I made this pretty Pea & Prosciutto Salad inspired by @cannellevanille on this sunny Sunday afternoon, and we proceeded to go full-on lazy. It whisked us away to a quiet paradise, or maybe it was the Pinot Grigio… either way, it was a very good moment! We hope your Sunday spoiled you just as much!
And whilst you’re off in your own personal paradise, if you need a good cookbook to delve into for inspiration, we highly recommend Cannelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga. This gem checks all the boxes, from whole, nourishing foods, to gluten-free and just downright gorgeous.
When I came across this salad in Aran's book, I knew it was meant to be. I love dishes that have opposing flavors, salty, sweet & tangy paired with warm & cold - this salad is my everything. I also can't get enough of these seasonal, vibrant greens, bursting with life and fresh energy. And boy, couldn’t we all use a dose of that right now? Use whatever you have on hand, of course, use this recipe as a guide. If you’re not into meat, a slow roasted salmon filet would be gorgeous too.
Find your happy place and take this salad with you!
Ingredients (adapted from Cannelle & Vanille by Aran Goyoaga). Serves 2
2 large handfuls (approx. 70 g) of mixed spring greens, baby arugula (rocket) or spinach
1/2 cup (75 g) peas, blanched (fresh English peas make all the difference if you can find them)
1/2 cup (60 g) sugar snap peas, sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 scallions (spring onions), sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 slices prosciutto
Dressing:
1/2 cup (115 g) buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk see note below to make your own, or replace with yogurt)
1/2 cup (115 g) plain yogurt
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (we used parsley, dill and chives but whatever you have on hand)
pinch of salt
a few grinds of pepper
NOTE: To make your own buttermilk, add 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar to a 1/2-cup measuring cup. Top with regular milk and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Method
First make the dressing so the flavors have time to meld. Combine the buttermilk and yogurt. Add the lemon zest and juice, herbs, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Blanch the peas in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, place them in an ice bath to cool, drain and set aside.
Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. It sounds like a lot but you’ll thank us later! Add the sliced garlic and fry until golden brown. Don’t over brown them or they’ll be bitter. Remove the garlic and drain on a paper towel. Add the prosciutto and fry in the garlicky oil until crisp. Remove, and drain on paper towel. Keep the remaining oil in the pan, set aside.
To plate the salad, spoon a few tablespoons of dressing on one side of each plate. Add the spring greens (or whatever greens you’re using) on the other side of the plate. Top with sliced sugar snap peas, scallions and peas. Tear up the prosciutto slices and divide them between the plates. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and toasted garlic. Take the reserved oil from the pan and use a spoon to drizzle it all over the salad for a final touch. Pour yourself and your lucky partner a cold glass of white wine and enjoy.
