Butter Lettuce and Spring Pea Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Butter lettuce salad with spring peas is perfect paired with grilled salmon or chicken. Mustard vinaigrette dressing combines Dijon mustard with fresh dill weed, lemon juice and olive oil for a light tangy finish.

This salad is great for late spring and summer when fresh peas begin to show up at the market. Actually, make it all year-long because it’s yummy with fresh or frozen peas. The combination of peas and butter lettuce makes for an almost creamy flavor. And I think you’ll love the mustard vinaigrette dressing because it adds a fresh tang to the salad. You could grill some salmon or chicken and lay it over the top and there’s your meal!

As a finishing touch, I’ve topped the salad with toasted macadamia nuts and clover blossoms. These final additions aren’t necessary to make the salad great but macadamia nuts add a toasty, rich flavor and I just happen to have chive blossoms blooming right now and they are oniony-delicious!

For a main dish or fancy first course, the salad looks impressive with the lettuce leaves fanned on a plate and the other ingredients arranged on top. But for individual side salads,  chop the butter lettuce and toss everything together in one big bowl to pass around the table.

The dressing for this salad or even the vegetable fixings would be a great filling for my Salad Stuffed Shells.

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Butter Lettuce and Spring Pea Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

This salad comes together in a snap with fresh homemade dressing and is tasty with fresh or frozen peas!

Course Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 151

Ingredients 

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• 2 cups shelled fresh peas, or frozen

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill weed, snipped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, NOT extra virgin
• 1 small head Belgian endive lettuce
• 1 large head butter or Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, toasted (optional)

Optional:

• Chive blossom florets or snipped fresh chives

Instructions

For Fresh Peas:

• fill a medium saucepan with water. Bring to boiling over high heat. Add 2 cups of peas; cook for 1 minute, stirring once. Immediately drain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain peas again and set aside.

For Frozen Peas:

• Let 2 cups of frozen peas thaw, rinse and set aside.

Make the Mustard Vinaigrette:

• In a medium bowl combine 1 Tablespoon of fresh dill weed, 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon of vinegar, 2 teaspoons of mustard, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and whisk until fully blended. Add peas to vinaigrette; toss to coat.
• Slice 1 small head of endive in half lengthwise and remove core. Slice endive again lengthwise into thin strips. Add endive to pea mixture; lightly toss to mix.
• Arrange lettuce on a plate; top with pea mixture. Sprinkle with additional pepper. If desired, top with nuts and chive blossom florets.

Tip:

• Break the chive blossoms from the stem to get florets.

Alternate Option:

• Lightly tear butter lettuce into bite-size pieces and toss with pea mixture. Pass nuts and chive blossoms around the table.

Nutrition Facts

Butter Lettuce and Spring Pea Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 151 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Sodium 137mg6%

Potassium 368mg11%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 3430IU69%

Vitamin C 30mg36%

Calcium 66mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Garden Fresh cookbook.