Spring Pea Salad with Radishes and Whipped Ricotta by Fausto
From Fausto chef Erin Shambura:
Spring is full of so many beautiful vegetables and greens, and this salad is a bounty of the season. I pair it with the whipped ricotta for Mother’s Day, because it’s an ingredient my mom loves. It’s simple enough to put together but super decadent and delicious.
Ingredients
Ricotta
1 pint whole milk ricotta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Salad
2 cups freshly shucked English peas
2 cups sugar snap peas, stings removed
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 tablespoons olive oil
4 small/medium radishes, thinly sliced
¼ bunch mint leaves, torn
1 bunch watercress
2 cups pea shoots or pea greens
Instructions
Ricotta
Combine the ricotta, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor with a metal blade. Blend for 2 minutes or until silky smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container once or twice with a spatula. Use right away or store covered in the refrigerator. (Note: The ricotta can also be mixed by hand.)
Salad
Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the English peas and cook until crisp-tender, between 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the peas with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl with ice water to cool. Once cooled, remove the peas and transfer to a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet to dry. Bring the water back to a boil. Cook the snap peas for 30 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and transfer to a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet.
Plating
Take four bowls and place a large spoonful of ricotta on one side of each. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, a pinch of fine sea salt, a few grinds of pepper, and olive oil. Add peas, snap peas, greens, and another pinch of fine salt. Gently toss with clean hands. Season with more lemon juice, oil, or salt, depending on your taste. Mound salad next to the cheese, drizzle extra lemon juice and olive oil over each salad. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
