Bite Of Minnesota: Spring Vegetable Sauté

It's refreshing to transition from store-bought produce to market-bought produce as more markets open up in the Twin Cities. Last weekend brought the opening of the new Linden Hills Market along with the St. Paul suburban markets and this weekend we'll see the Uptown Market open for even more chances to stock up on local produce.

With temperatures into the 80s this week, that means we'll say good-bye to asparagus and hello to strawberries. My husband grabbed a few pounds of asparagus at the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Nicollet Mall last week and we've been on an asparagus spree. One pound was used for grilling (one of my favorite ways to cook asparagus) and another pound was used in a spring vegetable sauté using green onions, spinach, asparagus and cashews. It's inspired by one of my favorite blogs, 101 Cookbooks.

It comes together really quickly, so have everything prepared ahead of time. It is finished with a squeeze of lime juice, a couple tablespoons of hoisin sauce, and a spoonful of sriracha for a spicy kick to counter the tanginess of the lime and hoisin.

Spring Vegetable Saute
(serves 4 as a side dish)

2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cashews, chopped
2 large handfuls of spinach (or arugula)
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp sriracha (hot chile sauce), to taste
Kosher salt

Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add toasted sesame oil, asparagus, green onions, ginger and garlic. Toss to combine and cook for two minutes or until asparagus is tender. Add cashews and spinach and toss until spinach is wilted. Season with lime juice, hoisin sauce, sriracha and kosher salt to taste and transfer to a serving dish. Serve warm alongside teriyaki flank steak or chicken, spicy black beans, or tofu.