Artichokes and Peas

This recipe comes from Claudia Roden's cookbook, Invitation to Mediterranean Cooking: 150 Vegetarian and Seafood Recipes. And it is fantastic-- the flavors blend together so well. Plus, the preparation and cooking time are minimal. I'm not usually a fan of frozen veggies, but in this recipe they work (neither taste nor texture are compromised). Using frozen vegetables seriously saves time by cutting down on chopping... good news: you'll have more time to read Gogol.

Left-over idea: mix refrigerated left-overs with cold pasta for a tasty pasta salad. Save the extra fresh mint, dill, and half of a lemon for tzatziki sauce.

Artichokes and Peas
4 servings

1 medium onion, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb bag of frozen peas*
12 oz bag of artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons water

In a large frying pan, saute onion and garlic until browned. Add peas and artichokes and continue sauteeing for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

*In Claudia's recipe, she uses a combination of fava beans and peas. I couldn't find fava beans, but if you can, experiment with them. Try also substituting frozen edemame for the peas.