March is a tricky pin in the seasonal calendar, with energising winter citrus fading and spring’s stars yet to emerge. It’s a time when I find pleasure in reappraising ingredients that are routinely overlooked. Spring onions, say, which are often considered a garnish, but which are good for so much more. Their contrasting colourway is a clue to their varying intensity, with the white roots holding pungency and the greens more akin to especially bolshie chives. Today’s recipes harness the properties of both, bridging the gap between the current need for comfort and the warmer weather ahead.

Spring onion soup with spiced pumpkin seeds and tortilla chips (pictured top)

Thanks to the soured cream, lime and a topping of spiced pumpkin seeds and broken tortilla chips, this springy riff on leek-and-potato soup leans in a Mexican direction. Its vibrancy screams spring, and the topping adds texture. Feel free to double or triple the quantity of the spiced seeds; they’re an excellent snack.

Prep 10 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4

For the pumpkin seeds
50g pumpkin seeds
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chipotle chilli powder, or smoked paprika
1 pinch sea salt

For the soup
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
300g spring onions, trimmed, white and green parts finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2 medium floury potatoes, peeled and cut into medium dice
700ml vegetable stock
2 big handfuls baby spinach
Juice of ½ lime
2 tbsp soured cream, plus extra to serve
4 handfuls tortilla chips, broken up, to serve

First, make the spiced pumpkin seeds. Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5. Put the pumpkin seeds, oil, cumin, chipotle and salt in a bowl and mix well to combine. Spread out the pumpkin seed mix in a single layer on a baking tray, then roast for 12 minutes, until toasted. Remove and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, start on the soup. Put the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and, once it’s hot, add all the spring onions and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, until they start to colour. Add the garlic, cook, stirring, for a minute more, then add the potatoes and cook, still stirring, for about five minutes more. Add the stock, simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in the spinach and cook for two minutes, until wilted.

Blend the soup, ideally with a hand blender (if using a regular blender, take great care and don’t fill it past the halfway point). Stir through the lime juice and soured cream, then ladle into bowls and garnish with the pumpkin seeds and a handful of broken tortilla chips per bowl.

Chicken wings with spring onion and ginger sauce

Helen Graves’ chicken wings with spring onion and ginger sauce.

This recipe riffs on the classic Cantonese ginger scallion sauce. The wings are tossed in a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, garlic powder and salt, then put in the fridge to dry out. This isn’t an essential step, but if you do have the time, it will make the wings browner and crisper. Any leftover spring onion sauce can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to two weeks

Prep 10 min
Chill 2 hr+
Cook 40-50 min
Serves 4

12 chicken wings, separated into drums and flats
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
3 spring onions, trimmed, white and green parts very finely chopped
30g fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
2 green chillies, stalks discarded, flesh finely chopped
1 pinch coarse sea salt
80ml vegetable oil
1 generous tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar

Pat the wings dry, then put them in a bowl with the bicarb, garlic powder and fine salt, and toss to coat. Arrange the wings in a single layer and not touching on a rack set over a foil-lined tray that will fit in the fridge, then chill uncovered for at least a few hours, or overnight.

When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9. Put the tray holding the rack of wings in the oven and roast for 40-50 minutes, turning once halfway, or until cooked through, golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Mix the spring onions, ginger, green chillies and a pinch of coarse sea salt in a heatproof bowl. Put the oil in a saucepan and heat it to 170C (or when a piece of spring onion sizzles immediately when dropped in). Carefully pour the hot oil over the spring onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the sugar, soy sauce and vinegar, stir again to dissolve the sugar, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Transfer the hot wings to a platter, drizzle spring onion sauce all over the top and serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.