Easter signifies the beginning of spring, so what better dish to celebrate the holiday with then young spring lamb and fresh peas right out of their shells?

I love this dish from Alex Guarnaschelli's book "The Home Cook: Recipes to Know by Heart" (Clarkson Potter, 2017) Filled with easily accessible recipes, this is a wonderful volume to keep nearby in your kitchen. Simple recipes that author Guarnaschelli hopes the cook will learn by heart include spring minestrone, warm leeks nicoise, carrot parsnip cake, and pear and ginger chutney, to name a few.

This lamb dish calls for spring lamb from the shoulder. Look for American spring lamb if you want a young sweet flavor. It is a bit more expensive, but I prefer it for this dish. While there are many who treasure the stronger, slightly gamey grass-fed flavor of New Zealand or Australian lamb, I think this dish deserves spring lamb for its milder flavor.

The author shares: "The peas are barely cooked in this recipe while the lamb is cooked for hours. The result is meat with rich browned notes and peas that are almost raw and grassy. Lamb is definitely a sign of springtime, but it is rarely light. The red wine vinegar and mustard definitely add lightness here. The parsnips and other vegetables that cook along with the meat provide a wonderful group of backup singers."

I see this as a spring celebration dish that can, for the most part, be made ahead. Start with a blood orange and arugula salad and end with a lemon dessert for a satisfying, colorful menu. I like to serve this in small casseroles or bowls for a pretty presentation.

If you are making it ahead, don't add the green peas and snap peas until ready to serve. And, one last thing: sometimes-fresh shelled peas can be bitter or starchy. Taste them before adding to the braised lamb. I always have frozen petit pois on hand because I know I can count on them to be sweet and bright green.

Braised Spring Lamb with Peas

Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, preferably shoulder, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

12 medium garlic cloves

8 small parsnips, split lengthwise

12 small carrots, split lengthwise

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 cup dry vermouth

1/4 cup grainy mustard

8 cups beef stock

1 bay leaf

1 cup shelled green peas

1 cup sugar snap peas, stemmed and halved crosswise

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Brown the lamb: Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add the oil. Season the pieces of lamb on all sides with salt and pepper. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to arrange the lamb in a single layer in the Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the meat to a medium bowl.

3. Cook the vegetables: Stir the onions into the Dutch oven, and season them lightly with salt. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic, parsnips and carrots. Season with salt and add the brown sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the vegetables become slightly tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Braise the lamb: Add the vermouth to the vegetables, and simmer until all of the liquid evaporates, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the mustard, beef stock and bay leaf. Return the lamb to the Dutch oven, cover it, and put it in the center of the oven. Braise until the meat is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

5. Finish the stew: Remove the pot from the oven and use a large spoon to skim any excess fat or impurities from the surface of the stew. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the peas, snap peas and red wine vinegar. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

This can be made ahead through Step 4, refrigerated and fat skimmed off up to one day ahead. Heat the lamb on top of the stove and then finish with Step 5. Art and recipe courtesy "The Home Cook: Recipes to Know by Heart" by Alex Guarnaschelli (Clarkson Potter, 2017).

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)