insalata primavera ... eva style

this green springy salad was my contribution to' italian night' at the dive club recently - since i made it up i thought it would be a good one for my first recipe post - it's substantial enough to serve as a main dish with some good bread - also the dressing is good on other salads, in fact i'm going to make some more for adding to my normal dressing when it needs a lift

i haven't given quantities as it's a question of taste and what you've got handy

.... and we ate it all so no photo! 

Insalata Primavera

ingredients
     dressing
     sun-dried tomatoes
     balsamic vinegar
     oregano (dried, but fresh would be great)
     olive oil
     lemon juice


     salad
     green beans (i used whole frozen beans)
     frozen petits pois
     artichoke hearts (tinned in water/brine)
     lettuce or leaves (lolla rossa), washed and torn up
     pine nuts (lightly toasted)
     parmesan shavings


method
     ahead of time ...

• soak sundried tomatoes in water till soft, then drain - you can keep the soaking liquid to use for thinning the dressing later
• make dressing base - tip the sun-dried tomatoes into your blender bowl/jug, add just enough balsamic vinegar to cover them, add oregano then blend - pour into an airtight container and store in the fridge until you need it
• drain artichokes - marinade in 2 tablspoons olive oil, oregano and (optional) a crushed garlic clove for a few days if possible but at least overnight
• toast pine nuts

     when you are ready ....

1. cook the green beans and peas, they are best slightly undercooked for this dish - when cooked drain them immediately in a colander or sieve and run cold water through them till they are cool, this helps to preserve their fresh green colour - put them back into the cooled pan
2. drain the oil off the marinaded artichoke hearts, reserving the oil to add to the dressing - slice the artichoke hearts into wedges
3. add some or all of the reserved marinade oil and a little lemon juice to your dressing base, season with black pepper - if you think it's too thick you can add a little water or reserved soaking liquid - pour it over the beans and peas and mix well  
4. arrange the lettuce/leaves over a flat serving dish - spoon the bean mixture over the leaves, sprinkle the artichoke pieces over the top  
5. finish with a generous sprinkling of pine nuts and parmesan shavings and serve

variations

• you can also add any of the following: raw courgette shavings,  cooked broad beans (i remove the skins), flat leaf parsley (very roughly chopped or just torn off the stem)
• this can be served in a salad bowl with everything tossed together except the parmesan shavings which you add as a garnish on top 
• for dairy-free and vegan diets omit the parmesan
• add warm or cold cooked pasta for a more substantial dish