Pin Recipe I discovered this salad on a particularly dreary London afternoon when my neighbour brought over a bundle of snap peas from her garden and I had no idea what to do with them. She mentioned the vines reminded her of ivy crawling up old cottage walls, and something about that image stuck with me. I found sharp white cheddar in the back of my fridge, squeezed a lemon, and suddenly had this vibrant green and gold arrangement that tasted like spring felt crisp and hopeful.
I made this for a casual garden supper last June when friends dropped by unannounced, and I watched my usually reserved neighbour take a second helping without asking, which felt like high praise. The way she arranged it on her plate reminded me that the prettiest food is sometimes the easiest to make.
Ingredients
- Snap peas: Look for ones that snap cleanly when you bend them; they signal they're fresh enough to eat raw if you wanted, though blanching makes them glow bright green and tender without losing that satisfying crunch.
- Green beans: Any variety works, but thinner ones cook faster and look more delicate when arranged on the platter.
- Sharp white cheddar: This is where the salad gets its personality; mild cheddar will disappear, but sharp white cheddar stands its ground against the vinaigrette and the sweetness of the peas.
- Small shallot: Raw and thin, it adds a whisper of onion flavour that somehow makes everything else taste more like itself.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use one you actually like eating, because you'll taste it directly; cheap oil shows up immediately in something this simple.
- Fresh lemon juice: Never the bottled kind; a fresh lemon takes thirty seconds to squeeze and makes an actual difference.
- Dijon mustard: The emulsifier that helps the dressing cling to the vegetables instead of pooling at the bottom.
- Honey: Just enough to round out the tartness without making it taste sweet; it's barely perceptible but you'll miss it if it's gone.
- Fresh chives: The final flourish that looks intentional and tastes like you know what you're doing in the kitchen.
Instructions
- Boil the vegetables until they're bright:
- Drop your snap peas and green beans into salted boiling water and give them exactly two minutes, no more. You're after that moment where they've turned brilliant green but still have resistance when you bite them; one minute too long and they'll go soft and disappointing.
- Shock them in ice water:
- The moment they hit the ice bath, the cooking stops dead and the colour locks in. Pat them completely dry afterwards or the dressing will slide right off.
- Build your dressing:
- Whisk the oil and lemon juice together first, then add the mustard and honey; this emulsifies everything into something that actually clings to the vegetables instead of separating. Taste it before the vegetables go in and adjust the seasoning; it should make your eyes widen slightly, not pucker.
- Toss everything together:
- Be gentle here, as if you're folding a delicate thing into place. The vegetables should be evenly coated but not drowning.
- Arrange like vines on the platter:
- Let them wind and curve across the surface instead of piling them in a heap; the visual moment matters as much as the flavour. Scatter the cheddar cubes over the top like golden treasure.
- Finish and serve:
- Chives and microgreens go on last, right before it hits the table, so they stay fresh and perky instead of wilting into invisibility.
Pin Recipe There's something about presenting this salad that makes people slow down and actually look at what they're about to eat, instead of just reaching for their fork. That moment of pause, when someone notices the way the colours pop and the arrangement actually took a thought, feels like you've given them a small gift wrapped in vegetables and cheese.
The Magic of Blanching
Blanching isn't something I understood until I made this salad side by side with someone who'd been cooking for decades. She explained that you're using the heat to wake the vegetables up, to make them taste more like themselves, not less. The snap peas taste snappier after blanching, the green beans taste greener, and it sounds strange until you taste the difference yourself and suddenly you're blanching everything.
Why Sharp Cheddar Changes Everything
I tried this salad once with a mild cheddar I had on hand and the whole thing fell flat, no matter how carefully I arranged it. The vegetables and the dressing were doing their job, but the cheese added nothing; it just melted into invisibility. Sharp white cheddar, though, stands up and announces itself, creating this conversation between the tang of the cheese and the brightness of the lemon.
Make It Your Own
Once you've made it once, you'll start seeing variations everywhere. I've added toasted walnuts for crunch and earthiness, used goat cheese for something tangier and more sophisticated, even tossed in fresh herbs like tarragon or mint depending on what I found growing. The structure stays the same, but the details become a reflection of what's in your kitchen and what season you're cooking in.
- If nuts appeal to you, toast them lightly first so they taste like themselves instead of just adding calories.
- Fresh herbs like tarragon, dill, or mint can replace or join the chives depending on what your palate is craving.
- A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Riesling turns this from a side dish into a proper meal when you're eating it with good company.
Pin Recipe This is the kind of salad that makes you grateful for simple vegetables done well, and for those moments when good food and good company happen at the same time. Serve it to people you like, and watch them actually slow down to eat it.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do I keep snap peas and green beans crisp?
Blanch them briefly in boiling salted water, then plunge immediately into ice water to halt cooking and set the bright green color.
- → Can I substitute sharp white cheddar?
Yes, try goat cheese or feta for a tangier flavor that complements the fresh vegetables.
- → What dressing ingredients enhance this salad?
A simple mix of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey balances tangy and sweet notes wonderfully.
- → What garnishes work well here?
Chopped chives add mild onion flavor while microgreens or pea shoots provide a delicate, fresh finish.
- → Does this dish suit dietary restrictions?
Yes, it is vegetarian and gluten-free, but contains dairy from cheddar cheese; always check ingredient labels for allergens.