Even as spring greens are emerging in my garden [total aside: do yourself a favor and plant a big pot of arugula; it germinates almost immediately and grows quickly, the gardener’s instant gratification], I’m still experimenting with non-lettuce salads. (See my previous posts on roasted carrot and bell pepper salad and roasted sugar snap pea and shallot salad.)
This is only a passing fancy, mind you; as soon as I can gather heads of sweet and buttery Tom Thumb or crunchy Salad Bowl lettuce from my backyard garden, those will be my staple salad ingredients.
If you’re with me, and you’re looking for a lovely springtime side dish that uses seasonal peas (three ways!) and mint, then here’s a pretty and delicious salad recipe for you.
spring salad with three peas and mint
(2 servings)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed (steam 3 min)
1 cup snow peas, trimmed (add to steamer + 3 min)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped mint
1/2 avocado, sliced
for the dressing
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly cracked pepper
Place a steamer basket in a deep pot; add water to just below the level of the basket, cover and bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas to the steamer; cover and steam 3 minutes. Add the snow peas; cover and steam 3 more minutes. Add the thawed shelled peas and steam 2 minutes. Remove the basket from the pot and run cold water over the vegetables to stop the cooking. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together until well blended, seasoning generously with pepper. Combine the three peas, the avocado and the sliced radish in a bowl; add several spoonfuls of dressing and toss gently to combine, adding more dressing if desired. Plate the salads and garnish with the chopped mint.
Photo note: Yes, those are edamame on the plate below. I was three-quarters of the way through making this recipe when I discovered that I didn't have frozen peas. It happens. Frozen edamame filled in.
Bryn,
Bryn,
This sounds delicious. My mom visited and passed down an Old School Steamer pot last month. I used it first time a short while ago making steamed gyoza, and I look forward to peas to use it for this. Such a pretty salad, too–thanks!
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What lettuce grows in the shade? I have a raised bed garden that I grow spring bulbs in but by summer, it receives about 50% shade but it is HOT here in the summer. I love Arugula and butter lettuce but I suspect they require full sun most of the day. Otherwise, its the fantastic Dekalb Farmer’s Market for me. Me and 300,000 other fans in the area.