Warm Spring Vegetable Salad with Favas, Green Beans, Peas and Radicchio

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion (about ½ pound), sliced ¼ inch thick
2 large heads radicchio, washed, dried, cored, and cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ pound thin green beans, trimmed and blanched in boiling salted water until just cooked, about 4 minutes
½ pound fresh peas, shelled and blanched in boiling salted water until just cooked, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on their size
1½ to 2 cups shelled fava beans, long-blanched, and peeled (about 3 pounds in the pod)
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup light cream

The salad is dressed with a cream and lemon vinaigrette, which may sound unusual but is a great match with the vegetables.

Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to high, add the radicchio, and sear until browned. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the green beans, peas, and favas, and cook until just heated through. Season with salt and pepper and add the parsley and thyme. Remove from the heat and arrange on a platter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the rosemary, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice (if you like tart vinaigrettes, use more), and the remaining ½ cup olive oil. Whisk in the cream. Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables and serve. (If you’re going to have leftovers, dress only the portion you are serving, and store the remaining vegetables and vinaigrette separately in the refrigerator.) Serve at room temperature.