Peas, mint and lamb with a twist — just add pita
On the one hand, shelled green peas are a vibrant vegetable that brings freshness to the plate. But they also have a deeper, more substantial side, with beanlike qualities: a savory undertone, satisfying starchiness and rich protein content.
The accompanying recipe puts all the peas' assets to work by whirring them into a rich, creamy hummus that is lighter in texture than a chickpea hummus, subtly sweet and gloriously green.
You make it by simply placing peas (boiled until tender if fresh, defrosted if frozen) into a food processor with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, salt and a little water, and processing until smooth. You can serve the hummus in a pita sandwich or with vegetables for dipping as a fun, seasonal alternative to regular hummus.
This preparation goes a step further, making the spread into a sumptuous main course by using it as a bed for juicy chunks of lamb that can marinate for as little time as it takes to make the hummus (15 minutes).
The meat is lean and quick-cooking, so it grills up in minutes, and that makes for an easy rush-hour dinner. Alternatively, you can make the hummus up to three days in advance and let the meat marinate in the refrigerator for up to eight hours, so the dish is also do-ahead friendly.
Once together on the plate, the smooth pea hummus and chunks of lemon-garlic-infused, chargrilled lamb are showered with chopped fresh mint leaves and drizzled decadently with extra-virgin olive oil. Served with warm pita, the dish is a satisfying twist on a favorite spring trio of lamb, peas and mint.
• Ellie Krieger's newest cookbook is “You Have It Made: Delicious, Healthy, Do-Ahead Meals” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016). She blogs and offers a weekly newsletter at www.elliekrieger.com.