Spring Pea Salad with Radishes and Goat Cheese

When winter is finally over and the farmers’ markets are bursting with spring produce, celebrate by making this seasonal salad, which features two different types of peas as well as pea shoots, the delicate leaves and tendril that grow from the vines of a pea plant. Tender pea shoots won’t last long in the fridge, so serve them within a few days of purchase.

 

Spring Pea Salad with Radishes and Goat Cheese

 

Ingredients

 

For the dressing:

• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs. minced shallot
• 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

• 1/2 lb. (250 g) snow peas, trimmed
• 1/2 lb. (250 g) sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 8 radishes, very thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups (2 oz./60 g) pea shoots
• 4 oz. (125 g) fresh goat cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) toasted pistachios
• 1/4 cup (1/2 oz./15 g) chopped fresh dill

 

Directions

 

1. To make the dressing, in a small bowl combine lemon zest and juice, vinegar, shallot and olive oil and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

 

2. Bring a pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a bowl of ice water. Add the snow peas to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Using a strainer, scoop out the snow peas and transfer them to the ice water. Scoop them out of the ice water and set aside. Repeat with the snap peas, blanching them for 1 minute, refreshing them in the ice water and removing them from the water. Cut both the snow peas and snap peas in half on a diagonal.

 

3. In a large bowl, toss together the snow peas, snap peas and radishes. Add most of the dressing, reserving a few tablespoons, and toss to coat the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. In the same bowl you used to dress the vegetables, combine the pea shoots and the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Scatter the pea shoots on top of the salad. Crumble the goat cheese evenly on top of the salad and sprinkle with the pistachios and dill. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

 

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen