Spring

Pea Salad with Parmesan and Mint

November  4, 2013
4
1 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4 as a side dish
Author Notes

In spring, I love stripped-down recipes for seasonal produce. This is a standby of mine—peas, cheese, mint, and a light lemon vinaigrette. Couldn't be simpler, and really refreshing and light. —ieatthepeach

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Ieatthepeach lives in the Bay Area and writes a blog that takes its name from T.S. Eliot.
WHAT: Springtime in a salad.
HOW: Quickly cook fresh green peas in hot water, then toss with fresh mint, a lemony vinaigrette, and lots of Parmesan shavings.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Fresh, green springtime flavors sing with the fuller, richer taste of aged cheese, making for a balanced side dish that won’t overwhelm your main course. Best of all, it's fast—which means a super-seasonal, easy salad is only a pot of boiling water away. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 3/4 pound shelled fresh English peas
  • 1 splash Water for blanching the peas
  • 1 dash Salt to taste
  • 4 to 5 large fresh mint leaves, chopped or chiffonade
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 dash Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Lightly salt the water, then add peas, cover, and turn off the heat. Let the peas sit in the water for about 10 minutes, or until they're tender and no longer chalky in the middle. Drain and rinse with cold water, then spread on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to dry. Let cool completely.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add peas and mint, and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then toss in shaved Parmesan and serve immediately.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

3 Reviews

Bevi April 22, 2016
Nice!
Winifred R. June 12, 2014
Tried this with snow peas because I didn't have English peas. (Strung, cut in 3/4 to 1 in. pieces on the bias, and blanched 45 seconds) Personally I think I'd make it with a lighter flavored oil than olive - e.g. grapeseed. While O.K. it wasn't my cup of tea, but my husband liked it.
ieatthepeach June 12, 2014
Thanks so much for the feedback!