What British Produce Is In Season In March?

March straddles two seasons: winter and spring. As such there is little British seasonal produce that really defines the month. But there is one delicious exception.

Wild Garlic Season

Wild garlic is the best thing about British seasonal produce in March. Good news: it is abundant in woodland across the UK. The leaves are young and tender at the start of the month and are delicious raw in salads. If you can’t get them really fresh try making your own wild garlic butter: it will liven up the dreariest of vegetables. There are rules and risks to foraging so be sure to follow the code.

First Taste Of Spring

Towards the end of the month you might find watercress in farmers’ markets and farm shops. This peppery leaf is wonderful on its own or in a soup with a swirl of cream and wild garlic croutons. It makes a fantastic change to the winter root vegetables and brassica family greens.

Winter Vegetables Are Easy To Buy

Winter vegetables that are the staple of seasonal British produce are still available at most supermarkets. This makes them super easy to source and use. However, the flavour tends to be a bit hit and miss this time of year.  Carrots, for example, don’t have the sweet, fresh crunch of autumn and cabbage tastes – well cabbagey. And watery.  But imports don’t have much flavour either, so March is a month to experiment.

Flavour Boost Meat And Vegetables With Herbs And Spices – Or Cheese

Bay leaves are rich in vitamins A, B6 and C. They add a wonderful savoury boost to soups and stews. But they also give an unusal twist to meat pan-fried in butter. Black garlic has umami, truffle qualities that will  enhance March mushroom dishes. Honey and chili give a lovely sweet and spicy kick to pretty much anything.  Although we focus on British ingredients at Marasby, we love spices as much as anyone. And March really is the month to turn dull vegetables into exciting curries.

If curry isn’t your thing, almost everything tastes better with cheese! In the UK we have hundreds of varieties to choose from – try Mayfield instead of Emmental, or Old Winchester instead of Parmesan.

What English Wines Go With March Seasonal Produce?

Pinot Noir:

Pinot Noir from England can vary in style depending on the producer, vintage and region.   But most will have earthy undertones that pair well with seasonal ingredients.

• Griddled turkey breast with garlic mushrooms
• Roast chicken
• Beef wellington

Chardonnay:

Whether your preferred style is crisp and fresh or rich and oak-aged, March is great month for pairing English seasonal food with English Chardonnay.  These dishes work brilliantly with an oak-aged style.

• Cauliflower and broccoli with pumpkin seeds and a blue cheese sauce
• Dover sole with plenty of butter.

English Sparkling Wine:

It’s cod season and for the ultimate British delicious experience pair locally caught cod and English Sparkling Wine.

• Watercress soup with plenty of buttery cheese straws
• Home made onion rings
• Crispy pan fried cod