Salad with New Potatoes and Pickled Spring Onions

From the Smitten Kitchen

I realized as I was editing photos for this post that they reminded me of something else, and that I’d likely been inadvertently influenced by Heidi Swanson’s Mostly-Not-Potato Salad from her incredible book, Super Natural Everyday. Great minds think alike! Heidi’s version is a bit different, including tofu, celery, cucumber, green beans, chive and dill, but I love that it also gives a the classic potato salad a makeover, and reprioritizing. I could imagine delighting in them both all summer.

Ingredients

2 pounds small new or fingerling potatoes (I used a mix of reds and yukon golds)
1 pound asparagus
1/4 pound sugar snap peas, green beans or other spring pea
4 small-to-medium radishes, thinly sliced

Pickled spring onions
3 spring onions (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon kosher salt (I use Diamond brand; use less if you’re using Morton or table salt)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Sharp mustard vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (both Roland and Maille make a whole seed one I’m tremendously fond of)
2 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with one inch of water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces through a potato. Drain the potatoes and let them cool until they’re almost room temperature. You can hasten this by covering them with cold water, and replacing the water a few times as it warms up.

Meanwhile, pickle your spring onions. Whisk vinegar, water, salt and sugar together in the bottom of a small container with a lid until the salt and sugar dissolve. Slice the bulbs and paler green parts into very thin coins and submerge them in the vinegar mixture. Cover and put in fridge until you’re ready to use them; if you can put them aside for an hour or even overnight, even better. Reserve the onion greens.

Refill the saucepan you used for the potatoes (here’s to fewer dishes!) with salted water and bring it to a boil. Prepare an ice bath, a large bowl with ice and water in it. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus. Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus. One minute later, add the sugar snap peas. Two minutes later, drain both together then dump them in the ice bath until chilled. Drain the vegetables and spread them out on towel to absorb excess water.

Slice the cooked asparagus spears and sugar snaps into 1/2-inch segments and place them in a large bowl. Chop potatoes into moderate-sized chunks and add them to the bowl. Cut the radishes as thinly as possible, with a mandoline if you have one. If they’re especially big (mine were), you can first quarter them lengthwise. Cut some of the reserved onion greens into thin slivers (no need to use all of them, as the onion flavor might take over) and add them to the bowl.

When you’re ready to serve the salad, or an hour or two in advance, whisk the dressing ingredients and toss it with the vegetables, to taste. (You may find you don’t want to use all of it.) Stir in as many pickled onion coins as you please, save the rest for anything and everything. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, o taste. Eat and enjoy!.

Do ahead: Pickles can be started in the day or days before. Potatoes can be boiled and chilled in fridge overnight, as can other vegetables. Vinaigrette can be made in advance as well, but I might wait until the last minute to toss it with the vegetables as the vinegar, over a long sitting time, can ever-so-slightly discolor the cut edges of the asparagus and beans.

Salad with New Potatoes and Pickled Spring Onions

From the Smitten Kitchen

I realized as I was editing photos for this post that they reminded me of something else, and that I’d likely been inadvertently influenced by Heidi Swanson’s Mostly-Not-Potato Salad from her incredible book, Super Natural Everyday. Great minds think alike! Heidi’s version is a bit different, including tofu, celery, cucumber, green beans, chive and dill, but I love that it also gives a the classic potato salad a makeover, and reprioritizing. I could imagine delighting in them both all summer.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds small new or fingerling potatoes (I used a mix of reds and yukon golds)
• 1 pound asparagus
• 1/4 pound sugar snap peas, green beans or other spring pea
• 4 small-to-medium radishes, thinly sliced

Pickled spring onions

• 3 spring onions (about 6 ounces)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (I use Diamond brand; use less if you’re using Morton or table salt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Sharp mustard vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (both Roland and Maille make a whole seed one I’m tremendously fond of)
• 2 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with one inch of water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces through a potato. Drain the potatoes and let them cool until they’re almost room temperature. You can hasten this by covering them with cold water, and replacing the water a few times as it warms up.

Meanwhile, pickle your spring onions. Whisk vinegar, water, salt and sugar together in the bottom of a small container with a lid until the salt and sugar dissolve. Slice the bulbs and paler green parts into very thin coins and submerge them in the vinegar mixture. Cover and put in fridge until you’re ready to use them; if you can put them aside for an hour or even overnight, even better. Reserve the onion greens.

Refill the saucepan you used for the potatoes (here’s to fewer dishes!) with salted water and bring it to a boil. Prepare an ice bath, a large bowl with ice and water in it. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus. Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus. One minute later, add the sugar snap peas. Two minutes later, drain both together then dump them in the ice bath until chilled. Drain the vegetables and spread them out on towel to absorb excess water.

Slice the cooked asparagus spears and sugar snaps into 1/2-inch segments and place them in a large bowl. Chop potatoes into moderate-sized chunks and add them to the bowl. Cut the radishes as thinly as possible, with a mandoline if you have one. If they’re especially big (mine were), you can first quarter them lengthwise. Cut some of the reserved onion greens into thin slivers (no need to use all of them, as the onion flavor might take over) and add them to the bowl.

When you’re ready to serve the salad, or an hour or two in advance, whisk the dressing ingredients and toss it with the vegetables, to taste. (You may find you don’t want to use all of it.) Stir in as many pickled onion coins as you please, save the rest for anything and everything. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, o taste. Eat and enjoy!.

