Spring Vegetable Salad

I have been on the hunt for a new slew of vegetables to add into my lunch salads, so when I came across this recipe incorporating fresh spring vegetables like sugar snap peas, radishes, and fresh dill, I was pumped! The sugar snap peas and radishes add a nice crunch, while the dill and chives give it such a refreshing flavor. Then I always forget about ricotta cheese as an option for salads – unlike goat cheese it’s rather bland so it can mix with anything! Read on for how to prep the salad with a home-made vinaigrette!

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more if needed
• 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar, plus more if needed
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 6 Tbs. (3 fl. oz./90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

• 4 cups (1 3/4 lb./875 g) cooked cannellini beans
• 3/4 lb. (375 g) sugar snap peas, blanched (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup (1/3 oz./10 g) fresh dill, torn from stems
• 1/2 cup (3/4 oz./20 g) very thinly sliced fresh chives
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups (3 oz./90 g) young pea tendrils
• 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g) crumbled ricotta salata cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) shaved watermelon or breakfast radishes (from 2 to 3 radishes)

* Directions: To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 Tbs. vinegar and the shallot and let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the mustard and then the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Taste and add more salt or vinegar, if needed. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the cannellini beans, snap peas, dill, chives and 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on a large serving platter and garnish with the pea tendrils, cheese and radishes. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette just before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

*Thanks to Williams-Sonoma for the recipe!