lana-in-fl
Well-known member
I made this delicious salad for Labor Day, and it was a hit, though I will make some modifications in future. I was deeply suspicious of all those mint leaves, so I served them on the side, and was very glad that I had. I did not like the addition when I tried them, and will leave them out in future. Next time, I will also leave out the frozen peas, and double the quantity of sugar snap peas, not because of flavour, but because the different sizes made it harder to maneuver the salad.. I was lucky to find the snap peas at Freshfield Farms, so they didn't break the bank.
We usually stick to vinaigrette, but this dressing was marvellous!
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
10 ounces frozen green peas, thawed (or use fresh)
4 heads Little Gem lettuce (I used a largish butter lettuce from Aldi)
1 cup fresh mint
½ cup fresh chopped chives
1 cup salad croutons, crumbled
½ cup Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Set a steamer basket into a large saucepan filled with salted water and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl.
Add the prepared fresh sugar snap peas to the boiling water and blanch for 2-3 minutes until tender and crisp. Lift the steamer basket and peas from the boiling water and plunge into the ice water. When cool, tip onto a kitchen towel to drain.
Place the thawed frozen peas into the steamer basket and set the basket back into the saucepan of boiling water. Blanch the peas for 1 minute only.
Lift the steamer basket from the boiling water and plunge into the ice water. When cool, tip onto a separate towel to drain.
Slice the cut ends from the lettuce and separate the leaves. Rinse with cold tap water and pat dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner. Tear the larger leaves into pieces, leaving the smaller leaves whole.
Add the lettuce to a large salad bowl with the mint leaves and toss to combine.
Add the drained cooled peas and the snipped chives to the salad bowl.
Pour 1/2 cup of homemade Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine.
Portion the salad onto individual chilled salad plates, and sprinkle each serving with the crumbled croutons. Serve with additional dressing, salt and pepper.
Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup sour cream,
½ cup mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip (I used Kewpie)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Place the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and dried dill into a [quart] wide mouth Mason jar.
Insert an immersion blender (stick blender) and combine with an up/down motion until well blended., about 30 seconds! Alternatively, you can use a standard blender or a Nutribullet to blend the ingredients.
Remove the blender and stir in the fresh dill and fresh chives. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Cover the jar with its lid and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
We usually stick to vinaigrette, but this dressing was marvellous!
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
10 ounces frozen green peas, thawed (or use fresh)
4 heads Little Gem lettuce (I used a largish butter lettuce from Aldi)
1 cup fresh mint
½ cup fresh chopped chives
1 cup salad croutons, crumbled
½ cup Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Set a steamer basket into a large saucepan filled with salted water and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl.
Add the prepared fresh sugar snap peas to the boiling water and blanch for 2-3 minutes until tender and crisp. Lift the steamer basket and peas from the boiling water and plunge into the ice water. When cool, tip onto a kitchen towel to drain.
Place the thawed frozen peas into the steamer basket and set the basket back into the saucepan of boiling water. Blanch the peas for 1 minute only.
Lift the steamer basket from the boiling water and plunge into the ice water. When cool, tip onto a separate towel to drain.
Slice the cut ends from the lettuce and separate the leaves. Rinse with cold tap water and pat dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner. Tear the larger leaves into pieces, leaving the smaller leaves whole.
Add the lettuce to a large salad bowl with the mint leaves and toss to combine.
Add the drained cooled peas and the snipped chives to the salad bowl.
Pour 1/2 cup of homemade Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine.
Portion the salad onto individual chilled salad plates, and sprinkle each serving with the crumbled croutons. Serve with additional dressing, salt and pepper.
Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup sour cream,
½ cup mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip (I used Kewpie)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Place the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and dried dill into a [quart] wide mouth Mason jar.
Insert an immersion blender (stick blender) and combine with an up/down motion until well blended., about 30 seconds! Alternatively, you can use a standard blender or a Nutribullet to blend the ingredients.
Remove the blender and stir in the fresh dill and fresh chives. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Cover the jar with its lid and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
that!!