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Spring Pea and Quinoa Salad with Pine Ridge CB+V
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Quinoa & Spring Pea Salad

Recipe Date: July 28, 2020
Yield: 4 Servings
Prep: PT25M 25 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes
Total Time: PT35M 35 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

With three kinds of peas, plus the tender pea tendrils, this colorful salad is like spring on a plate. Serve it for lunch alfresco or as an accompaniment to grilled salmon for dinner. Either way, our Chenin Blanc + Viognier has the vivacity and lightness that this lemony salad wants.

Ingredients

Quinoa Salad
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups quinoa
  • ½ pound sugar snap peas
  • ½ pound snow peas
  • ¾ pound English peas in the pod or ½ cup shelled peas
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced radishes
  • 1/3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Lemon vinaigrette [recipe follows]
  • ¼ cup torn or roughly chopped fresh mint
  • 2 cups pea tendrils or watercress
  • 1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
Lemon Vinaigrette
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt to taste
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water and salt to taste to a boil. Add the quinoa and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the quinoa if necessary. Return to the saucepan, cover with a clean kitchen towel and the lid, and let steam for 10 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet to let cool.

In the meantime, remove the strings from the sugar snap and snow peas, and shuck the English peas, if necessary. Prepare an ice bath for the peas.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste, and drop in the sugar snap peas. Blanch for about 1 minute until crisp-tender, and remove from the boiling water to the ice bath. Repeat the process with the snow peas and English peas.

When the peas are cool, remove them from the ice bath and drain. Place on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Slice the sugar snap and snow peas on the diagonal. Set aside with the English peas.

In a small nonreactive bowl, combine the shallots, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside to macerate for 15 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and season with additional salt to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the peas, radishes, and scallions with half of the lemon vinaigrette and season with salt. Add the quinoa and mint, and combine with the vegetables. Add the pea tendrils and crumbled feta. Drizzle with a little vinaigrette, toss gently, and serve.