Recipe: Fresh Pea and Radish Salad

Posted by

May 25, 2012

This recipe and photo were created by contributor Katie Morris of Katie at the Kitchen Door. Learn more about Katie and this recipe by checking out her accompanying post, and check out her Greatist bio on our About Page!

It doesn't get much more seasonal than this. Three quintessential spring ingredients — fresh sugar snap peas and snow peas, radishes, and mint — are combined with a light dressing and feta cheese for a nutritious salad that's easy to throw together and bursting with fresh flavor. It may seem simple, but it's quite satisfying — even my salad-avoiding boyfriend liked it.

Fresh Pea and Radish Salad

Pea and Radish Salad Photo by Katie Morris

Adapted from Bon Appetit. Serves 4 as a side.

What You'll Need:

1 pound fresh peas (a mix of sugar snap and snow peas), washed and with ends trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (substitute white wine vinegar if necessary)
1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning (or a mix of fresh ground pepper and lemon zest)
1 bunch radishes, washed and roots trimmed
1/2 cup fresh feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

What to Do:

Prep the veggies: Remove any tough outer strings from peas, then slice in half along the diagonal. Set aside. Slice radishes as thinly as possible. Set aside. Coarsely chop or tear mint. Set aside.
Cook the peas: Fill a large bowl halfway up with cold water and ice and set aside (this will serve as an ice bath after cooking). Bring a pot of salted water to a rapid boil, add peas, and cook for two minutes, or until bright green. Remove promptly with a strainer and plunge into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Mix the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and lemon-pepper seasoning until well blended. Set aside.
Assemble the salad: Mix the cooked peas, radishes, mint, and feta cheese together in a large bowl. If serving immediately, stir in dressing and serve. If using later, place salad and dressing in the fridge separately, and dress before serving. (The already-dressed salad will also keep well in the fridge, it will just lose some of it's bright color).