Description
Fresh pea salad with mint & manchego celebrates spring’s bounty with crisp vegetables and sharp cheese. Gardeners and home cooks will appreciate this simple, elegant dish showcasing seasonal ingredients from local markets.
Ingredients
Scale
- 14 oz / 400g sugar snap peas, strings removed, julienned lengthwise
- 2 cups / 300g freshly shelled green peas (from 2 lbs / 900g in the pod)
- 6 oz / 170g Manchego cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
- ⅔ cup / 30g fresh mint leaves, julienned
- ½ cup / 120ml good olive oil
- 6 tbsps / 90ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boiling Preparation: Fill a medium saucepan with water, generously salt, and bring to a vigorous boil while simultaneously creating an ice bath in a large bowl to immediately halt cooking.
- Pea Blanching: Immerse green peas in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until achieving a crisp-tender consistency, then swiftly transfer to ice water to arrest further cooking and preserve vibrant color.
- Ingredient Combination: Drain peas thoroughly, then combine in a spacious serving bowl with sugar snap peas and finely chopped mint leaves, gently mixing to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Whisk lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a small measuring cup until smoothly emulsified, creating a bright and zesty dressing.
- Seasoning and Dressing: Drizzle vinaigrette over the vegetable mixture, carefully tossing to coat ingredients lightly without saturating them, then sprinkle additional salt and pepper to enhance flavor profile.
- Cheese Incorporation: Delicately fold shaved Manchego cheese into the salad, maintaining its elegant, thin structure and ensuring gentle integration with the other ingredients.
- Final Touch: Conduct a taste assessment, make any necessary seasoning adjustments, and serve the salad either chilled or at room temperature to showcase its fresh, vibrant character.
Notes
- Blanch with Precision: Cook peas exactly 3-4 minutes to achieve crisp-tender texture without losing vibrant green color or nutritional value.
- Chill Quickly: Immediately transfer peas to ice bath to stop cooking process, preserving their bright color and preventing mushiness.
- Balance Vinaigrette Carefully: Use minimal dressing to enhance, not overpower, the delicate pea and mint flavors.
- Cheese Technique: Shave Manchego cheese thinly to distribute subtle nutty flavor throughout the salad without clumping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 30mg