Stirring the Pot: Spring's Easiest Side Dish! 🌱
With a flavor twist you won't want to miss!
March 31, 2025
Hi everyone,
If you're searching for a vibrant, flavor-packed side dish to elevate your spring dinners or Easter spread, look no further! This easy-to-make salad comes with a few delightful surprises that transform it from simple to sensational.
Besides being a vibrant addition to your table, it pairs beautifully with springtime staples like brisket, ham, or deviled eggs. And to make things even easier, prep everything the day before and assemble just before serving for a stress-free, crowd-pleasing dish. This salad is best served at room temperature, so it can hold up to some time on the counter before you are ready to serve.
Spring Pea Salad with Jamón and Mustard Vinaigrette
Credit: Food Network
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
Dressing:
| Salad:
|
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, hazelnut oil, pepper, shallot and salt to taste in a small bowl. Adjust the seasonings. Set aside.
Make the salad: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt until the water tastes slightly of salted broth. Prepare an ice bath.
Blanch the English peas and snap peas separately, for about 10 seconds each. Shock in the ice water and drain on paper towels. Cut the snap peas into thirds.
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Tear the jamón slices into bite-sized pieces and add to the oil in the skillet. Cook until crispy on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes total. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Assemble the salad: Toss the English peas, snap peas, pea shoots and snow peas with the vinaigrette to taste. Plate the salad and top with the Manchego, toasted hazelnuts and crispy jamón.
Pro Tips
Blanching hydrates vegetables, brings out their color and makes them even crisper and more delicious. The ice bath is an important step here. It keeps the peas from overcooking and turning a dark dull green, which can happen in seconds.
If you buy hazelnut oil, keep it in the fridge. It’s expensive, and nut oils tend to lose their flavor and get rancid quickly when kept at room temperature.
Equipment Used
Various sized glass mixing bowls
Small whisk
Large pot
Spider
Medium skillet
Microplane
Chef’s knife
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