Holy s#%@! It's Spring

Please don't be offended by my blog title this week ( I'm mainly talking to my mother here), as it is a bit tongue in cheek. I attended a writing workshop recently where we learned about writing a catchy title and an opening sentence that would capture the readers attention. We were advised not to state the obvious. For example: "It's spring and strawberries and asparagus are in season". Well, I have been so worried about how to come up with an interesting way to introduce my spring veggie sauté, that I have almost allowed the entire season to pass me by. So, my writing  may still need some work, but my spring veggie saute is near perfection.

This particular mixture of veggies came together for a class at Cancer Wellness a couple of weeks ago.  I love the simplicity of it's fresh green taste.We served it up, warm,  on a bed of brown rice, as pictured below.  Leftovers can easily be reheated or served cold in a lettuce salad.  I also made a delicious fritatta with the same veggie mixture.

 

Don't let the bounty of springs fruits and vegetables pass you by.  Take advantage of the season's tender asparagus and fresh peas.  And don't forget the leeks.  This is an often overlooked vegetable.  A member of the allium family, leeks provide a mild onion flavor and a lovely texture when cooked.  I hope you will enjoy this versatile dish as much as I do.

 

Spring Vegetable Saute:

1 TB Olive Oil

3 leeks, cut crosswise, white and light green parts only*

1 cup Fresh or Frozen Peas (defrosted)

1 bunch Asparagus, cut into thirds

zest of one Lemon

1 garlic clove, grated on a micro plane

1/4 cup chopped Parsley

 

Step One:

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the leeks and stir to coat with the oil.  Next add the peas and asparagus and continue to stir gently for about 3-5 minutes.  The vegetables will start to turn a nice bright green when they are ready.  If you are a fan of overcooked southern-style vegetables, this is not the recipe for you.  This is more of a crispy stir-fried type dish.  They will soften a bit, but should still have a nice crunch as well.

 

Step Two:

Turn off the heat and grate the garlic clove directly into the pan along with the lemon zest and salt and pepper.  Stir to evenly distribute the seasonings amongst vegetables. 

 

Step Three:

Remove veggies to a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

 

Happy Spring and remember to keep every plate passionate, no matter what the season!

 

*Leeks are typically a very sandy vegetable, so it is important to make sure they are cleaned properly.  My favorite way to do this, is to cut off the root tip, then make a horizontaly cut through the leek, starting where the light green part begins and through to the end of the white tip.  Now you will be able to access the many different layers of the leek while you rinse under cool water.  You can cut the leek at this point as directed in the recipe and then give it a spin in the salad spinner to remove any excess water or sand.