Peas, Pasta & Bacon Salad
"When the temperature soars in the summer I can't face hot meals and serve nothing but assortments of salads, cheese and cold cuts for days on end. I value "main course" salads that will keep in the fridge from one meal to the next, and this one fits the bill. Fresh peas are quite amazing, but expensive and time consuming to shell. Frozen ones are not the same, but perfectly fine. If you use frozen peas, prep time will be much quicker. I have a big crop of snow peas this year; I think I will try them in this salad."
photo by Jenny Sanders
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 2 cups shelled peas
- 8 ounces small dry pasta
- 8 ounces bacon
- 2 -3 stalks celery
- 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise (I use "light")
- 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
- lemon wedge, if desired
directions
- Shell the peas.
- One quart of peas in the pod should yield about two cups of peas.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until it is al dente.
- Steam or boil the peas until tender.
- When each of these is done, plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking and to cool them.
- Meanwhile, chop the bacon into 1" pieces and fry it until crispy.
- Drain it well and allow it to cool.
- Wash and chop the celery finely.
- Add the bacon and celery to the cold drained pasta and peas.
- Mix the celery seed, pepper, cumin and mint into the mayonnaise and stir it into the salad.
- Refrigerate the salad for 20 minutes to an hour to allow the flavours to blend before serving.
- Serve garnished with a wedge of lemon, to be squeezed over if you like your salad a little tarter.
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Reviews
-
Very good! A delightful summer main dish salad flavored. The peas not only add color but also a sweet offset for the bacon. Celery adds a bit of crunch and the celery seed - cumin flavor make this dish special. I made the recipe as directed except for the mint using 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro instead and precooked bacon. I served this with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. Thanks Jenny, this was a perfect dinner for summer in AZ. -
We used 6 oz. dry pasta, and had to double the dressing for the salad as it wasn't enough. We also left out the dried mint and didn't use lemon wedges. After that it had absolutely no flavor, so we doctored it up using cubed cheese and ranch dressing to taste. After that it was excellent. We will be making it our way again. -
Thanks, Jenny, for a really delightful salad. Very easy and quick to put together. The only change I made was to use frozen peas. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Jenny Sanders
Cambridge, Ontario
I love to garden, both perennials and vegetables. I am always looking for recipes to fiddle with, especially good simple vegetable dishes. I try to use organic ingredients as much as possible.
