SPRING

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, words like seasonal and locally sourced may as well have been a foreign language. We didn't think much about which vegetables were being harvested just a few miles from our suburban home, or which fruits were reaching their perfect juicy peak on the trees of Long Island's orchards. In my family, we ate frozen corn in the winter and bought our tomatoes — usually flown in from California — at the Key Foods all year long.

What changed that mindset, for me, was discovering New York City's greenmarkets. That first fresh, sugary-sweet pea, popped from the pod and eaten raw — right there in the veggie stall — sent me swooning. Shopping seasonally made me increasingly attuned to the way produce shifts from month to month, and those changes now inform the way I cook.

Starting in mid-April, after dropping my son off at school, I often head to Union Square, where New York City's largest greenmarket is in full swing four days a week. After enduring months of brutal cold, I feel as though I've come alive again, right in sync with the tender shoots pushing their way through the thawing earth. I'm always in awe at the lush transition: Whereas just a month earlier, the stalls were filled with potato after potato, suddenly there are bright green fava beans, ramps, and asparagus. I tend to get a little carried away and buy too much. Some people spring clean, but I spring market!

This time of year we crave something lighter than winter's long braises and cozy flavors, but haven't reached the point of completely avoiding the oven. We want the best of both worlds, the raw and the cooked. For lunch, I might pull out my mandoline and slice up paper-thin wisps of raw fennel for a vibrant salad. For dinner, I might roast asparagus and radishes, dousing them in a tangy mustard sauce.

As April turns to May, my family begins to spend more time at our home in Amagansett, where I plant my herb garden, nestling the little plants into the fertile soil. I always seem to hurry home from the nursery and dig right in with my hands, emerging a few hours later happy as a clam despite my mud-splattered white jeans and the clods of earth stuck under every nail.

When I'm not tending to my own (very modest) crop, I love to spend time at Amber Waves, the picturesque, eight-acre organic farm where I collect my weekly CSA box. I catch up with the farmers and explore the fields, picking the first dainty strawberries and snipping fragrant lavender sprigs. I always leave inspired by the energy invested in growing this beautiful food — and feeling a renewed sense of connection to the community I'm so lucky to be a part of. And of course, I can't resist sharing my spoils with friends. Perhaps I jump the gun a bit by firing up the grill at the first hint of warm weather, but spring lamb chops practically beg to be flame kissed. I invite a crowd, fill the house with blooming quince branches, open the windows, and breathe deep. Finally, it's spring.

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA

Starting in late spring, I tend to have a steady stream of friends staying at my house in Amagansett, so I've learned to embrace an all-day mindset when it comes to entertaining. Guests appreciate a beautiful breakfast just as much as — if not more than — a fancy dinner. Frittata is one of my favorites. Fast and easy, it's a great vehicle for showcasing spring greens — and using up leftovers from the night before. If you're pressed for time, frittata can be made ahead and served room temperature. Just spruce it up with a handful of torn herbs before serving. Feel free to sub zucchini for the spinach here, or replace goat cheese with ricotta. And spare yourself the anxiety of getting the finished dish to release perfectly onto a platter — I slice mine directly in the cast-iron pan.

SERVES 6

½ pound (225 g) baby potatoes
(6 to 8)
10 large eggs
1/3 cup (75 ml) crème fraîche
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, white and pale green parts
only, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and
thinly sliced crosswise
1 spring onion or scallion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 cups (40 g) lightly packed baby
spinach
3 ounces (85 g) goat cheese

FOR GARNISH
1 handful fresh parsley or cilantro
1 handful chopped fresh dill
1 handful chopped chives,
with blossoms, if available
½ lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a saucepan, boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain and when they are cool enough to handle, thinly slice the potatoes.

Whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, and salt.

In a cast-iron or nonstick 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leek and onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted. Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the egg mixture. Cook for a few minutes, pushing the eggs toward the center of the skillet as they cook. As you work, be careful not to break apart the potatoes. Once the eggs have set on the bottom, dot the top of the frittata with goat cheese. Place the skillet in the oven and cook just until the frittata has set, 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove the frittata from the oven and cool slightly. To serve, garnish with fresh herbs and lemon zest.

SMOKED SALMON TOAST WITH RED ONION AND HERBS

Little toasts are one of my favorite nibbles to serve guests, and of all the many varieties I've put together over the years, this is the one that gets gobbled with the most ferocity. People go crazy over smoked salmon! Of course, the appeal here goes beyond the fish — there's also the cooling lemon crème fraîche, the sharp, tangy pickled onion, and the refreshingly crunchy cukes. The elements truly harmonize. On weekends when I suspect I'll have friends around, I often make the components in advance so these toasts can be assembled in a pinch for an elegant, impromptu brunch.

MAKES 4 TOASTS

FOR THE PICKLED ONION
½ cup (120 ml) cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced

FOR THE LEMON CRÈM FRAÎCHE
½ cup (120 ml) crème fraîche
1 lemon, grated zest and 1 tablespoon
juice
Salt and freshly cracked pepper

FOR THE TOAST
4 slices good-quality crusty bread,
such as whole-wheat sourdough or
pumpernickel
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 (4-ounce/115-g) package smoked
salmon
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into
¼-inch-thick (6-mm-thick) rounds
1½ tablespoons capers
1 small handful fresh dill, torn
1 small handful fresh mint, torn
Chive blossom flowers
Freshly cracked pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Make the pickled onion: In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, honey, coriander seeds, and salt to a boil. Place the onions in a...