Or, food for a spring weekend.
For folks on an academic calendar, Spring is actually the season of endings and wrapping things up before the Summer term and the new beginnings of the Fall. It is a bit backwards. I mean, I suppose beginnings and ending are inevitably connected, but Spring has always felt more like an exhausted stumble towards a finish line rather than a time of springing-forth with new life and growth. But maybe it’s unrealistic to expect all springing forth to be effortless and frolicsome?
This salad is food to feed your spring season, however it is playing out in real time. It is light and full of seasonal flavors and produce, but also fortifying and robust enough to give you some ballast for the road ahead.
Also, it is probably the prettiest salad I have ever made. Mother’s Day lunch? Baby or bridal shower? Easter weekend? This has you covered in the “food for company” department.
- about 8 oz or approximately 2 cups of frozen baby peas
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- a handful of finely chopped mint
- 1 bunch of asparagus, fine stems rather than fat ones
- pinch of butter
- 1 head of butter lettuce, torn into leaves and washed (or something like baby gem would work here as well)
- 2 oz feta cheese
- Cover the peas with water in a small pot. Bring to the boil and turn off the heat.
- Make the dressing: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, sugar and mint in the bottom of a large bowl or serving platter. Stir a bit to combine and dissolve the sugar.
- Drain the peas and add them to the dressing. Toss to coat and leave to marinate for about 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the asparagus. Snap off the woody ends and lay flat in a skillet. Cover with water and bring to the simmer, then turn off the heat. Leave in water for 5-10 minutes until just tender, depending on the size and thickness of the asparagus. Crisp is good here. Drain and toss with a pinch of salted butter until everything is lightly coated.
- Add the lettuce leaves to the peas, tossing and scooping some peas into most of the little lettuce cups. Add the asparagus, draping it everywhere you have space.
- Finally, crumble the feta over the top.