Bean, Pea, & Radish Salad
July 8, 2020
A light and bright salad that I love for spring or summer. This Bean, Pea, & Radish Salad defies expectations! It’s a yummy and fresh way to introduce new veggies into your weeknight dinners.
Blanching 101
This unique salad has a bright fresh flavor thanks to the fun combination of raw greens and herbs and cooked and raw vegetables. The technique of blanching the beans and peas in boiling salted water and then quickly cooking then in ice water is crucial.It gives them just the right seasoning, a great crisp/tender bite, and vibrant color. You can see more tips here at Blanching 101!
Fun, Fresh Veg
Fresh peas have a short season, so when you find them, use them in this! The sweet flavor of the peas is so important in this salad. You can substitute frozen petite peas that have been thawed, if you must. The peppery radishes and arugula provide a great punch. Besides the taste, the real benefit of this salad is how incredibly beautiful it is: the colors are sure to steal the show at the dinner table.
Mustard Vinaigrette
There is a simple formula for making a basic vinaigrette – it’s one part vinegar or other acid (like lemon juice) mixed with three parts oil. For example, you could use one tablespoon of red wine vinegar and three tablespoons of olive oil. Or you could make a big batch of dressing and use 1/4 cup of vinegar mixed with 3/4 cups olive oil.
While this is the standard ratio that I was taught in culinary school, I personally love a slightly more acidic vinaigrette. So feel free to use this ratio as a base and adjust to your liking. The mustard vinaigrette recipe you see below can be used on all kinds of salads! I find that the whole grain mustard works perfecting with this bean, pea, & radish salad.
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Bean, Pea, & Radish Salad
Description
A light and bright salad that I love for spring or summer.
Ingredients
Mustard Vinaigrette
- 1 medium to large shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Bean Salad
- 3/4 pound green beans, root ends trimmed
- 3/4 pound yellow wax beans, root ends trimmed
- ½ cup freshly shelled peas
- 6 large radishes, cut 1/8-inch thin
- 4 cups loosely packed arugula
Instructions
- For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the shallot, garlic, tarragon, mustard, and vinegar. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, and whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the salad, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Prepare an ice bath (a large bowl of cold water and ice). Set aside.
- Blanch the green and yellow wax beans in the boiling salted water until tender but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove beans with a spider or slotted spoon and plunge then into the ice bath. Drain and dry them completely. In the same pot of boiling water, blanch the peas for 1 minute, and shock in the ice water. Drain and dry completely.
- Arrange the arugula on serving platter. Scatter the blanched beans, peas, and radishes on top, and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Toss and serve.