spring pea & mint crostini

we are always infatuated with how to create with as little as possible, in as little time as possible, with the maximum amount of flavor. this is most likely the golden dream of cooking. that's why when we came across this recipe by rikke storm for spring pea and mint crostini, we quickly gravitated towards it and tested it out on a willing audience. the addition of the mint to the pea spread is an absolute must, as is the spreading of garlic cloves onto the warm, sliced baguette. don't miss those two essentials and you'll have a delightful shareable plate.

Recipe:

• 3 cups frozen peas
• 4-5 cups of water, salted
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 1 cup of fresh mint, plus torn mint for garnish
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1-2 freshly baked baguettes
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, sliced lengthwise
• sea salt and pepper
• pea shoots or sprouts for garnish

fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. in a large pot, bring your salted water to a boil and add the peas. boil for two minutes, then drain the peas in a sifter and add to the ice water to stop them from continuing to boil. wash and dry your spring onions, and cut them into thin slices. saute the slices in a hot pan with a tablespoon of olive oil until lightly browned. place the boiled peas, spring onions, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor until just blended. you don't want to completely puree the mixture because the texture of some of the peas is essential to spreading. remove from processor and set aside. you've essentially made a spread that will last about two-three days refrigerated, so it's versatility will come in handy when cooking later on.

if your baguette isn't freshly baked (as it should be), preheat your oven to 350F. cut your baguette into small 1-inch thick slices, drizzle with a handsome amount of olive oil and place in the oven. let warm for about 5 minutes until slices are lightly browned at edges. remove, and gently rub cloves of garlic over each slice while bread is warm. be warned, this will smell incredible. spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pea spread over each slice, then garnish with pea shoots, torn mint, sea salt, and pepper to taste.