Recipe

July 12, 2019

Ask A Chef: Sugar Snap Pea Salad With Pistachio Tahini

Recipe: Cassie Piuma

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Chef Cassie Piuma of Sarma in Somerville, Massachusetts shares her recipe for Sugar Snap Pea Salad With Pistachio Tahini, Radishes And Crispy Quinoa.

Chef Cassie PiumaQ: I recently visited Boston and had an amazing meal at Sarma, just outside the city. I loved so many of the small plates we ate that night, but the Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Pistachio Tahini was my favorite. It was fresh, crunchy and simple — a perfect summer salad. Could you get me the recipe? — Sandy, Victoria

A: Cassie’s salad is definitely full of crunch. She tosses lightly blanched sugar snap peas with a fresh green tahini dressing and tops it all with radishes, fried quinoa, nuts and seeds — it’s a texture and flavor sensation with every bite!

Ingredients

Pistachio Tahini Dressing

  • 1⁄4 cup shelled pistachios
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1⁄2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 1⁄2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp chopped garlic
  • Pinch each ground cumin, ground coriander and dried mint
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp cold water

Crispy Quinoa Mixture

  • 1⁄4 cup quinoa
  • 1⁄4 cup canola oil
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp finely chopped garlic
  • 2 tbsp shelled pistachios, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp sumac

Salad

  • 1 lb., 4 oz. sugar snap peas (6 cups)
  • 1 cup julienned radishes
  • 1⁄4 cup thinly sliced cilantro leaves
  • 1⁄4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves

Directions

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Make Dressing

  1. In blender, combine pistachios, oil, tahini, ginger, garlic, spices, lemon juice and water, and purée on high until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.

Cook Quinoa

  1. Bring small pot of water to a boil. Add quinoa and boil for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain in fine sieve and place over pot. Cover with dish towel and let stand for five minutes to steam.
  2. In frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Scrape garlic onto paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to pan, add quinoa and fry, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned.
  3. Combine quinoa, garlic, chopped pistachios, sesame seeds and sumac, and set aside.

Blanch Peas And Assemble

  1. Blanch peas in boiling water, plunge in ice water, drain and pat dry. In bowl, mix snap peas with dressing to coat. Add herbs, season with salt, and garnish with quinoa mixture, radishes and drizzle of olive oil.
Photographer:

Courtesy of Arielle Singer

Source:

House & Home June 2019

Tags: Ask A Chef Pistachio quinoa Salad Snap Peas summer recipes Tahini

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