This is such an appropriate meal for Spring!  I deterred from the usual ham since I only like ham for the first day.  I chose pork tenderloin since it was elegant and well, I already had one in the freezer!  The parsley shallot sauce is verdant and has a nice tang when accompanied with the tenderloin.  The asparagus dish is simple and delicious but the crisp potato roast really is the best part of this meal.

Herb Roasted Pork Loin with Parsley Shallot Sauce

Recipe Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (2 1/2-pound) center cut boneless pork loin, trimmed of all visible fat
• 1/2 cup Parsley Shallot Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mash the garlic and salt together with a fork until it forms a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the oil, fresh herbs and freshly ground pepper.  Rub the garlic-herb paste all over the pork. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan and roast for 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the roast to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the pork into slices and serve with the sauce.

Parsley Shallot Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallot
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Asparagus, Peas, and Radishes

Recipe Courtesy of Everyday Food

• 3 pounds asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
• 1 bunch (about 1 pound) radishes, greens discarded, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped (I used fresh dill instead)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water, and line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels.
2. Add asparagus to pot; cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, transfer to ice bath. Let cool completely, then transfer to prepared baking sheet and pat dry. (Wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 1 day.)
3. In a large pot with a lid, heat butter over medium. Add asparagus and peas. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are heated through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in radishes and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Crisp Potato Roast

Recipe Courtesy of Everyday Food

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 shallots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 sprigs of fresh thyme

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush the bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with butter mixture. Using a mandolin, slice potatoes crosswise very thinly.
2. Arrange potatoes thin sides up in dish slightly fanning out slices as you go. Wedge shallot slices sporadically throughout. Sprinkle pepper flakes over potatoes, season generously with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast until potatoes are cooked through, with a golden-crisp crust, about 1 hour. Tuck remaining thyme around potatoes and bake for 15 minutes more.

Notes: You really need a mandolin to slice the potatoes.  It makes the arduous task of getting uniform slices much easier!  And using a cast iron pan really helps too.