Rocket Padano & Pea Salad

Rocket Padano and Pea Salad © Kevin Ashton 2008
Rocket Padano & Pea Salad © Kevin Ashton 2008

In Worcestershire, the weather has gone from snow in March to somehow having bypassed spring straight into late summer weather of humid days and thunderstorms, even though it is still only the end of May. Thankfully despite the wacky changes in the weather, the produce grown in my county is booming thanks to a strong sense of buying local.

This recipe is one I first published in my newspaper column some time ago but it is still an early summer favourite of mine.  Whatever the time of year, a salad can make a light and refreshing change to cooked vegetables. You can easily pair it with a lamb chop or a piece of fish.  A good salad should have contrasts of flavours and textures to make them interesting and more than just a filler. That said most people tend to put too many ingredients into salads!

Ingredients (serves 4 as a starter)
125g (5oz) rocket leaves (arugula)
100g (4oz) baby spinach
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp chopped mint leaves
100g (4oz) Padano cheese
100g (4oz) local peas,
Peel of 1 lemon (no pith)
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 thick slices of wholegrain bread
1 clove of garlic, crushed

Method

  1. Trim the crusts from the bread and cut into chunky sized croutons.
  2. Place the garlic into a mixing bowl and stir in 2 tbsp olive oil then toss
    the croutons into the mix and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake the croutons in the middle of the oven 190°C / gas mark 4 until golden brown.
  4. Sprinkle a few grains of white sugar onto the lemon peel and cook in the microwave for 15 seconds then soak the peel in the remaining olive oil.
  5.  Use a sharp sturdy potato peeler to shave the Padano cheese into curls and reserve.
  6. Add the sherry vinegar and mint to the lemon infused olive oil and season lightly.
  7. Wash the rocket and baby spinach separately then drain well and combine.
  8. Blanch the local peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes then chill down fast under
    running cold water.
  9. Gently toss in the drained the peas and the croutons.
  10. Remove the lemon peel and dress the salad at the very last minute.
  11. Scatter on the Padano curls and serve.

Chef’s Tips
Choose the rocket carefully, look for green and unbruised leaves. Never buy croutons from the store, make your own if you have time. When washing salad leaves don’t wash them under running water as this could bruise the leaves. Fill the sink or container first then stir in the leaves gently and drain in a salad spinner. As an alternative, you could add some slices of a warm grilled chicken breast for a great light lunch and serve a side dish of buttered new potatoes.

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19 thoughts on “Rocket Padano & Pea Salad”

    1. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
      Salads can be just as creative as other food dishes, but it’s very important to start off with very fresh ingredients (local if possible).
      Best Wishes
      Kevin

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I agree. But your caveat on the quality of ingredients highlights the greatest difficulty for far too many of us. When access to even half-decent -never mind perfect- produce is nigh impossible, permanent frustration results.

        Liked by 2 people

  8. Yup, we call rocket arugula here. I LOVE arugula salads. When it is good arugula it has that little spice to it. I didn’t know what Padano was so I clicked over to check it out. I am guilty of putting too much in salads . . . . like your soup post, I put “everything but the kitchen sink” in our salads. 🙂 I like lots of stuff in them. But sometimes when I don’t feel like chopping, I will just put in one or two things and onions. I love croutons, but my hubby does not, so I don’t bother. This sounds very yummy!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Dear Terre,
      Thank you so much for making the point that in the US rocket is called Arugula. Usually I try to edit my recipes to make them US friendly as well, especially since I spent 13 years living and working in and around Wash DC. In the UK the price of Padano cheese is usually cheaper than Parmesan, at yet very similar in taste which is why I often make a point to use it. Strangely enough Padano was “invented ” before the much better known Parmesan.
      Thanks again for taking the time to write.

      Best Wishes
      Kevin

      Like

      Reply

      1. Sometimes I call if Arugala, sometimes I call it rocket. All this talk of it makes me want it! I don’t know that we can get it now. (Things are weird at our stores.)

        Sometimes I feel sorry for those things that were around longer than their more famous counterparts. I love cheese so I would love to try some Padano. I LOVE Parmesan so I am sure I would LOVE it. I mean, cheese . . .

        Thank you, Kevin, for taking time to respond. I know I rambled a bit in my last comment (in response to your soup picture links – I saw that response before this one.) 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

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