Mary Anne here. Pistachios are typically reserved for special occasions since they can be so pricey, but my supermarket had them on sale for $6.99/lb. Too cheap to resist – and since they’re my favorite of all the nutty brethren – I popped a bag in my basket and browsed the rest of the market for inspiration. Since sugar snaps are in season, I grabbed a stash and then rounded out the crew with ripe pear and a hunk of smokey Gouda. Lo and behold a labor-free salad was born. To make this an all-season all-star, simply swap out the snap peas for French green beans and this salad will shine straight through the holidays. The Holidays. Can you even believe it?

Sugar Snap Peas with Sliced Pears, Gouda, and Pistachios
Serves 4
Note: I made a full container of the dressing but only needed to drizzle small amounts over the individual sugar snap salads, being careful to scoop some of the shallots with a small spoon. I used the reserve throughout the rest of the week for my usual dinner salad. Oh – one last thing. When I shelled my cache of pistachios the 1 lb. turned into 2 cups, dry measure – wohoo!
Ingredients:
¾ lb. fresh sugar snap peas, strings along the spine removed – $2.99
¼ lb. smoked Gouda, cut into julienne strips- $ 1.99
¼ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped – $6.99 (for the lb., so you’ll have 1 3/4 cups leftover. Store in the freezer in a sealed container.)
1 ripe Bosc pear, quartered, cored and sliced thin – $0.92
Shallot Vinaigrette, to taste
Shallot Vinaigrette:
1 medium shallot, minced – $0.24
1 Teaspoon dry mustard – stock
2 Teaspoons honey – stock
¼ cup cider vinegar – stock
¾ cup best-quality olive oil
Grand Total Assuming a Well-Stocked Pantry: $13.13
Total Per Serving: $3.28
Directions:
1. Blanch the snap peas in boiling water for 2 minutes until bright green but still very crispy. Immediately refresh in an ice water bath. Drain in a colander and pat dry. Set aside.
2. Prepare the dressing by combining the first 4 ingredients. Whisk in the olive oil until thoroughly incorporated. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. Divide the pear slices between 4 salad plates. Arrange the slices of fruit in a circle along the edges of the plates. Fill each circle with the snap peas. Top with the Gouda strips and garnish with the pistachios.
4. Drizzle each salad with a bit of the dressing and serve immediately.
So simple and pretty! I love pistachios too but rarely find them on sale around here. I once bought a whack of ’em for a batch of baklava and spent nearly $20! Oi.
Oh this is lovely! Such delicious flavors brought into this dish 🙂