Simple pleasures

It's artichoke and asparagus season!

And in this case, keeping it simple is sometimes best.

After peeling the artichoke stems, breaking off the outer leaves and cutting the top third off, I boil the artichokes until the leaves pull off easily.

They are delicious as is, or together with your favorite dipping sauce. I personally love to dip them in Wildwood Aioli, a vegan mayonnaise that is light and oh, so tasty.

And this is my favorite way of serving asparagus. Blanch the asparagus spears in boiling water for a few minutes until tender, but not too soft. Drain the spears and place on a serving dish. Drizzle some good olive oil over the spears and then grind fresh black pepper over them. For the final touch, I grate some fresh pecorino or goat cheese directly over the spears. And they are ready to serve!