Snap Pea and Herb Salad with Whipped Lemon Ricotta
Celebrate the season with this gorgeous salad showcasing the crunchy snap pea! Using fresh herbs to bring out amazing flavors, perfectly complemented by the creamy lemon ricotta, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Bring on the herbs! When I typically cook with herbs, especially herb forward dishes, they are mainly greens that I would finely chop, use as a garnish, or ending ingredient, typically. What I find really fun and delicious here is how much of an integral part the herbs themselves play. Not only does the mint bring a really great and sweet element to this salad, but by using the whole leaves, it is the salad, and mixed with the ricotta, the flavor is not overpowering at all! Quite the opposite, I found with a fresh pea and some mint, this really would not have been the same without the large amount of mint involved. Don’t skimp on those leaves!
Whip it, whip it good! I wasn’t sure just how much of a difference whipping cheese for such a short period of time would really make, but this is not a step to skip! Ricotta naturally is fairly smooth, but does still have a stiff and textured characteristic. With a little added lemon to the cheese, this whips together almost to the consistency of a cream cheese frosting, and feels so much more decadent in this salad. When platting all together, there are so many creative ways to piece these ingredients, that it really is a show stopper of an appetizer for any meal!
Looking for other ways to use your snap peas? Check out some more creative recipes!
Slivered Sugar Snap Peas with a Honey Goat Cheese Vinaigrette
Sautéed Snap Pea and Cucumber Salad
This recipe is a part of the Tour of the Markets challenge, where I try to use seasonal produce in creative and new ways. If you have any feedback or suggestions, I’d love to hear them!!!!
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Snap Pea and Herb Salad with Whipped Lemon Ricotta
Equipment
- Kitchen knife
- Saucepan
- Immersion blender or food processor
- Grater
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 fresh Lemon
- 2 stalks Fresh Mint
- 2 stalks Fresh Dill
- 1 stalk Green Onion or Chives
- 2 handfuls Snap Peas
- 1 bunch Snap Pea Shoots (about 2 inches in diameter)
- 2/3 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In saucepan, boil water and add snap peas until color brightens, about 5 minutes. Remove from hot water and place in ice bath.
- In mixing bowl, place ricotta, a small squeeze of lemon juice, and a few grates of zest (about 1/2 tsp). Using either immersion blender or food processor, whip until smooth.
- Mix together pea shoots, mint leaves, dill, and chopped green onions and squeeze a bit of lemon juice over them. Toss well.
- Taking peas from ice water, slice horizontally and add to the green mixture. Add salt and pepper and toss to incorporate.
- Plate using ricotta as your base, and green mixture spread atop. Drizzle with olive oil and additional lemon zest. Enjoy!
Tour of the Markets #4, Farmers Market of Wausau, Wausau, WI - Goddess of Garlic
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