Peas, Pasta & Bacon Salad

When the temperature soars in the summer I can't face hot meals and serve nothing but assortments of salads, cheese and cold cuts for days on end. I value "main course" salads that will keep in the fridge from one meal to the next, and this one fits the bill. Fresh peas are quite amazing, but expensive and time consuming to shell. Frozen ones are not the same, but perfectly fine. If you use frozen peas, prep time will be much quicker. I have a big crop of snow peas this year; I think I will try them in this salad.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  cups  shelled peas
• 8  ounces  small dry pasta
• 8  ounces bacon
• 2 -3  stalks celery
• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise (I use "light")
• 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1  teaspoon dried mint
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
•  lemon wedge, if desired

Directions

1. Shell the peas.
2. One quart of peas in the pod should yield about two cups of peas.
3. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until it is al dente.
4. Steam or boil the peas until tender.
5. When each of these is done, plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking and to cool them.
6. Meanwhile, chop the bacon into 1" pieces and fry it until crispy.
7. Drain it well and allow it to cool.
8. Wash and chop the celery finely.
9. Add the bacon and celery to the cold drained pasta and peas.
10. Mix the celery seed, pepper, cumin and mint into the mayonnaise and stir it into the salad.
11. Refrigerate the salad for 20 minutes to an hour to allow the flavours to blend before serving.
12. Serve garnished with a wedge of lemon, to be squeezed over if you like your salad a little tarter.