28 July 2016

Pea Salad - Marinated Green Pea Salad

Pea Salad / www.delightfulrepast.com

Pea salad is something I've been eating and making all my life without any musical accompaniment in my head. Then about 12 years ago I included it in a magazine article I wrote about peas, and my editor titled it "Give Peas a Chance."

If that doesn't get a tune going in your head, then you were probably born after 1969 and not among the huge numbers of Beatles (the group or individuals) fans who arose from later generations. My editor thought she was dating herself with that particular bit of cleverness, but I remember thinking she was pretty cool.

Growing up, I thought pea salad must be an English thing since the only people I ever knew to make it were my mother and her side of the family, but I really have no idea of its origins. There are all sorts of variations I like, but I always make it the way I've done here with a vinaigrette dressing. One of my cousins uses mayonnaise and adds cubes of cheese.

My mother sometimes made it with canned peas, to which my sister and I both always had an aversion, and yet we could eat the pea salad made with canned peas. But I like it best with frozen peas or fresh (if they are truly fresh and lightly cooked). 

So tell me, is your family a pea salad family?


Pea Salad / www.delightfulrepast.com


Pea Salad - Marinated Green Pea Salad


(Makes 6 servings)

The Dressing

(Makes about 1/3 cup)

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Country Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt, to start
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

The Salad

1 16-ounce bag frozen peas, uncooked, or 3 cups steamed fresh green peas
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly-sliced celery or diced carrots
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 leaves butter lettuce
3 small ripe red tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each

1 Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake until thoroughly combined (or hit it with an immersion blender for a few seconds if you like it really emulsified).

Note: I usually double or triple the dressing recipe and keep the extra in the refrigerator for other salads. If the olive oil solidifies, just leave it at room temperature for a while.

2 In 2-quart bowl, combine peas, onions, celery or carrots, bell pepper and vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours, stirring gently a few times. The uncooked frozen peas will thaw perfectly as they marinate. 

3 To serve individual salads, place a lettuce leaf on each of six chilled salad plates. Top with marinated pea salad, using a slotted spoon. Garnish each salad with three tomato wedges. If really good tomatoes are not to be found, garnish with strips of red bell pepper.

4 Or serve family style. Here I've made it sort of salad bar style, with ingredients that some people I know are allergic to separated out.

65 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

Simple yet awesome! Definitely right up my alley, Jean.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Angie! Lots of protein, too.

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

Well, you are what you eat, so I’m sticking with chicken, ham and turkey. Pea salad sounds like very painful kidney stones. But it looks nice in the dish there. I think I would use mylar salad dressing and hang it on the wall. Which is probably about 4 feet below from where you would hang me…

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Now, Sully, you cannot complain about this being *too* healthy a dish; after all, it has 1/4 teaspoon of sugar in the dressing, and I wouldn't object if you wanted to up that to 1/2 teaspoon!

Cranberry Morning said...

Thanks for the ear worm, Jean. :-) I had a wonderful pea salad once at a beautiful brunch, but never have found a good recipe that measured up to it. I LOVE peas (although Mr. C. *hates* them), and I will make this recipe. I trust you, Jean. And I laughed in your comment about 'butt dust.' My nieces always said that too. LOL PS That dish looks beautiful!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Judy! My sister and I both had "incidents" in the school lunchroom in second grade, mine 8 years after hers. Forced to eat some of the mushy, gray canned peas on our plates, we threw up! Not sure about her, but that was the last time *I* was made to eat anything in that lunchroom! Mr C probably has a story as well.

Vee said...

You may not believe this, but I have never heard of a pea salad. It's probably the only way I could give peas a chance. I have used a few raw peas in a tossed salad and I like them that way.

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

The only pea salads I have ever known are very mayonnaise based. Your pea salad sounds very light and refreshing. I will be pinning this to make for our next picnic!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Vee! :D I do hope you will give peas a chance with this dish!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, BRnLC! I hope everyone enjoys it at your picnic!

Margie said...

Your Editor's Beatles-inspired title made me smile. I don't think I've ever had peas salad, but it looks good!

I'm also still drinking hot tea during the morning, but switch to iced tea in the afternoon!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Margie! About the only time I drink iced tea is when I have leftover hot tea in the teapot and don't want to waste it, so I make iced tea. My father drank a huge glass or two of iced tea every day after work.

Melissa AuClair said...

It's gorgeous! I may have to turn into a pea-salad person. Maybe I can persuade my nephews to enjoy it too :)

Jill said...

This looks so delicious :-) I love a good salad with variety! Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,
Jill

Marisa Franca @ Allourway said...

I love the colors! Yes, I was raised on canned peas although not canned carrots. My folks were from the Italian generation that loved everything "well done" including vegetables :-( Your salad is beautiful and a certainly tantalizing. I haven't made a pea salad but it's about time. Thank you for sharing :-)

Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) said...

I'm such a pea fan, I've got to give peas a chance. :) Pinning this one. I was just at a luncheon event and the caterer did a similar recipe with green beans. I tried to recreate it at home and didn't get it just right. It called for sherry vinegar which is a darker color, which darkened the beans. It didn't look the same as what I had or lunch. With all that said, I'm going to try your version with red wine vinegar. Thanks for sharing this one.

Sylvia said...

