Sugar Snap Pea Salad
Sugar snap peas are one of my favorite vegetables. They’re just so crunchy. And sweet.
So it’s no surprise that this salad caught my eye. I whipped up a double batch for a big party we were having. I mixed up the salad and the dressing separately a day in advance and then tossed it all together a couple hours before our guests started to arrive.
I love using radishes in a salad like this. They give a great spiciness that you can’t get from any other ingredient out there. One thing I’d do differently next time is cut back on the goat cheese. When it all got mixed together, the dressing caused the goat cheese to melt some and just coat the peas. I’d prefer it if the peas could shine more on their own without being coated in goat cheese. Don’t get me wrong, I love goat cheese, it was just too much in this case.
If you’re looking for a great salad to take to a cookout this summer, look no further. You can even do like I did and make it in advance. I would just take the dressing in a separate jar and dress it once you arrive at your party.
Two Years Ago: Raspberry Almond Coconut Breakfast Quinoa and Blueberry Crumb Bars
Three Years Ago: San Francisco Trip, Days 1-2 and San Francisco Trip, Days 3-4
Four Years Ago: Goat Cheese Potato Salad
Sugar Snap Pea Salad
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds sugar snap peas, trimmed, stringed, cut in half on diagonal
Kosher salt
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 bunch radishes (about 6 ounces), trimmed, thinly sliced
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh mint
Directions:
Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Cook peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; transfer to bowl with ice water to cool. Drain peas; transfer to a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet to dry.
Whisk oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Toss peas, radishes, and cheese in a large bowl.
Note - Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover dressing and salad separately and chill.
Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Season salad with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish with mint and sprinkle with sumac.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I have been looking for a great dip recipe, and this one looks delish! I’m glad you got your brother to share your recipe =)
Spinach and artichoke dip is my very favorite. I don’t make it often, but it’s one of those things my family expects at family events. My goddaughter even made me a special artichoke plate to serve it on!
Lucky you to get to share your brother’s secret recipe. Family recipes are the best.
Love this recipe and the fact that fresh spinach is used and not frozen! I love spinach and artichoke dip, but have always been intimidated to make it…. WHY!?!? It looks so simple. On my to-do list! 🙂
Yum…so trying this one on Sunday!! Thanks!!
One of my all time favorites! Yummy!
Yummy! This dip seems to be a favorite of almost everyone 🙂
Dear bean town baker
I’m afraid this isn’t the best way to cook corned silverside – it’s a very tough cut and needs to be braised in water and vinegar to get it tender. I add a range of aromatics and whole spices to the braising liquid – you can try fennel seeds, mustard seeds, star anise, any pickling spices …. But you are right that traditionally bay, peppercorns, cloves, allspice are the mainstays.
I add celery carrot and whole brown onion. I’ve also tried using ginger ale or coke for the braising liquid as suggested in a few online recipes (American) but I don’t think the expense is justified by the extremely subtle differ action in flavor. This is a dish for when you are low in funds after all.
The cut of silverside you get is also key … my mother would always ask the butcher for a piece of silverside from the H-bone – though todays butchers don’t always know what you are talking about when you ask for this!
Simmer it until the beef floats to the top (timing will depend on the size of the piece of beef but usually 3-5 hours). You pop in the carrots and spuds towards the end, and can also steam sliced cabbage over the pot in a colander which traditionally accompanied the dish. (I retrieve the whole onions from the braising liquid and add these to the cabbage along with butter, seasoning and occasionally a few sultanas). The small spuds, once tender, should be tossed with butter salt and pepper and parsley.
It’s crucial to cut the beef against the grain, and you must keep leftovers in the fridge submerged in the braising liquid or they will dry out.
Traditionally the dish is accompanied by a white sauce made from the braising liquid, cream, Dijon mustard (I also add horseradish) white pepper and (my own addition) a dollop of Mayo along with some parsley. It needs to be quite runny.
I hope this is useful to you. This is the way my family have been preparing corned beef for generations. The leftovers are terrific in sandwiches with mustard pickle and cheese.