Do ahead: Pickles can be started in the day or days before. Potatoes can be boiled and chilled in fridge overnight, as can other vegetables. Vinaigrette can be made in advance as well, but I might wait until the last minute to toss it with the vegetables as the vinegar, over a long sitting time, can ever-so-slightly discolor the cut edges of the asparagus and beans.

Sugar Snap Pea and Radish Salad

From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed, and halved crosswise if desired
• 4 radishes, sliced paper-thin
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place sugar snap peas, radishes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and oil in a serving bowl.

2. Toss well. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Beet & Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb. beets, scrubbed or peeled and quartered or sliced (I would grate, Cuisinarts work well if you have one).
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 sm. red onion, halved & thinly sliced
• [grate fennel raw and add if you like flavor]
• 3 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. ground coriander, lightly toasted
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 lb. snap peas, trimmed
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions

Soak onion in cold water for 10 min.; drain. Whisk together vinegar, coriander, sugar and salt in a salad bowl, then add oil in slow stream, whisking. Toss onion and beets with dressing.  Steam peas over boiling water, covered, 2 min. then transfer to ice water. Drain well & toss with beet mixture.

Pea and Pea Shoot Risotto

From Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

Risotto may seem like lots of work but if you’re in the kitchen anyway for half an hour before dinner than you might as well stir the rice occasionally. And it’s really pretty forgiving and pea risotto is one of my favorites. Pea shoots are a wonderful addition if you have them. You can also add bacon to this—a wonderful combo. Add two slices, cut into small dice to the onion at the beginning if you wish. If you use the bacon you should omit the lemon juice and zest.

Ingredients

• 2 cups snap and/or snow peas, washed, strings removed and cut into ¾ -inch lengths
• 2 cups pea shoots, washed and roughly chopped (optional)
• 7 cups vegetable or chicken stock or veggie broth
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or other grated, hard cheese)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Directions

In a saucepan bring a chicken or veggie stock of your choice to a boil and then turn down to barely a simmer. In a large sauté pan cook onion in oil over medium heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in rice, stirring until each grain is coated with oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine (if using) and cook, over medium-high heat, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Add about 3/4 cup simmering broth and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, cooking, stirring and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until about half of broth has been added. Continue adding broth in the same manner until rice is tender and creamy looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes. About five minutes before the rice is tender stir in the peas and pea shoots and a cup of broth. Keep cooking and stirring until both rice and peas are tender. Italians cook peas a bit longer than we might or than you would in the fried rice above. They are better a bit softer in this dish so don’t feel you need to keep them crisp. Salt and pepper to taste. Add butter and parmesan and a little more broth (it should be quite soupy at this stage and much of the liquid will be absorbed as it rests before serving), mix well and remove pan from heat. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, covered, before serving. Serves 6

Fried Rice with Peas

From Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

This is the quintessential quick dinner, utilizing whatever bits and pieces you have on hand. Snap or snow peas, pea shoots, chard stems (if you made the Swiss Chard pancakes below), all work well in this dish. Quantities are all approximations and you can vary them as you like. You just want to be sure you cut the vegetables finely and fairly uniformly and you don’t want to crowd your skillet or wok. To avoid a soggy dish you need to be brave with the heat level and steer away from vegetables that give off a lot of liquid like tomatoes or zucchini, though finely diced zucchini would work well with enough heat, later in the season!

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked, cooled rice (I recommend making short-grain brown rice as described below, if you can)
• 2 tablespoons coconut, sunflower or olive oil
• 1/2 a medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic,
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1-2 ounces of bacon, cut into small dice
• 1 1/2 cups of peas snow and/or snap peas, cut into 1/2-1-inch pieces
• 2 cups pea shoots, chopped
• 1 Serrano chili, seeded (if you don’t want it very spicy) and finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2-3 teaspoons Tamari or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped basil, mint or cilantro (or a combination)
• Salt

Directions

Heat the oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, peas, Serrano chili, and bacon and cook stirring very frequently for about 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the rice and pea shoots and mix everything very well. Cook for about three more minutes to heat the rice through and wilt the pea shoots. Then push the contents of the pan to one side and add the eggs to the empty spot and scramble them until almost set. A few stray peas or rice kernels will make their way in which is just fine. You just don’t want to mix the raw egg into the rice right away since you’ll loose track of it as it just coats the kernels instead of scrambling. When the eggs are almost set, mix them gently into the rice, add the soy and fish sauce, stir well and then mix in the herbs. Adjust seasoning–it may need salt or more soy or fish sauce or a squeeze of lime juice–and serve immediately. Serves 4 (more or less)

Risotto Verde

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth, preferably bouillon-based
• 1 small onion, sliced lengthwise
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups kale, chopped and blanched
• 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped and blanched
• 2 cups wild arugula, chopped
• 1 cup fresh peas, boiled
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
• Salt and pepper, for taste

Directions

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan, lower the flame and keep to the side. In a large  wok, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until golden, then add the rice and make sure it is completely coated in the oil. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the white wine, again making sure it's coated.

After, add ½ cup of broth at a time into the rice until it is completely absorbed and cooked al dente, reserving 1 cup of broth. Add in the kale and the spinach and cover with lid. After 3 minutes, add the arugula and the peas. Pour the remaining cup of broth, sprinkle a layer of Parmesan on top, no more then ½ cup, and cover with lid. After 4-5 minutes, remove lid and serve, adding Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.