Finally the heat has arrived and Atlanta is having some great weather! For me that means it’s grilling season. Honestly I grill year ’round, but it’s more fun to sit out on your porch when the weather is nice, sipping a glass of wine and grilling dinner. Recently, I was making BBQ chicken and I decided to make a fresh and simple sugar snap pea salad to go along with it.
Another great reason I love this time of year is the vegetables that are in season!! The sugar snap peas right now are perfectly fresh and ready for the pickin. I did not physically pick any peas, but I gladly bought them at our local farmers market! I decided corn, tomatoes and basil would highlight all the fresh flavors. I whipped up an easy dressing and tossed together a deliciously refreshing side salad!
I started by blanching my snap peas. To blanch, bring water to a boil then add your veggies for about 3 minutes, strain and add to ice water to stop the cooking. By doing this you breakdown the peas a bit so they are easier to eat, but still crisp and colorful! This is perfect for a salad like this. Since we were already grilling chicken I threw the corn on, plain with no husks. I love the charred flavor of grilled corn, but really you could boil, broil, or roast the corn. I would not suggest canned corn for this dish as it takes away from the fresh flavors, but as a last resort it will work. Only grill the corn for char, on high for about 6-8 minutes flipping every few minutes. Like the peas, you want the corn to retain a crispness. Let the corn cool then cut it off the cobb. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the basil. Toss all the veggies and herbs in a bowl.
For the dressing I kept it simple but added a little BBQ sauce for added flavor! Olive oil, lemon juice, honey, BBQ sauce, water, salt and pepper. I like to use mason jars for my dressings so you can pour all the ingredients and just shake it up to combine. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons onto the veggies, stir and serve! You can absolutely make this salad ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to eat!
So get outside and start cooking! Summer is just around the corner!
