Sweet sugar snap peas, the main attraction of this salad, are bathed in a lemony vinaigrette and tossed with crispy pancetta bits, minced red onion, grated Pecorino and finely chopped fresh mint leaves. An instant hit in our house, we three ladled spoonful after spoonful of this crunchy, sweet and salty combo onto our plates. And, when the last bite of this summery, fresh salad had been eaten, The Bug tore off hunks of crusty sourdough bread to soak up the remaining drops of dressing at the bottom of the empty serving bowl. I decided to serve it again this weekend for friends who are in town, but thought it might be fun to include one additional ingredient in the mix — potatoes.
As I shopped at the Farmers Market, picking up sugar snap peas and red onions, I noticed a bin of small, yellow potatoes with rough skin.
My friends at Roots Organic Farm assured me that their German Butterball Potatoes would be lovely in a cold salad, but recommended that I keep an eye on the clock while cooking, and take the pot off the heat shortly before the potatoes were completely cooked through. They explained that if I let them sit in their cooking water for a few minutes off the heat, they would be perfectly cooked and their texture would be ideal for a salad. Their guidance was spot-on. These buttery orbs held their shape beautifully after slicing and added a creamy dimension to the salad. The only down side? Less vinaigrette for bottom-of-the-bowl bread-dipping.
Sugar Snap Pea and Potato Salad with Pancetta, Pecorino and Mint beautifully complements roasted or grilled salmon. It also pairs nicely with a grilled, marinated tri-tip. I marinated our tri-tip in this summery Garlic, Oregano, Orange and Cumin marinade from Melissa Clark’s A Good Appetite column from July 2008.
My adaption of Gail’s recipe from Union Square Cafe is below.
| Sugar Snap Pea and Potato Salad with Pancetta, Pecorino and Mint |
|
- 1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 4-5 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 lb. small potatoes (I used Butterball, but small red or Yukon Golds would work)
- 1 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed at each end, and sliced on the bias in 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
- 1/8 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
- 3/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp finely minced mint leaves
- 5 Tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel or other sea salt (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Dice the pancetta into bits and place it in a 10-inch sauté pan over low heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the fat is rendered and the bits are crisp. Drain pancetta on plate lined with paper towels. Set aside pancetta at room temperature. Grate the Pecorino and mince the red onions; wrap each separately and set aside in the fridge.
- Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add a few tablespoons of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Check the potatoes at 8 minutes. If you can just pierce them with a paring knife, turn off the heat and let the potatoes sit in the cooking water for another 5 minutes until they are at the desired tenderness. Drain in the sink and cool. When cool, cut into 1/4-inch slices.
- Bring 3 qts water to a boil in a large pot and add 2-3 Tablespoons of salt (the water should be salty). Prepare ice bath. Prep the snap peas and then cook them in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Scoop the snap peas out of the boiling water, add them to the ice water. Leave in the bowl until read to use. Before dressing them, drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Combine the lemon juice, vinegar & olive oil in a measuring cup; whisk to blend. Mince the mint leaves.
- Place peas, pancetta, potatoes, onions, mint, cheese, fleur de sel and pepper in a bowl; pour half of the vinaigrette over the vegetables and stir the ingredients to mix well. Add more dressing as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m now wondering if I can sacrifice the potatoes I’d planned for tonight’s dinner in lieu of this salad. How delightful! It’s got everything I love!
Hi Cathy, we loved it with the addition of the potatoes. Let me know if you try it!
I have long loved a traditional potato salad that is now wondering where the love has gone. Combining potatoes with fresh herbs and a vinaigrette for a French style potato salad opened up a whole new world of possibilities and I’ve grown to love that more. This looks absolutely fantastic; it will be a must make for us!
Hi Barb, thanks for reading. Let me know what you think!
We enjoyed this wonderful recipe at dinner last night. Just before bedtime, our vegetables-averse ten-year-old asked, “Mama, do we have any more of that salad? It is so good I would eat it for breakfast.”
Give that a child a hug for me, Katherine! Great to see you and share a meal. See you soon!
I love sugar snap peas but never am sure how to serve them. It looks like this salad is the perfect answer. Thank you Carol!
Winifred, I hope you like it. Please keep me posted and thanks!
What a stellar summer salad! Vibrant, fresh and irresistible. I like the addition of potatoes.
I imagine they soak up a bit of dressing missing from the bottom of the bowl. Being a bit envious of your pampered dinner guests, I’ll just have to make it for myself!
If you lived closer, I would make you a bowl, Deb…but you’d need to bring your lemon pudding cakes in exchange. That seems fair, doesn’t it?
Thanks for reading!
I just had to try this recipe! I served the salad with potatoes on a bed of arugula and it was very quickly devoured! This is a stellar salad for a picnic or other summer event as the snap peas will remain crisp. When I travel down your way I will pack some lemon pudding cakes in those sweet canning jars and do a quick drive by! They are so easy to prepare.
I’m so thrilled to hear it, Deb! I have more snap peas in my fridge. I have to make this again soon. I appreciate the lemon pudding cake drive-by, but don’t worry, I won’t start pressuring you for another week or two:)
Carol, I’m so happy you and your family love this salad as much as we do! Adding the potatoes was a sheer stroke of genius! It’s practically a meal in itself!
Thanks for taking this salad up to the next level!!!
xo
Oh Gail, we love it and our friends loved it, too. I’ll be making this salad with and without potatoes all summer. It’s a gem. Thank you so much for sharing it with me! xo
I just made the salad and will be taking it to a neighborhood BBQ this evening. I, of course, had to taste it — and it’s delicious!! Thank you Carol.
Hi Jill, you just made my day. I’m so happy to hear that you made it and liked it! Thank you!
I am wondering if I am allowed to bring something (i.e. the salad) to the potluck but not share it?? I could eat the whole bowl by myself. LOL.
Jil (spelled it correctly, this time!), you have my full support:) I’m so delighted that you like it. THank you again!!
Thank you Carol…and I do actually spell my name with two Ls – I messed up when I signed in. My thoughts must have been somewhere else – salad?
Too funny!
Wow – what a lovely combination and with pancetta and potatoes, how could this not be wonderful. Going to have to give this a try.
Thanks, Beth! Let me know if you try it.