Salad of Beans, Peas, and Pecorino
by Nigel Slater
Serves 4
For the salad:
1-2/3 cups shelled fava beans
3 cups shelled peas
4 small slices ciabatta bread
A little olive oil
4 generous handfuls salad leaves
A good handful fresh mint leaves
3 oz. pecorino sardo cheese, thinly shaved
For the dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 Tbs. fruity, peppery olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Bring a pan of water to a boil, then salt it lightly. Cook the beans in this, drain them, then rinse in cold water. Put more water on and cook the peas. Drain them and mix with the beans. Both peas and beans will need barely more than a couple of minutes if they are small and sweet.
Make the dressing by dissolving a good pinch of salt in the juice of the lemon, then using a fork to beat in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a grinding of black pepper (alternatively put all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake).
Toast the slices of bread on both sides and tear them into short pieces. Drizzle a little olive oil onto each one, then shake over a light dusting of sea salt.
Toss the salad leaves and mint in the dressing, then add the peas, beans, and pecorino shavings. Tuck in the toasted ciabatta and serve.
photo: Jonathan Lovekin © 2009
From Book Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Path
, pp. 366
April 14, 2011
Reprinted with permission from Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater, copyright © 2009, 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
