English Ivy Snap Pea Salad (Print Version)

Vibrant blend of snap peas, green beans, and sharp cheddar with a tangy dressing and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 7 oz snap peas, ends trimmed
02 - 7 oz green beans, ends trimmed
03 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

04 - 3.5 oz sharp white cheddar, cut into small cubes or shards

→ Dressing

05 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
11 - Optional: microgreens or pea shoots

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add snap peas and green beans; blanch for 2 minutes until bright green and just tender.
02 - Transfer vegetables immediately to a bowl of ice water to halt cooking and preserve color and crunch. Drain and pat dry.
03 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until emulsified.
04 - Add blanched snap peas, green beans, and shallot to the dressing. Toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Arrange dressed vegetables in long, winding vines on a serving platter.
06 - Scatter sharp white cheddar cubes or shards over vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped chives and optionally garnish with microgreens or pea shoots. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, perfect for when you want something that tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking.
  • The snap peas stay impossibly crisp and bright, and the sharp cheddar cuts through with just enough tang to make your mouth water.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about a salad you can eat with your hands, the vegetables arranged like actual vines on the plate.
02 -
  • The blanching time is ruthless—overdo it by thirty seconds and you've lost the crunch that makes this salad worth eating.
  • Dressing the salad just before serving means it stays bright and crisp; toss it earlier and the vegetables start weeping liquid and losing their character.
03 -
  • Keep your ice bath genuinely cold—add actual ice cubes, not just cold water—so the vegetables stay as crisp as they were in the garden.
  • Slice your shallot so thin it's almost transparent; thick slices will overpower the delicate balance and announce themselves too loudly.
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