Fava, Snap Pea & Spring Vegetable Salad with Creamy Mint Dressing
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Salad, Side Dish, Entree
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Yield: 4 main-dish or 8 side-dish servings
Ingredients
  • For Salad
  • 2 oz (1 large) shallot (or use half of a small red onion)
  • 8 oz sugar snap peas, tough ends trimmed, strings removed
  • 1 lb fava bean pods, beans removed, pods discarded (yield 6 oz or 1 ½ cups beans)
  • 2 packed cups peppery or bitter greens* such as watercress, dandelion, arugula or endive
  • 8 oz assorted radishes
  • 2 Persian cucumbers (4-5 oz total), washed and dried but not peeled
  • 1 small or medium fennel bulb (6-8 oz), scrubbed and dried
  • 2 large stalks celery (4 oz total), washed and dried
  • 12 grams (4 tsp) drained capers
  • For Dressing
  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
  • 180ml (¾ cup) kefir or buttermilk
  • 30ml (2 Tbsp) champagne vinegar
  • 30ml (2 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • Several grinds black pepper
  • Optional
  • Extra mint leaves for garnish, if desired
  • One orange, peeled and cut into supremes or slices**
Procedure
  1. Peel the shallot, slice in half lengthwise, and cut out the core at the top, Cut into very thin slices, add to a small bowl, cover with cold water, and set aside to soak. (Do the same if substituting red onion.)
  2. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating, prepare an ice bath and set aside.
  3. Drop the snap peas into the boiling water and blanch for 60-90 seconds until bright green and barely tender. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath.
  4. Drop the fava beans into the same pot of water, and simmer until the beans float to the surface - this will only take about a minute. Transfer the beans to the ice bath with the snap peas, and discard the cooking water. Let the snap peas and fava beans cool for 2-3 minutes, then set aside to drain in a colander.
  5. Wash and dry the greens, and slice into chiffonade (thin ribbons). Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. If you purchased bunched radishes with their greens attached, you can substitute them for all or part of the greens. Be sure to wash and dry them well first.
  6. Scrub the radishes with a vegetable brush, and dry them. Trim off and discard the wispy roots. Beginning at the trimmed end, use a mandoline or very sharp knife to slice the radishes as thinly as possible. Discard the piece at the very top where the greens were attached, and add the sliced radishes to the bowl with the greens.
  7. Trim off and discard the ends of the cucumbers, and slice the cucumbers into very thin rounds. Add them to the bowl with the radishes.
  8. Pull off and reserve the fennel fronds, and cut off and discard the stalks at the top and the tough core at the bottom. Stand the bulb upright and slice in half, then cut each half into very thin slices. Add the fennel slices to the bowl.
  9. Wash and dry the celery, and trim off the end at about a 45-degree angle. Follow that angle to thinly slice the celery on the diagonal. Add the sliced celery to the bowl.
  10. Drain the shallots and add to the sliced vegetables. Peel off and discard the leathery white skin from the fava beans, and cut the snap peas on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Add the snap peas and favas to the vegetables. Chop 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved fennel fronds and add to the vegetables. Add the drained capers as well.
  11. Chop the mint finely and add to a small bowl. Add the kefir or buttermilk, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to blend, taste and adjust with more salt or pepper if desired, and pour about ¾ of the dressing over the vegetables. Toss gently to distribute everything evenly, and fold in optional orange if using. Add remaining dressing if desired. Garnish with torn mint leaves.
Notes
*If you purchased bunched radishes with healthy-looking greens still attached, use those instead of - or in addition to - the greens called for in the recipe.

**If you like a little more sweetness in your salad, an orange is the perfect option for this recipe. Be sure to trim away all the peel and bitter pith before cutting into supremes or slices. See here for photos and instructions.
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/fava-snap-pea-spring-vegetable-salad-creamy-mint-dressing/