Lemony Dill Pea Salad with Salmon
The last time I made this beautiful salad, it occurred to me that pea shoots would be a lovely, on-theme garnish, although a scattering of dill fronds and an extra sprinkle of the optional feta and walnuts looks rather pretty too. Yield: ~ 1¾ quarts
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce bag (~3½ cups) fresh or frozen peas
- ½ an English cucumber or 3-4 mini cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 8 ounces or 2 cups)
- 7-8 ounces ounces hot smoked salmon (usually 2 fillets, depending on size*)
- ½ cup cup roughly chopped fresh parsley (may sub a scant ½ cup mint or use half and half)
- ½ cup torn fresh dill (keep it fluffed up, not packed*)
- 3 tablespoons (42ml) olive or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice plus the zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Optional extras: 1 cup arugula, ½ cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts, and/or ½ cup crumbled feta
Instructions
- Prepare the peas: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl with cold water and ice cubes to quickly cool the peas later. When the water boils, add the peas and cook peas for 2-5 minutes, depending on whether fresh or frozen, until crisp-tender and vibrant green, tasting on the early side to prevent mushy peas. Drain well, rinse under cold water, and then put them in the ice bath for 2 minutes or so. Drain very well
- Combine the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the peas, cucumbers, and herbs. Break the salmon into small chunks (you can keep or discard the skin, as preferred), adding it to the bowl as well. Zest the lemon overtop, and then add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and optional arugula, walnuts, and/or feta cheese. Taste and add an extra sprinkle of salt and pepper and/or garnish with additional fresh dill, feta and/or nuts, as desired.
- Advance prep and storage: The salad is delicious right away, but the flavor does improve as the ingredients become infused with the simple but light and bright vinaigrette. Feel free to make an hour (or several) in advance. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, leftovers will keep for 4-5 days. If the salad seems at all dry, give it an extra squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
*The salmon: Hot smoked salmon offers a quick and easy option in this salad, but as an alternative, you may use an equal amount of broiled, pan-seared, or grilled salmon. Hot smoked salmon can be found in the refrigerated seafood section and is usually packaged as single fillets. Also, note that “hot” smoked salmon isn’t spicy. The name refers to the method of cooking, which differs from the “cold smoked” variety, often served on bagels with cream cheese.
**Dill tip: I find that plucking the fronds from the stems keeps them fresher and airier than chopping.The latter also compacts them so much and makes measuring less consistent. Better yet, use kitchen shears to snip them right into the measuring cup!
A word on the optional ingredients: I typically use all of them, but if you are serving people don’t like or can’t eat nuts or dairy, you can feel confident that the recipe is solid without them. The feta adds some saltiness, so if omitting, you may like an extra pinch or two of salt. To keep everyone happy, you could serve the walnuts and feta on the side.
Serving options: I love this served with a side of deviled eggs or sliced cheese (Manchego is delish!), and/or a roll or piece of cornbread. My family also likes when I turn the salad into a bowl meal, serving with rice (black rice looks beautiful!) and a drizzle of Yogurt Tahini Sauce or Shortcut Tzatziki. As a crunchy alternative to the walnuts, you could also use pecans, Marcona almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, or sunflower seeds.
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