Whenever the warm weather comes peeking through, this Bruschetta with Crushed Peas and Smoked Salmon is what you’ll want handy. Here’s a lovely little tidbit dressed in green, pink, and white. The hints of dill, lemon, and olive oil really elevate the peas without masking their simple sweetness. The smoked salmon adds a delicious counterpoint to this easy-to-make dish. If you pair these bruschetta with Gruet’s sparkling Brut Rosé and a fresh farmers’ market salad, you have a lovely warm weather dinner.
Why Blanch the Peas for This Bruschetta?
There are two main reasons why we choose to blanch peas in this Bruschetta with Crushed Peas and Smoked Salmon recipe. The first is to preserve their vibrant green color. The process of blanching (cooking vegetables in boiling water before immediately plunging them into cold water) helps them retain the same color you see prior to cooking. The second reason to blanch your peas is to keep a firm texture and natural flavor when in the food processor. Rather than letting your peas turn into a mushy mess, blanching prior makes sure it all blends nicely since it hydrates the starch in them.
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Bruschetta with Crushed Peas and Smoked Salmon
- Yield: About 18 Bruschetta 1x
Description
Bites full of nutritious sweet green peas and savory smoked salmon.
Ingredients
- Water
- 2 cups peas
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced fresh dill
- Minced zest of 1 small lemon and 1 to 2 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and white pepper
- 1 baguette, sliced into rounds about 1/3 inch thick, toasted
- 2 to 3 oz cold-smoked salmon or nova, sliced in strips about ½ inch thick
- Tiny fresh dill sprigs
Instructions
- Prepare a large bowl about half full of icy cold water and reserve it.
- Heat a saucepan with about 1 quart of water over high heat. Add the peas and blanch 1 minute. Drain and transfer peas to the bowl of cold water, adding a handful of ice cubes to it at the same time.
- When cool, drain the peas and transfer them to a food processor. Add the oil, dill, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Puree with a few pulses, but leave some texture. Add salt and white pepper to taste, and more lemon juice if needed to balance the flavor.
- Mound about 1 generous rounded tablespoon of the pea mixture on each baguette slice. Roll the salmon slices into curlicues and place one or 2 on top of each bruschetta. Top with a dill sprig and serve right away.
Story and Recipe by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Julia Platt Leonard
Photography by Tira Howard
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