Spring veggie medley with snow peas
This beautifully green dish of snow peas, fresh peas, asparagus and chives is served warm, bathed in a French-Asian fusion sauce. Preparation is very quick. The veggies are boiled or steamed for just a few minutes to retain a bit of crunch and preserve their color.
For best results, start with peas in the pod — easy to find in the spring and early summer. The quantities below will serve two people.
1/4 pound (125 g) snow peas
2 large handfuls of peas in the pod, or 1/4 pound (125 g) shelled fresh peas
8 green asparagus spears
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh chives
Rinse the snow peas, slicing off the stem ends if necessary. Shell the peas. Rinse the asparagus spears and chop into bite-sized pieces, discarding the woody ends.
In a medium bowl, mix together the olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Stir well to emulsify. Taste and adjust as desired.
Boil or steam the veggies until just tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain.
Combine the veggies with the sauce. Snip the chives over the bowl. Stir to coat well.
Serves 2.
Variation: If you prefer, you can omit the sauce and instead briefly sauté the veggies in butter once they are tender, adding the chives at the end.
