Samphire salad, a simple side dish that is light but packed full of bright fresh flavours, served warm it is delicious with a host of meals.
The preparation of this delicious salad takes around 10 minutes, and "cooking" takes just 5 minutes, which makes it a fantastic, simple side.
Green Spring Side Salad
This delicious and simple samphire salad with peas, broad beans, and shaved asparagus is the perfect light and vibrant side for spring and summer.
It features the unmistakable flavour of samphire. Yes, it is expensive, but a little bit goes a long way!
Just like my pan-fried hake, pan-fried sea trout, cured mackerel salad, crab linguine and cod salad recipes, just 100g (or 1 cup) is more than enough to provide the dish with enough flavour to lift this simple salad.
It is best served slightly warm, and both cooking and preparation comes in at around 15 minutes. That includes removing the skin from the broad beans!
It is dressed with a little olive oil, lemon juice and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
It's the perfect introduction to this wonderful vegetable!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is samphire?
Samphire is a "sea vegetable" that is found around the British coast. It has a delicious and unusually strong flavour for a green vegetable.
Flavour-wise it is salty and sour with a beautiful texture that is very similar to asparagus.
It is at its best from late spring through to the end of summer.
Can I substitute samphire with anything else?
Nope! Samphire is a unique vegetable when it comes to taste and nothing comes close!
Can I use frozen peas and beans?
Yes, please do! Quite often, they are better unless your peas and broad beans are particularly fresh.
Do broad beans have another name?
Yes, broad beans are also known as fava beans in some parts of the world.
Do I have to take the skins off the broad beans?
Yes, the tough and leathery skin really is unpleasant to eat!
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this will sit in the fridge for a couple of days. But be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving!
Serving Suggestions
This delicious and simple samphire, pea and broad bean salad is exceptionally good with fish!
It is particularly good with white flaky fish, whether it is baked cod in bread crumbs or even bacon-wrapped cod you are on to a winner.
But it ain't just white fish, it is also superb with oily fish! I've served this with both pan-fried salmon and honey and mustard salmon with great results. I also serve it with my smoked mackerel frittata and salt-cured mackerel (pictured below)!
Oh, yeah... Don't forget smoked fish, this is stunning with my smoked haddock fishcakes, but it would be stonking with crab cakes and my prawn and sweetcorn fritters too!
Another ingredient that works particularly well with this delicious salad is lamb. Whether it is a simply pan-fried Barnsley chop or something like my harissa lamb chops, it is divine!
I've even served this with a Polish pork schnitzel called kotlet schabowy, and it works perfectly.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 24cm or 10" frying pan.
- Sieve or colander.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Vegetable peeler.
- Citrus zester.
Samphire Salad Recipe with Shaved Asparagus
Ingredients
- 100 g Samphire 1 Cup
- 250 g Asparagus 12-14 Spears
- 150 g Garden Peas 1 Cup
- 150 g Broad Beans 1 Cup
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
- 1 Lemon
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
Instructions
- If you are using frozen peas and broad beans, defrost them by running them under cold water for 4-5 minutes.
- Peel the shallot and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Zest the lemon.
- Pop the broad beans out of their leathery skins by making a small hole with your fingernails, then squeeze out the bean.
- Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and discard them, then thinly slice the asparagus with either a mandolin or a vegetable peeler.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan (24cm or 10") over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the peas and broad beans, and toss in the oil for a minute.
- Add the salt, pepper, lemon zest, shaved asparagus and samphire, toss to coat in the oil and gently warm. The ingredients should not get too hot at any time.
- Squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon, have a taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice if required before serving.