Summer Egg Salad With Basil Peas Food

PEA SALAD WITH BASIL AND PEA SHOOTS

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon zest and juice. Add the capers, caper brine and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and reseason, only if needed. Set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and add some cold water. Put a colander squarely inside the ice bath. The colander will keep you from having to pick the peas out from amongst the ice cubes in the ice bath.
• Blanch the peas: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add salt until the water tastes like seawater. Add the snow peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Remove the peas from the water with a strainer and transfer them to the colander inside the ice bath. Bring the water back up to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Use the strainer to remove the peas and plunge them into the colander inside the ice bath. Allow them to sit in the ice water to assure they have cooled thoroughly. Discard the blanching water.
• Finish: Remove the peas from the ice bath and spread them out onto the kitchen towel over flat surface. Use another kitchen towel to gently pat them dry. Transfer the towel to a plate and put the peas into the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to serve.
• Assemble: Toss the sugar snap peas, snow peas and defrosted peas with a sprinkle of sugar, the vinaigrette and some salt and pepper. Mix in the pea shoots and basil leaves and pea shoots. Drizzle with olive oil and taste for seasoning. Transfer the salad to a platter and serve immediately.

SUMMER EGG SALAD

Steps:

• Boil the eggs for 5 minutes. Plunge into cold water and peel at once.
• At the same time, boil potatoes for 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
• Also cook french beans in boiling water until tender, but with some bite. (Or use the microwave oven.).
• Halve the olives, slice the onion and drain the tuna chunks.
• Mix together the dressing ingredients and coat the potatoes and beans with the mixture.
• Arrange the tomatoes, olives, onion, tuna basil leaves and lastly arrange the quartered eggs.

CUCUMBER-BASIL EGG SALAD

Steps:

• Gently combine the eggs, cucumbers, shallots, green onions, and basil in a medium bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.