A Savory Easter Salad

"Reflecting on the past and looking forward to the new season is such a part of Easter," says Rebecca Lang, author of Southern Living: Around the Southern Table. Lang plans to honor both this year by featuring an English Pea and Radish Salad on her Easter menu.

Since most pea plants have barely begun to poke through the soil, Lang uses frozen peas but keeps the salad seasonal by using fresh mint, green onions and radishes. "With vibrant, fresh ingredients, canned and frozen additions are easily woven through without taking away," she says.

Peas make a great green alternative to lettuce and add fiber as well as flavor. "The radishes are spicy and crunchy, creating a perfect marriage of texture and flavor," Lang says. "Try watermelon radishes if you can find them for extra eye appeal."

English Pea and Radish Salad

Yield: 8 servings

1 (16-ounce) package frozen petite green peas
1 cup very thinly sliced radishes
2 green onions, sliced (1⁄4 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus a few sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Fill a large bowl halfway with water and ice. Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add frozen peas, and cook 1 minute; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Combine peas and next 3 ingredients in a bowl.

Whisk together olive oil and next 4 ingredients until well blended. Pour over peas; toss to coat.