Will spring feel like spring? I hope so. My calendar shows that it starts on March 19 this year and I’m in the mood for longer, warmer days. This primavera (“spring” in Italian) salad from “Mildreds Vegetarian: Vegetable Focused, Delicious Food” by Daniel Acevedo and Sarah Wasserman (Hamlyn), sings of the season, showcasing sugar snap peas, asparagus, and peas. Fava beans are part of the mix as well, but looking for a preparation shortcut, I use thawed frozen edamame.

The recipe calls for making ricotta from scratch. Again, I take a shortcut, using whole milk ricotta from the supermarket or natural food store, adding minced lemon zest as suggested for a flavor punch.

Primavera Salad

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chilled whole milk ricotta

Minced zest of 1/2 lemon

12 fresh asparagus spears, tough woody ends torn or cut off and discarded

Olive oil and salt

2 cups fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and de-strung

1  cup frozen peas, defrosted and patted dry with paper towel

3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed and patted dry with paper towel

Handful of fresh mint leaves, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 lemons, minced zest and juice, see cook’s notes

3/4 cup light olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

3 to 4 cups pea shoots or mesclun (mixed baby greens)

Cook’s notes: When making the dressing, use the juice from one lemon initially. Taste and add addition lemon juice if needed.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour off any liquid at the top of the ricotta. Combine ricotta and zest in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Place asparagus in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Roast in preheated oven until tender-crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Cool and cut each spear in half crosswise.

3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil on high heat. Add sugar snap peas and cook until tender crisp, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and refresh with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel.

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4. Prepare dressing: In a lidded jar, place mint, garlic, zest, juice, oil, salt, pepper, mustard, and sugar. screw on the lid and shake vigorously to combine. In a large bowl, toss asparagus, sugar snap peas, peas, and edamame with enough dressing to generously coat. Add pea shoots or mesclun and gently toss. Taste and add more dressing if needed. Divide between plates. Top each serving with several dollops of ricotta and serve.

Source: Adapted from “Mildreds Vegetarian: Vegetable Focused, Delicious Food” by Daniel Acevedo and Sarah Wasserman (Hamlyn)