Saturday, May 5^th is the first Farmers’ Market of the 2012 season at the Muskingum County Fairgrounds. From 9:00am to Noon you will once again be able to purchase local vegetables, plants, flowers, meats, cheeses, baked goods, and a variety of other products. Come out not only to shop but to catch up with all of those market friends you haven’t seen since last fall.

The weather has been very unusual this spring. Who would have guessed that March would be warmer than April? It seems like a lot of the early veggies I planted at the end of March such as lettuce, peas, and radishes, stagnated in the cold weather and barley grew during April. But now as the temperatures have warmed back up heading into May, plus some much need rain that has fallen this week, things have started to shoot up. There are so many tasty things to look forward to in the next few weeks.

One of the first spring vegetables that you are sure to find at market this week is asparagus. Nothing beats the fresh taste of asparagus that is locally grown. Being in season for such a short period, I suggest you get to market early to purchase a bundle or two.

My friend Janelle just sent me a tasty new asparagus recipe she got from a blog she follows (101cookbooks.com). The dish calls for a tahini dressing to be added to the dish after it is cooked. The dish is good with or without the dressing, so if you are like me and don’t have any tahini in the cupboard, you can skip the dressing. I substituted two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and a splash of Worcestershire sauce instead. Also, just so you know, it took me more than ten minutes to make this—more like thirty. I must be a slow cook.

Ten Minute Tasty Asparagus and Brown Rice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 14-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
3 cups pre-cooked brown rice
1 cup almond slivers, toasted
fine grain sea salt

Tahini Dressing:
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside. Add olive oil to a big skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and sprinkling of salt. Let the beans sauté there for a couple minutes (try to get some crusty color on them). Add the garlic and onions. Stir for a minute. Stir in the asparagus with another pinch or two of salt, cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam - just until the asparagus brightens and softens up just a bit. Uncover and stir in the rice and almond slivers. Taste and add more salt if needed (likely). Serve family-style in a big bowl drizzled with a few tablespoons of the tahini dressing; let each person add more dressing to their tastes. Serves 4-6.