Instructions: Food to match spring should be spirited and green, like this brightly seasoned sweet pea and spinach potage alongside a colorful red onion, orange and sugar snap pea salad.

The trouble with spring is its a good reminder of everything we cant have.

Spring is on our minds, so food to match it should taste spirited and green.

As the weather warms and garden catalogs crowd the mailbox, heads fill quickly with dreamy thoughts of fresh vegetables piled high in farmers markets.

Too bad, because the produce has yet to catch up with these fantasies. With even early-harvest fruits and vegetables a ways off, we can still make do with what we can find. That doesnt mean resorting to a can opener or the freezer section.

The trick to fresh - and refreshing, vegetables - this time of year is to work with what is available and supplement it with produce that packs punch when preserved or stored.

A great place to start is fresh greens. Good-quality greens, from peppery mesclun mixes to sweet bunches of spinach or kale, can be found in most grocery stores year-round.

To liven up the greens with a burst of summer flavor, grab a jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, a few cloves of garlic and a few tablespoons of capers, those small, olive-like delicacies that have a salty bite.

Saute the greens in a bit of olive oil until just wilted. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the greens along with the garlic and capers. Saute a few minutes more, then toss with pasta.

Fresh herbs are another way to add the taste of a warmer season to your dishes. Most grocers now stock good-quality fresh herbs all year, ranging from parsley to thyme and sage to lavender. Use whatever fresh herbs are available to make original versions of pestos, to give pizzazz to pasta and steamed vegetables.

Traditional pesto recipes call for basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Cant find basil yet? Try a combination of dill and parsley.

Dont eat dairy? Soy Parmesan works fine, too.

To make pesto, combine in a food processor or blender all the ingredients (in a roughly 2-to-1 ratio of herbs to other items) except the oil. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pulse-chop. Continue adding oil and pulsing until the mixture is a thick paste.

To give pesto depth of flavor, no matter what time of year you make it, lightly toast the pine nuts before grinding them. To toast, toss them in a dry skillet over medium heat for several minutes, or until they begin to brown. Stir frequently.

For other inspired ideas for using seasonal produce, turn to Ursula Ferrignos "Gusto Italiano: Quick and Simple Vegetarian Cooking" (Bay

In her arugula and fig salad (which see), Ferrigno relies on the sturdy, peppery taste of one of the earliest spring greens to balance the sweetness of plump figs.

If fresh figs are hard to find, use dried. Soak them in warm water for 30 minutes, or until tender throughout. They wont look as attractive as fresh, but the taste will make up for their appearance.

Also, try sprinkling toasted pine nuts on the salad just before serving.

Alternatively, for a culture clash, give the salad an Asian twist and sprinkle it with lightly toasted sesame seeds.

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