Anyone who tends a vegetable garden will animatedly tell you about the joy that accompanies the first harvest of the spring crop. Anytime the garden offers up a bounty is cause for satisfaction, but spring is especially special, as row upon row of tiny green leaves begin to pop through black soil that had been bare for months.
In her new “The Vegetable Gardener’s Cookbook” (Page Street Publishing, $21.99), author and founder of vegetarian blog the Perpetual Season, Danielle Majeika, presents a collection of 75 vegetarian recipes that place the harvest front and center on the plate.
Charred Snap Peas with Chive Vinaigrette and Whipped Ricotta is ripe for this time of year. A fast turn over a hot stove gives tender snap peas a slightly smoky flavor, and a toss in a lemon-chive vinaigrette perks them up. Majeika gets creative by presenting the sweet peas over a layer of airy ricotta that holds unexpected but well-matched ingredients: fresh mint, grated lemon zest and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Served over flatbread or as part of a brunch spread, it’s an elegant homage to snap peas.
Not only is the recipe about as simple as they come, it’s also brilliantly fast. The dish comes together in less than 15 minutes. It’s just a matter of multi-tasking: Whip up the vinaigrette and the ricotta while the snap peas are sizzling on the stove.
What are you waiting for? Snap to it!
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