Artichokes and asparagus add flavor, texture to spring meals

The heat and smoke of your grill will bring out a steamed artichoke’s subtle sweetness. The vegetable also plays well with another harbinger of spring: mild green garlic, which is harvested early, before the cloves form a head. Just add grilled slices of bread, fresh goat cheese and a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes.

•  3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 bulbs green garlic, bottoms trimmed, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced tender green tops, plus more tops for serving
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (each 6 inches long)
• 2 lemons, halved
• 4 large artichokes, such as globe
• Coarse salt
• 8 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 8 slices (1/2 inch thick) country bread, preferably sourdough

1. Combine oil, garlic bulbs and rosemary in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until garlic is golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Squeeze 2 lemon halves into a large bowl of water; add rinds. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove tough outer leaves closest to stem end, then trim pointy tips of remaining outer leaves with kitchen shears. With a serrated knife, cut off top 1 inch; with a paring knife, trim and peel stem. (Transfer to lemon water as you work to prevent discoloration.)

3. Set a steamer basket in a large pot; add enough water to reach just below basket and bring to a boil. Squeeze remaining 2 lemon halves into pot. Add artichokes, season with salt and cover. Steam until hearts are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let stand until cool enough to handle, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard fuzzy chokes.

4. Strain infused oil and discard rosemary. Mash garlic bulbs into a paste and stir into goat cheese with  1/4 cup infused oil, green garlic tops and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt.

5. Heat grill to high. Brush artichokes with infused oil; season with salt. Grill, brushing with more oil and turning a few times, until charred in places, 8 to 10 minutes. Grill bread, turning once, until charred in places, 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly brush bread with infused oil.

6. Remove artichoke leaves from bottoms; cut bottoms into slices and reserve leaves for eating separately. Slather grilled bread with goat-cheese mixture and top with sliced artichokes. Drizzle with more infused oil, sprinkle with more red-pepper flakes and green garlic tops, and serve.

Tip: Green garlic bulbs look like scallions; this time of year they’re available at many farmers markets. If you can’t find them, substitute the peeled cloves from a head of regular garlic and the green top of a scallion.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 414 calories, 31 grams fat, 23 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams protein, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 312 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 68 percent of calories from fat.

In this take on chimichurri — a green herb sauce for grilled meats that originated in Argentina — try softened butter instead of traditional oil. Use it liberally on asparagus stalks hot off the grill and on the full-flavored flank steak.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
•  1/3 cup packed finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup packed finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound thick asparagus, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound flank steak, room temperature

1. Heat grill to high. Stir together butter, shallot, parsley, cilantro and vinegar in a bowl; season generously with salt and pepper. Toss asparagus with 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Pat steak dry with paper towels, then rub with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Grill steak, flipping once, until charred in places and a thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a carving board and slather with some of the chimichurri butter; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grill asparagus, turning a few times, until charred in places and crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Thinly slice steak against the grain. Serve steak and asparagus, topped with remaining chimichurri butter.

Tip: Thick or thin? It’s a matter of taste rather than preference. Larger stalks of asparagus are easier to grill and also (surprisingly) often the most tender.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 249 calories, 25 grams fat, 5 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 62 milligrams cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 88 percent of calories from fat.

Chewy farro provides a hearty bed for pristine vegetables in this satisfying main-course salad. Raw baby artichokes, which have a nutty crispness similar to that of celery root, complement mild, tender white asparagus.

• 1  1/4 cups semipearled farro
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and 2 tablespoons fresh juice, plus 1 lemon, halved
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound baby artichokes
• 1 bunch white asparagus, trimmed, bottom two-thirds peeled and cut on the bias into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, sliced crosswise if large, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
• 6 ounces feta

1. Cover farro with 3 inches of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until farro is tender but still slightly chewy, about 25 minutes.

2. Combine lemon zest and juice, oil, onion, 2 teaspoons salt and  1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Drain farro and immediately toss with dressing. Let cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, squeeze remaining 2 lemon halves into a large bowl of water; add rinds. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove all tough outer leaves. With a serrated knife, cut off top inch; with a paring knife, trim and peel stem. Slice very thinly lengthwise. (Transfer to lemon water as you work to prevent discoloration.)

4. Drain artichokes; pat dry with paper towels. Toss with farro, asparagus, mint and dill. Serve with feta, drizzled with oil and garnished with more mint and dill.

Tip: “Baby” artichokes aren’t actually young — they just grow to maturity lower on the plant’s stalk (the big ones are on top). But they’re extra-tender and can be eaten whole.

Nutritional analysis per serving, based on 6: 313 calories, 15 grams fat, 34 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams protein, 25 milligrams cholesterol, 350 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 44 percent of calories from fat.