Strawberry, Sugar Snap Pea and Fresh Herb Salad

Susan Russo for NPR /

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This cheerful salad takes advantage of seasonal sweet strawberries, crisp sugar snap peas and a medley of aromatic fresh herbs.

Makes 4 servings

Dressing:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, preferably Meyer lemon**

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas

8 cups mesclun

1 cup strawberries, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/4 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, dill and mint

To make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

The sugar snap peas can be eaten raw or cooked. Just remember to prep them first by snapping the top of the pea back and pulling until you remove the stringy spine on both sides of the pod. To cook, simply drop peas in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and preserve the peas' bright green color.

To prepare the salad, mix the mesclun, strawberries and sugar snap peas in a large bowl. Coat with dressing and toss gently. Garnish with additional lemon zest or fresh herbs, if desired.

**Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons. They can be found in organic markets, such as Whole Foods, as well as most major supermarkets.

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