It's Spring!

The weekend promises to be gorgeous. This is the time to get your hands on some peas, mint, asparagus, and all those other lovely things that grow in Spring. And, since Passover is going to be over as of Saturday evening, peas are back on the menu! Yay!

Asparagus & Peas

1 bunch pencil asparagus, chopped into 2 inch pieces
3 cups peas, shelled
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
juice & zest of 2 lemons
3 TB fresh dill
3 sprigs marjoram
2 TB fresh parsley
3 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
mint, for garnish
3 TB olive oil
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel and dice the potatoes, and combine with half the oil. Spread onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Toss gently, and turn the pan, then bake an additional 15 minutes.

While the potatoes bake, toss the asparagus in the remaining oil. Throw it into the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. When everything is done cooking, toss together with the shelled peas (if using frozen, just run them under cold running water for about 3 minutes). You want the peas to cook in the residual heat of the hot veggies.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Juice and zest 2 lemons. Add to that the marjoram, the parsley, the dill, and salt and pepper to the lemon juice. Add the sliced red onion, and toss gently to coat. Let the onions sit in the lemon juice until the veggies cool down to room temp. When everything is at room temperature, toss gently with the dressing, and adjust the salt as necessary.

This dish absolutely requires the freshest of peas, of asparagus, and of herbs. When you eat it, you'll have the creamy roasted potatoes, the bright bursting peas, the earthy herbs, and the twang of the lemon. If you have it, this is also an excellent time to throw in some chopped fresh mint to really bump up the flavour.

Enjoy your Spring!