Spring vegetables and brie cheese on toast make for an easy lunch

Finally -- fresh peas for busy people.

The trouble with frozen peas is that, no matter how you cook them, they tend to be mushy. Fresh peas are another world entirely. They are tender but still a bit firm. And they have a fresh taste lost in frozen and canned varieties.

Of course, they also come in their pods. Which means to eat more than a smattering of them, you need to commit some time to popping them out. While that can be fun, it doesn't always fit with weekday cooking.

So I was pleased to see that a growing number of grocers are carrying shelled fresh peas by the bag in the produce section. You do pay for the convenience, but the quality is good and the prep is effortless.

Whether you buy them shelled or in the pod, try fresh peas in this simple bruschetta-like recipe. Thick slices of sourdough bread are toasted, then topped with a slab of brie and a quick saute of asparagus, fresh peas and onion.

The asparagus and pea mixture also would be good tossed with cooked pasta. If you go that route, cut up the brie as best you can and toss that in, too.

Asparagus and pea toasts with brie

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons butter

4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices rustic sourdough bread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 cup fresh peas

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

6 to 8 ounces brie

Heat the oven to broil.

Divide the butter between the bread slices, spreading it evenly over one side of each. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, asparagus and peas. Saute until the asparagus is just barely tender, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the mint. Set aside.

Place the bread under the broiler. Toast until just lightly browned and the butter is melted. Remove the bread from the oven and smear a quarter of the brie over each slice. Return to the broiler for another minute. Top each slice with a quarter of the asparagus and pea mixture.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 596 calories; 224 calories from fat; 25 g fat (13 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 67 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 7 g fiber; 1,063 mg sodium.