Crunchy Asparagus and Pea Salad

At the risk of being a tedious New Englander, I'm going to talk about the weather. It really is noteworthy this week. Six days ago, as I was contemplating which side dish to bring to my book club meeting, my priority was using as little heat as possible since it was 87 degrees and I don't have any air conditioning yet. Yesterday, the temps dropped by 40 degrees, it was pouring rain, and just like that it was bourbon weather again. On those days in between, I got in picnic mindset with variations of crunchy veggie salads and refreshing gin cocktails. So, here we are on probably the worst Memorial Day weekend weather that I can remember, but at least I now have some time to log these recipes.

This is the dish I brought to book club to accompany the delicious doughy pizzas Lisa got at Tendercrop Farm. This platter practically screamed "SPRING"! This was an exciting gathering for us because, while we have been meeting during the pandemic, we've done it either virtually or spaced out in someone's yard, sans food. It is so so so nice to be sharing food with others again. I cannot put enough of an emphasis on how happy I am to be doing this. I think we'll need to make up for lost time, so I want to be picnic ready. Stay tuned for more dishes to put in your picnic basket. 

To know me is to know that I adore shelling peas. I've mentioned this before, but there is something about seeing them all nestled together inside their pod that I find comforting. I also adored the characters in the book we read for this meeting for similar reasons. Perestroika in Paris was my choice and I was pleased to find that most of the book club gals had a similar experience to mine when reading it. It was laugh out loud funny at times and the interaction between the characters was so endearing. I should point out that it is told from the perspective of a race horse. While some members of my book group were skeptical at the start, they were soon won over by: the curiosity of Paras; the clever problem solving by Frida the shorthaired pointer; the strong opinions of Raoul, the raven; the quibbling of Sid and Nancy, a husband and wife team of mallards; and the antics of a father and son pair of rats. If you need an escape, this group of eclectic characters where there is just enough drama to keep it interesting is just the thing. 

In addition to the ladies enjoying the book, they also liked this salad and I will definitely make it, or a variation of it again. The avocado dressing is versatile and easy to make. Here's the link to the original recipe from Love and Lemons

Crunchy Asparagus and Pea Salad

2 bunches of asparagus, ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup of shelled fresh peas or frozen peas

4 radishes, sliced thin

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)

chopped mint for garnishing

1 tblspn olive oil 

1 tblspn lemon juice

salt 

pepper 

Avocado dressing

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pit removed

juice from 1 lemon

tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

3/4 cup water

1/2 tspn salt 

pepper - a few shakes

Salad

1. Boil a pot of salted water. Add the asparagus and peas and cook for a minute or two, until the asparagus is tender but still bright green. Drain and rinse with cold water to arrest the cooking. 

2. In the bottom of a mixing bowl, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the asparagus and peas and mix. Transfer mixture to a serving platter. 

3. Garnish with pine nuts, radishes, mint and feta if using. Drizzle with the avocado dressing. Mix just prior to serving.  

Avocado dressing

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency.