Warm Snow Pea Salad
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 2-4
This recipe was inspired by a fish dish that I had in Las Vegas. The sea bass was served over a delicious warm pea shoots salad. The fish was among the best I’ve ever had, but it was the salad I left craving. To recreate the memory of that dish, I sauté snow peas and serve them over a bed of pea greens tossed with lemon and hot honey. A warm salad is a perfect transition between winter and spring when the season is turning but it’s still a little chilly, and this one checks all the boxes—crunchy, salty, light, and fresh.
Ingredients:1/2 cup honey1 tablespoon red pepper flake4 cups snow peasHalloumi cheese (1 block, 8.8 ounces)4 cups mixed greens (protein greens blended with pea leaves is preferred)1 lemonOlive oilSalt
Instructions:1. Heat the honey and the red pepper flakes together in a small saucepan set over medium heat on the stovetop. Bring to a boil then strain and allow to cool. 2. Inspect the snap peas and discard any that are brown or have holes. Chop the remaining peas into thirds. 3. Prepare the halloumi by slicing it into equal piece 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the prepared peas and season with salt. Cook until bright green and heated through. Then transfer to a serving dish and set aside. 5. Wipe the skillet clean then add a drizzle of olive oil then add the sliced halloumi. Cook until browned then flip and brown the other side. (At first, the skillet may fill with moisture and steam. If this happens, continue cooking until the liquid evaporates and the cheese browns.)6. Once the cheese is browned on each side, transfer the cheese to a serving plate.7. To assemble the salad, toss the greens with the juice of 1 lemon. Add the greens to a salad bowl and top with the snow peas then the cheese. Drizzle with the warm hot honey. Toss and enjoy. (The honey mixes with the oil from the peas and the lemon juice from the greens to make a vinaigrette.)
Ingredients:1/2 cup honey1 tablespoon red pepper flake4 cups snow peasHalloumi cheese (1 block, 8.8 ounces)4 cups mixed greens (protein greens blended with pea leaves is preferred)1 lemonOlive oilSalt
Instructions:1. Heat the honey and the red pepper flakes together in a small saucepan set over medium heat on the stovetop. Bring to a boil then strain and allow to cool. 2. Inspect the snap peas and discard any that are brown or have holes. Chop the remaining peas into thirds. 3. Prepare the halloumi by slicing it into equal piece 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the prepared peas and season with salt. Cook until bright green and heated through. Then transfer to a serving dish and set aside. 5. Wipe the skillet clean then add a drizzle of olive oil then add the sliced halloumi. Cook until browned then flip and brown the other side. (At first, the skillet may fill with moisture and steam. If this happens, continue cooking until the liquid evaporates and the cheese browns.)6. Once the cheese is browned on each side, transfer the cheese to a serving plate.7. To assemble the salad, toss the greens with the juice of 1 lemon. Add the greens to a salad bowl and top with the snow peas then the cheese. Drizzle with the warm hot honey. Toss and enjoy. (The honey mixes with the oil from the peas and the lemon juice from the greens to make a vinaigrette.)