Spring Vegetable Salad with Mint Pesto
Equipment
- 1 Stock Pot Soup or Stock pot that will hold 8 cups
- 2 Sheet Pan
- 1 Blender (immersion or standing)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup whole almonds with skins
- 6 oz green beans ends trimmed
- 6 oz sugar snap peas halved on the diagonal
- 1 ½ cup peas fresh or frozen
- 4 radishes thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper ground
- ⅓ cup mint pesto
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- 2 oz feta crumbled feta, or to taste
Instructions
- Toast the almonds:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are fragrant. Let cool and coarsely chop or crush them.
- Blanch the beans, snap peas, and peas:
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Add the beans to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sugar snap peas, and peas, let cook for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. (Total cooking time is 5 minutes.)
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to the bowl of ice water. Swish them around for about 1 minute. Drain them in a colander, and spread them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry.
- Dress and serve the salad:
- In a large bowl, toss the beans, snap peas, peas, and radishes with the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the mint pesto and toss again.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar, if you like. Transfer to a bowl or platter. Sprinkle with the almonds, feta, and mint leaves.