Pea Salad in Endive Cups

Getting one's daily dose of chlorophyll is more challenging in the winter months. One can't freeze lettuce and so salads must be devised out of other greenery. I often make use of frozen petite peas in various salad incarnations and my latest pea salad tinkering came out so well that I thought I would share this elegant and dare I say easy peasy winter recipe with you.


My friend Lisa, of Finnish-German heritage, makes a great Sweet Pea Salad comprised of frozen peas, sour cream, celery and cashews, but I prefer a more vibrant melange for my pea salad combos and hit upon a great mustardy, lemony, cheesy pea salad that we enjoyed recently served in crisp leaves of Belgian endive.

Endive is a vigorous plant that is easy to grow outdoors in these parts, but the Belgian endive one gets from the grocer is an endive plant that is grown in darkness and sends up hopeful little shoots that are blanched white. They make nice alternatives to chips as crunchy little vehicles for dips and salads and have a slightly bitter taste.

Pea Salad in Endive Cups

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen petite peas (don't get the bigger sized peas as they tend to be starchier and mushier)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (check to make sure no wheat flour has been added)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese

Belgian endive, separated into leaves

Thaw frozen peas in colander. Shake to drain.

Mix together mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add in thawed peas and grated cheese and gently toss. Let stand 1/2 hour to meld flavors.

Makes 4-6 side dish servings. Great as a pot luck salad and delightful spooned into endive leaves for an elegant appetizer.

I am sending some of this delicious winter pea salad over to my blogger buddy Simona of Briciole, who is this month's guest host of My Legume Love Affair #31, started by Susan the Well-Seasoned Cook to celebrate the wonderful variety of legumes. Legumes are well-loved in our house for their tastiness, economy and healthful qualities and I encourage you to stop by Briciole after the January 31 deadline to see a spectacular amount of posts from bloggers around the world when the roundup is posted for this popular event.