LEMONY MASHED POTATOES WITH ASPARAGUS, ALMONDS AND MINT

INGREDIENTS:

Yield: 6 side-dish servings

Total time: About 35 minutes

For the potatoes:

1 lemon, preferably organic, scrubbed

About 15 mint sprigs plus

¼ cup lightly packed shredded mint leaves

5 garlic cloves, peeled

1 ½ pounds large potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or Désirée), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

Heaping 1/3 cup sour cream

Salt and black pepper

For the asparagus:

2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1 ¾ pounds asparagus, woody ends trimmed off

6 anchovy fillets, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

1 ½ tsp dried mint

PREPARATION:

1. Using a peeler, remove the yellow zest from the lemon in large strips. Cut the peeled lemon into six wedges and reserve for serving.

2. Fill a medium saucepan with salted water, add the lemon zest, mint sprigs and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and boil for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

3. Drain well. Return potatoes, lemon zest and garlic to the pan, discarding the mint sprigs. Add butter, milk, sour cream and 3/4 teaspoon salt and mash until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

4. Meanwhile, cook the asparagus: In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil over medium-high heat until foaming. Add asparagus and cook, turning frequently, until cooked through but retaining a slight bite, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Turn off the heat and use tongs to transfer asparagus to a plate. Add the anchovy, garlic and a pinch of salt to the pan, return to medium heat, and stir continuously until the garlic is starting to turn gold, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in almonds and dried mint, and immediately spoon the mixture into a bowl to stop the cooking.

5. Divide potatoes on serving plates. Top with the asparagus and spoon the buttered almond mixture over the top. Serve at once with a sprinkle of fresh mint and the lemon wedges alongside.