Sauteed Asparagus and Baby Arugula Salad

Spring is here, and everything is green right now. Central Park went from bare-branched to joltingly leafy overnight, it seems. Seasonal allergies cause my face to spontaneously expel clear liquids at the most inconvenient of times (example: on a crowded bus while my hands are full and people are freaking out about swine flu). And of course, the farmers' markets are full of ramps, green garlic, asparagus, baby greens, and the people who love them.

Here's a charmingly easy spring salad I made with just a few ingredients:

asparagus, cut on a bias (diagonally) into 1-inch pieces
baby arugula, washed and dried
olive oil
lemon
salt and pepper
pine nuts

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add a bit of olive oil. Add asparagus and saute until crisp-tender, tossing frequently (about 7 to 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Toss in pine nuts and cook just until they are lightly toasted (careful, they burn easily). Add asparagus mixture to arugula. Add a few squeezes of lemon juice, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss and serve.

Variations:
- shave some Parmigiano cheese over the salad
- add crisped pieces of bacon or pancetta
- substitute balsamic vinegar for lemon juice
- add toasted bread cubes to make panzanella
- put a poached or fried egg on top of the salad