Spring vegetables are particularly awesome -- not just because they taste great (and they do) but because it's the first time in six months that we are able to eat, fresh locally grown produce again. 

This winter was particularly long, cold and snowy. The ground froze nearly three feet down.  So when the thaw started, the water tables were extremely high. Two months later, they remain high, which is why we are able to have lush green lawns and vibrant spring flowers with very little rain.  

The spring has been especially kind to the asparagus.  I went out into the field with my friend Sue (she runs Pine Hill Farm in Blooming Grove, NY)  to help her pick asparagus this week.  When I took my CSA share home, I ate it right raw, right out of the bag-- it was so tasty! 

One of the easiest ways to cook asparagus is on the grill.  Here's how I do it...

Sue's asparagus was so tender that it didn't even need a trim, but if yours is woody at the bottom, take a peeler and shave off the skin at the bottoms.  

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of Asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put the cleaned, dried asparagus into a long flat dish with 2" sides.  Season them with salt and pepper and coat them with the oil and vinegar.  Let them sit for about 20 minutes while you preheat your grill.  

Add them to a very hot grill and watch them carefully because they can burn quickly.  Remove them at the early signs of caramelization.  Return them to the oil and vinegar marinade and serve.  

In a previous blog post, I began to extol the virtues of the Craftsy platform.  I first found it while searching for a bread workshop with Peter Reinhardt. Well, after having such a positive experience with Peter's class, I decided to take another one.  This time I tried Nancie McDermott's Everyday Thai Cooking.  

One of her lessons included instructions on how to make Beef Sliders with a Thai sweet and spicy sauce.   Her burgers looked lovely, but her buns were store bought.  So I decided to make my own.

For the buns, I used Peter Reinhardt's Sandwich Bread recipe and shaped the dough into slider-sized rolls.  I then brushed them with an egg wash and topped them with sesame seeds.  

For the sliders, I decided to change things up a bit and use lamb instead of beef.  I don't want to post Nancie's recipe without permission, so please take her class to gain access to it.  The burgers, the cilantro pesto (mixed into the burgers) and the absolutely amazing Thai sweet and spicy sauce are all included in the class materials. 

It's definitely worth it.  These sliders were off the charts!