Summer Snap Pea Salad
June 2, 2020 by Nicole Collins
My thumb is so green right now, most people wouldn’t even recognize me!
I’ve been a plant killer all of my life. In most cases, I look at a plant and it wilts right before my eyes.
Maybe it’s because the plants know that I’m not their biggest fan. I’ve never been much of a fan of trees or greenery or bushes. And I am 100% against purchasing flowers; because, to me, it’s a complete waste of money to buy something that’s going to die in a few days.
But, I’ve always wanted to have an herb and vegetable garden. I don’t have the best planting conditions in my yard, so I’ve always put off the dream. Last year, I started growing microgreens successfully, and I’ve been doing all kinds of research since to see what and how I can grow in my conditions. Last year, I bought herb plants that were already grown, and I kept them alive most of the summer. And, this extra time at home has really given me the opportunity to tackle a new challenge…growing from seeds.
I’m telling you, growing food has become my obsession. I keep looking and looking for the next thing to grow. I’m no expert at all, and I’ve been saying a prayer every step of the way. But, I currently have healthy basil, dill, chives, mint, watermelon radishes, arugula, spinach, and kale successfully growing in planters on my porch. None of it is harvestable yet, but they’re all looking so beautiful.
Also, as a new quasi gardener…tell me this. Do you guys talk to your plants? I’ve heard of people doing this to encourage their growth, and I thought it was a little silly. But, I’ve found myself chatting with my plants, telling them they look beautiful, asking them if they want a drink, and so on. And, it’s been kind of mindlessly. Like it’s just a natural part of my day.
Is that why they’re staying alive for me?!?!
Anyway, inspired by all the green life in my garden right now, today’s recipe could very easily have been the fruits of my labor if it was a little later in the season. I just think that’s so cool!
Today, we’re making Summer Snap Pea Salad!
This salad is so bright and refreshing! And, it’s super duper easy to throw together as the perfect summer side dish.
Let’s start with the salad components. Spinach, cucumbers, radishes, corn, snap peas, sprouts, crispy prosciutto, and shaved parmesan all find themselves mixed up in this dish. I prefer prosciutto when it’s crispy, and it’s really easy to do in the oven. But if you like fresh prosciutto, feel free to add it to the salad straight from the package.
Every salad needs a good dressing, and this one might just be my new fav. To top our super green salad, we’re going to make a Basil Chive Vinaigrette. Basil, chives, olive oil, and a little garlic get blended together to make a fragrant, savory, bright, fresh topping for our salad. We season the dressing pretty aggressively, so that eliminates the need to add a lot of extra salt to our salad.
And bonus, this dressing doesn’t just belong on this salad. I used it in place of fresh basil in a caprese salad, and it basically changed my life. I do love a good caprese salad, but it’s not something that I eat a ton of. However with this vinaigrette, I ate caprese salad for dinner 3 nights in a row!
But back to this salad. This salad hit all of the notes. It’s crunchy from the spinach and cucumbers. It’s sweet from the corn and peas. It’s salty from the prosciutto and parmesan. It’s peppery from the radishes. And then it all totally comes to life with that fresh herbaceous drizzle on top.
But, it’s worth noting that this salad is best served fresh. If you’re not planning on eating it all at once, store the components separately in the fridge and assemble them together when it’s time to eat. That way, everything stays nice and crisp and fresh for you.
Ok guys, I still need all of the help I can get with keeping my garden healthy and bountiful this year, so please send me all of your tips and tricks!
‘Til next time…let’s eat!
Summer Snap Pea Salad
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
For the Basil Chive Vinaigrette:
1 cup basil, packed
1 heaping tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic, smashed
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
For the Salad:
4 slices prosciutto
1 ear corn, husk still on
4 cups spinach
1 cup sliced cucumber
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup snap peas, halved
1 oz shaved parmesan
handful of microgreens or sprouts, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line one small baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange prosciutto slices on the pan, making sure they do not overlap. Line a second small baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the corn still in the husk on the baking sheet. Bake the prosciutto for 14 mins until crispy. Remove from oven, and blot with a paper towel. Roast the corn for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. When corn is cool enough to touch, remove the husk and cut the kernels off of the cob.
Meanwhile, make the Basil Chive Vinaigrette: To a small food processor or blender, add basil, chives, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.
Make the Salad: To a large bowl or platter, add spinach, cucumber, radishes, snap peas, prosciutto broken into pieces, corn, and shaved parmesan. Top with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Recipe notes:
*This salad is best served fresh. If you're not serving the whole salad at once, prep all of the components, store them separately in the fridge, and assemble when you're ready to eat.
*If you don't have an ear of corn in the husk, you could also use about a ½ cup of thawed frozen corn kernels.
*To shave parmesan cheese, take a wedge of cheese and carefully run a vegetable peeler over the cheese. If the shaving is too long for your preferences, break it in half.
