Jess and Robin make a Spring Feast

Last night Robin was in town so we made dinner together, of course. Whenever we are together we cook. I picked up some of my favorite springtime vegetables-asparagus, fava beans and fresh English peas. Those made up our side dish of a really simple spring vegetable sauté. Robin brought over some crab, my husband rolled out some fresh pasta and in no time we had a feast!

Spring Vegetable Sauté
Serves 4

1/2 pound fresh fava beans, shelled and blanched and shocked*
1/2 pound fresh English peas, shelled and blanched and shocked*
1 bunch asparagus
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 tablespoons mint, chopped
1/4 cup feta, crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup good quality olive oil

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the vegetables and sauté for a minute or two. Then add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until the vegetables are cooked through. Toss in the mint. Remove from heat stir in feta and serve.

*Once you shell the fava beans, there is a thin shell surrounding each bean. To remove it, you want to blanch and shock them. First, drop the favas into boiling water for a minute or two, then shock, but placing them in a pot of ice cold water. When they are cool enough to handle, you can squeeze the favas from the shell.