Sounds good to me! I have always made English Pea Salad...cut onion in small pieces add mayo and mix together with a can of English peas...yummy good.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Melissa, thank you. I think nephews just might go for it!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jill! I'll be making more of it this weekend. It's a great hot weather no-cook protein and vegetable dish rolled into one.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Marisa, thank you! We like lightly cooked vegetables, too, but tend to prefer raw vegetables. I'm not sure why anyone would buy canned carrots, but I've never tasted them.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Lea Ann, I'm with you about not wanting to darken the vegetables. That's why I don't use balsamic vinegar on some things. No matter how good a dish might taste, if it doesn't look good as well, it's out! Thanks for Pinning - much appreciated. Now go give peas a chance! :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sounds good, Sylvia! My mother put finely minced onion and mayo in hers, and it was wonderful. I really like celery in it, too, but I was out of celery. Maybe I'll branch out and do the mayo next time.

TONY said...

I like the ingredients. Now, to do the British thing! You should have your own greenhouse to grow these vegetables in, Jean. Do many Americans grow their own?

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony! Yes, gardening is very popular here as well. I love growing peas, but haven't managed to do much gardening the last three years. When I've grown peas, I've had a very difficult time not eating them all as I pick them! I really must get myself organized for planting next spring.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

No, my family is not a pea salad one, having not grown up with it, Jean. However, your salad may just change that for me! As for canned peas...yuk! Thank goodness, my mom did buy frozen peas to have as a side dish. The only pea salad that I've ever had, had mayonnaise in it, but your version sounds much better, and it's so pretty, too.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Kitty! And, who knows, maybe this would be a hit at Nana's Cooking Camp! :D

Cocoa and Lavender said...

I had a friend whose family had pea salad every year for Thanksgiving. It was made with canned peas, chopped hard-cooked egg whites, and mayonnaise. It might've had some pickle in it, as well. While i didn't like that particular salad, I like the associations. Yours sounds quite wonderful, Gene!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, David! And I know what you mean about not liking something but liking the associations. That's probably why a lot of really awful things appear on celebration tables year after year!

Anonymous said...

This looks very good. I will have to try it soon as it is new to us.
I also thought your recipe for Classic Creamy Coleslaw that was featured at the bottom of this post looks good, too! I will try your dressing recipe for it this next week!
Thank you,
Lily

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Lily! I hope you'll try it sometime. And do let me know how you like the Classic Creamy Coleslaw dressing.

Miz Helen said...

Your presentation of this delicious Pea Salad is beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Marilyn, thank you so much!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Miz Helen!

Edye Nicole said...

What a colorful dish! I've never heard of anything like this before :)

Blessings,
Edye | Http://gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Edye! I love it when I post a dish that a lot of people have never had!

Susie said...

My daughters never like peas. I always have. I like them with certain food...I used make pea salad, but it is so different than yours. Made more along the line of kidney bean salad. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Susie. I love different kinds of bean salads, too. Without all the legumes I eat, I'd probably starve to death!

Summer said...

I would have some of this lovely salad right now ♥

summerdaisy.net

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Summer! I'd make some right now if I had all the ingredients on hand!

jayashree said...

This is new to me. Looks delicious !Thanks for sharing with Saucy Saturdays

Swathi said...

That is colorful and delicious salad Jean I can eat anytime, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning , tweeting and featuring on this week's hop.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, jayashree. I hope you'll come back again and check out more of my recipes.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Swathi, thank you so much! It's an honor to be featured, and I always appreciate your pins and tweets.

April J Harris said...

I have never had pea salad but I'm looking forward to trying yours, Jean! It looks so fresh and delicious, and I love the dressing too. Thank you for sharing with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, April. Yours is one of my favorite blogs and "hops."

April J Harris said...

Thank you so much, Jean, I'm so glad you enjoy it! Swathi and I really appreciate your support of the hop. I've just popped back to let you know I've featured this post at Hearth and Soul this week. Have a lovely week ahead!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you for that, April!

Erika Powell said...

Wow, I have never heard of pea salad but this looks really good! I am going to have to try this for sure.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Erika! I hope you will try it soon and let me know how you liked it!

Karen said...

Hi Jean,
Your pea salad looks lovely and I know I would love it. My family are not as keen on peas as I am so I may just have to eat it all myself. It looks like a perfect summer vegetable for lunch or dinner. Happy Summer! Karen

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Karen, thank you! There are a number of things I make just for myself. Go ahead and make it even if your family doesn't like peas!

Min said...

Wow I would never have thought of putting peas in a salad. Looks like I need to "give peas a chance." Will definitely try this. #dreamteam

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Min, thank you! So glad you're going to "give peas a chance!"

Katie said...

My family is going to be a pea salad family! This sounds so delicious and wonderful - thanks for sharing this at #HappinessIsHomemade this week!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Aaw! Thank you, LMM! I'm so glad it appealed to you!

Art and Sand said...

Thanks for sharing with SYC.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you for hosting, Carol!

Unknown said...

I have to say that I'm not a massive pea fan - but maybe in a salad with a vinaigrette I could get on board! Thank you for sharing your recipe, I'm going to take a look...thanks for linking up to #dreamteam

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Bridie! It *does* make a difference, the vinaigrette!

Pondside said...

This is something good I've never tried though I have seen it at potlucks. It sounds very fresh and tasty, and this is the right time of ₩year to give it a try!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Pondside, thanks! I hope you'll give it a try soon. I think it's a very refreshing summer side dish with the vinaigrette.

Rettabug said...

I remember this from my childhood!!! I can't wait to try making it...perhaps I'll take it to the lake along with the cake in a jar!

Thank you for sharing the recipe & how you prepare it, Jean.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Rettabug. It's so quick and easy to make, and it looks and tastes so good. I can't think why I don't make it more often these days! I hope you like it.

Carole said...

What a fabulous dish - both the recipe and the plate! Cheers

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Carole! I was reminded I haven't even used this beautiful serving piece in a while. Must remedy that!