Bacon Polenta with Asparagus, Pea Shoots and Mint

There’s something so exciting about seeing asparagus in the grocery store. Not the humongous, borderline steroidal-looking specimens that are available throughout the winter (aka non-asparagus season), but the elegant and poised, slender green beauties that appear this time of year. It means spring is here! It means artichokes, fava beans, and baby spinach are on their way! And in a phenomenon rarely seen outside the produce department, the quality of seasonal asparagus improves considerably while the price drops dramatically. I don’t know a whole lot about economics, but I do know that I like spending less money on better produce.

A couple days ago at the produce stand, not only did I snatch up some lovely asparagus, but also a bunch of pea shoots (also known as pea vines). Haven’t heard of pea shoots? They are the tender leaves and vines of pea plants, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Not surprisingly, they have the flavor of sweet, vegetal flavor of fresh peas and are a great source of vitamins C, A, and K.

When I got home I decided to whip up a lunch of the sautéed veggies. I added some bacon and mint (classic pea-pairing flavors) and served the whole lot over some bacon flavored polenta. The perfect combination of fresh spring flavors balanced with creamy, smoky polenta for sustenance, make a great almost-vegetarian meal (the bacon lends a great flavor, but this dish can be made without it) and would make a nice brunch dish or even dinner. Might I suggest adding a poached egg or a little roasted chicken?

Welcome back spring, it’s good to see you again. 

Bacon Polenta with Pea Shoots, Asparagus and Mint

To make this dish vegetarian, skip the bacon and just use butter instead of the bacon fat.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the polenta:

4 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup coarse polenta

For the vegetables:

1 lb asparagus

1 lb fresh pea shoots

4 pieces of smoked bacon

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

3 tablespoons mint, chopped

extra virgin olive oil and black pepper for serving

Make the polenta: Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium sauce pan, then whisk in the polenta and turn the heat down to low. Cook the polenta for 25 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to ensure the polenta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. When cooked, cover and set aside.

Steam the vegetables: Take one asparagus spear and bend it until it snaps; line the asparagus up with the snapped one and trim them all to match the first one. Discard the lower stems or use them in soup. Cut the asparagus on a bias into 1 inch long pieces. Steam the asparagus for 2 minutes, then shock in ice water until cool and then set aside. The asparagus should be bright green and slightly tender but still crisp.

Wash the pea shoots thoroughly, then cut them into 1 inch sections. Steam the pea shoots for two minutes, then shock in ice water until cool, squeeze gently to remove excess water and then set aside. The pea shoots should be bright green and slightly tender but still crisp.

Cook the bacon: Cook the bacon over medium heat in a small sauté pan until it is crisp and has rendered its fat; remove the bacon to a plate to cool, then finely dice. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat into the cooked polenta and reserved any extra in a small bowl. Pour ¼ cup of water into the bacon pan and cook over high heat until simmering, scraping any bacon bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour this “bacon stock” into the polenta, whisk thoroughly, and then taste for seasoning. Set aside the bacon polenta until ready to plate.

Sauté the vegetables: Heat a large sauté pan over high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the remaining bacon fat (or vegetable oil if there isn’t enough), the diced bacon, garlic, and the steamed vegetables. Sauté the vegetables for two minutes until they are hot and tender-crisp, then add 2 tablespoons chopped mint and taste for seasoning.

To serve: Spoon a mound of the bacon polenta into the middle of a plate. Top with some of the vegetable mixture, some of the remaining mint, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and black pepper (if desired).