, add leafy Alliums and onion, cover pan and cook over low heat until white Allium slices are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent browning. Add potatoes, salt, black pepper and 3 cups boiling water or stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes.
• Add 2 cups hot milk or water and remaining butter or margarine. Serve hot, garnished with chopped chives, parsley, crumbled bacon or grated cheddar cheese, or serve with a grilled cheese or ham and cheese sandwich to create a heavier meal.

(Originally published with the Idaho Press-Tribune on 5/13/2015.)