Grassy Green Vegetables with Crushed Pepper and Sea Salt

Directions:

Snap off the ends of the asparagus. (If sandy, remove the scales with a small paring knife.) Rinse well. Cut on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces and set aside. Snap the ends from the peas and pull the strings. Rinse well and set aside.

Bring a large pan of water to boil. Add the vegetables and immediately set the timer for 3 minutes. (Don't wait for the water to come back to boil before timing.) Drain and rinse briefly with cold water, then plunge into a pan of ice water to stop the cooking and to preserve the bright green color.

When the vegetables are chilled, drain well. Spread on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Pat dry. Wrap in dry paper towels, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate. (This can be done 24 hours in advance.)

In a large skillet on medium-low heat, warm the crushed red pepper flakes in the olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the vegetables. Warm the vegetables, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until just heated through. Sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.