At last! Spring seems finally to have sprung where I live in Ontario. And I’m more than excited about the warm weather to come. So tonight I’m celebrating and serving up this scrumptious Salmon with Pea Pesto & Spring Veggies.
This dish calls for store-bought basil pesto, which is one of my “secret-weapon” shortcuts to make a dish taste fabulous with little effort. You blend sweet green peas with the basil pesto until smooth to make a verdant, spring-fresh purée to top the salmon. Until local green peas arrive here in late May/early June, I simply use frozen.
This photo focuses on the pesto, so be sure to check out the recipe to see the full presentation. Serving the salmon on a platter adorned with a vibrant tangle of carrot ribbons, red radishes, chives and mint makes an impressive dish. Although you could absolutely serve the veggies on the side if you prefer.
Sign up to my newsletter today to receive the recipe and read on for some bonus recipes and why I’m so sweet on sweet green peas!
Peas dividends
Peas pay big dividends, both nutritionally and in terms of convenience. They are nutritional powerhouses and contain just about every vitamin and mineral you need. And, being a legume, they are quite high in both fibre and protein. A half-cup serving will provide 4.4 and 4.3 grams of each, respectively. And all this for only 67 calories!
While fresh peas are lovely in season, they do take work and time to shell. I always have frozen peas on hand as they thaw in a snap (no pun intended, being green peas, not snap peas) and you can use them in all manner of dishes.
Here are just a few ideas, with some bonus recipes:
- pasta dishes, like this Peas & Pancetta Farfalle,
- risotto or fried rice,
- curries, like this Lentil, Green Pea & Chickpea Curry,
- soups and stews and
- frittatas, like this Pea & Basil Frittata, and
- atop salads of all kinds.
Also, as in this recipe, you can whip up a homemade pea puree to serve over all kinds of fish, not just salmon, as well as chicken. Or serve the puree over crostini or as a dip for vegetables, as in this Spring Pea & Feta Dip. Of course, peas are tasty just on their own as well…I love them with a little olive oil and lemon juice alongside grilled meats or seafood.
I hope you enjoy these recipes and I wish you a superlative spring!