Author Notes
Will spring ever get here? When the weather finally does turn and those glorious veggies finally make it to the market, this recipe is here to help them reach their fullest potential. Fresh peas and spring beans are blanched tender-crisp, then dressed with bright, fresh horseradish vinaigrette. I love to use preserved lemons in the vinaigrette, but if you don't have any, fresh lemon zest with a splash of its juice and a pinch of sugar is a great substitute and Meyer lemons are ideal. - Chef James —Chef James
Test Kitchen Notes
I jumped at the chance to test this recipe because it has a lot of the same ingredients as my Melange of Peas (on food52.com). I love that the beans and peas stay crisp with the blanching method of cooking. The vinaigrette is a perfect dressing for the crisp vegetables. It is light and bright and the mint, lemon and horseradish work well together. This is a perfect spring salad! - dymnyno —dymnyno
Ingredients
- for the dressing
-
1/4 cup
fresh horseradish, finely grated
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1 tablespoon
preserved lemon rind (or fresh zest, see headnote)
-
1/4 cup
white wine vinegar
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2 tablespoons
freshly torn mint
- for the salad
-
1 cup
(about 4 oz) snow peas, cut into diamonds(see photos)
-
2 cups
(about 6 oz) yellow wax beans, trimmed
-
8 ounces
haricot vert, trimmed
-
1 cup
(about 4 oz) sweet green peas
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1/4 cup
good quality olive oil
Directions
-
For the dressing, combine the horseradish, lemon and vinegar in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside for the flavors to combine.
-
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Place a large bowl of ice water next to the stove. Drop the cut snow peas into the water adn cook until tender, between 1 and 2 minutes. Remove immediately to the ice water to cool. Continue with the remaining vegetables, cooking each type individually. Cook wax beans 3-4 minutes, haricot vert 2-3 minutes and sweet peas, about 3 minutes depending on how starchy they are.
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When all the vegetables are cooked, drain completely and dry well. Place the beans in a large serving bowl, toss with the good quality olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved horseradish dressing and fresh mint, toss well to coat the beans and serve slightly chilled or room temperature.
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