English Ivy Snap Pea Salad (Printable)

Fresh snap peas and green beans twined with sharp cheddar in a bright, flavorful salad.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 7 oz snap peas, ends trimmed
02 - 7 oz green beans, ends trimmed
03 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

04 - 3.5 oz sharp white cheddar, cut into small cubes or shards

→ Dressing

05 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp honey
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
12 - Optional: microgreens or pea shoots

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add snap peas and green beans, blanching for 2 minutes until bright green and tender.
02 - Immediately transfer the vegetables to an ice water bath to halt cooking and retain crispness. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Add blanched vegetables and sliced shallot to the dressing. Toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Arrange the dressed vegetables in long, intertwined vines on a serving platter. Scatter sharp white cheddar cubes or shards atop.
06 - Sprinkle with finely chopped chives and optionally garnish with microgreens or pea shoots. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The snap peas stay absurdly crisp and bright—blanching for just two minutes is the secret nobody talks about.
  • Sharp cheddar cuts through the freshness in a way that feels unexpected and addictive, nothing like a boring cheese salad.
  • You can have this on the table in twenty minutes, yet it looks like you spent your entire afternoon on it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath—it's the difference between vegetables that taste fresh and vegetables that taste like they've been sitting around thinking about being cooked.
  • The dressing needs to be balanced before you add anything else to it; if you try to fix it after mixing with the vegetables, you'll end up with something muddy instead of bright.
  • Timing matters tremendously—make this right before serving, not an hour ahead, or the vegetables begin to absorb the dressing and lose their decisive crunch.
03 -
  • If you want to add toasted walnuts or almonds for crunch, toast them yourself for about five minutes—the flavor difference is worth those few minutes of attention.
  • Arranging the vegetables in actual vines instead of just tossing them together transforms how people perceive the dish; it looks intentional and beautiful without requiring any special skill.
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