Sauteed Spring Vegetables with Bacon and Hazelnuts

• 1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts
• 3 thick slices of bacon (4 ounces)
• 6 ounces asparagus, cut crosswise on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 large zucchini, cut into 3-by-1/3-inch sticks
• 1 fennel bulbhalved, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
• 4 cups baby spinach
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast for 8 minutes, until fragrant and light golden.
3. Let cool, then coarsely chop the nuts.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes.
5. Drain the bacon on paper towels and crumble into 1/2-inch pieces.
6. Discard the bacon drippings and wipe out the skillet.
7. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the asparagus until bright green, about 1 minute.
8. Drain, rinse the asparagus under cold water and pat dry.
9. In the large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
10. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
11. Add the zucchini and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes.
12. Add the asparagus and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
13. Season with salt and pepper.
14. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and the crumbled bacon.
15. Transfer the vegetables to a platter and drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
16. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.

blanched hazelnuts, bacon, extravirgin olive oil, shallot, zucchini, bulbhalved, baby spinach, kosher salt, lemon zest

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/may-2008-sauteed-spring-vegetables-with-bacon-and-hazelnuts (may not work)