Snap Pea Salad with Almonds in an Herbed Vinaigrette

Sugar snap peas are one of those vegetables I buy and then I'm not sure what to do with them other than putting them in a stir-fry or just munching them raw. They are a cute little bunch of pods and they hold up really well to cooking, keeping their crunch.

Tom brought me home a big bag of them from the farmer's market last week. We were in the middle of a heat wave so I decided to make a salad out of them. I'm calling it a salad because it has a vinaigrette but I guess it could also be called a side dish.

The vinaigrette is a simple one made with lemon, shallots, Dijon and fresh herbs. Mint and basil are a really nice combination and luckily, we have both growing in the yard this summer.

All this needs is just a quick blanching of the snap peas, toss in the vinaigrette and sprinkle on some almond slices. That's it. Not a lot of work but a whole lot of flavor.

If you don't have or don't care for snap peas, you can make the same recipe with fresh green beans, asparagus, snow peas or whatever vegetable you choose. I've made it several times already using different vegetables. The vinaigrette is great for any salad or even a warm potato salad. Yum!

Bring this dish to your next cookout or pot luck get together. My Snap Pea Salad with Almonds in an Herbed Vinaigrette will be very popular so make a large batch. Enjoy!

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Snap Pea Salad with Almonds in an Herbed Vinaigrette

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GF, SF

     For the Herbed Vinaigrette

        1 small shallot, minced

        1 tsp. Dijon mustard

        1 tsp. agave nectar

        Zest and juice of ½ fresh lemon

        1 Tbs. fresh mint, chopped

        1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped

        ½ tsp. dried oregano

        ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

        Kosher salt to taste

      

      For the Snap Pea Salad

       1 ½ lbs. fresh snap peas, stems trimmed

       1/3 cup slivered almonds

       

       

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Whisk until everything is well combined. Add salt to taste. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large pot, boil water and add some salt. Cook the snap peas for just a few minutes, until they turn bright green. Drain the peas and run them under cold water (or dip them in an ice bath) to stop the cooking.

Transfer the snap peas to a bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle almonds on top. Serve.

The "V" Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.