Market Fresh – Sweet Peas

I always seem to have a package of frozen peas in my freezer “for an emergency.” And I think the last time I used them was indeed an emergency—when I needed an ice pack to soothe a grandson’s skinned knee.

There’s nothing wrong with eating frozen peas, of course. They are one of those vegetables that freeze pretty well. I just never seem to find an occasion to serve them; preferring, instead, to eat what is fresh and in season. Frozen peas are good for emergencies. Fresh peas are good to eat.

If you question whether there is really that much of a difference in flavor and texture, this is the month to find out once and for all. Spring is bursting through at the farmers’ market, and winter veggies are on the way out. Asparagus, artichokes, peas, fava beans — this kaleidoscope of green is nature’s sneak preview of all the wonderful things ahead.

After stocking up at the farmers’ market on sunny April mornings, I’m often inspired to continue the pace. Blame it on the mounds of fragrant strawberries, the tender little greens, or the riot of spring flowers available, but I want all of that beauty to follow me home.

More often than not I’ll toss my purchases in a cooler in the trunk of my car and spend the rest of the afternoon combing through local (and not-so-local) nurseries, buying up colorful annuals to perk up my patio garden. And getting more pricey landscaping ideas than I’ll ever put to use.

Although I consider this a perfectly legit way to while away the hours, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to make dinner when I get home. In fact, my ideal Saturday family dinner usually involves uncomplicated, comforting foods that are already in my refrigerator or pantry. (Or trunk.) A yummy meal prepared on the fly. Preferably while wearing high heels.

Here’s a speedy one-pot recipe that combines a vegetable and starch in one delish dish. Serve it alongside grilled wild salmon, and dinner is done. For dessert? Sliced farm-fresh strawberries, with or without a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt. Spring at its finest. And prepared in a flash.

Fresh Peas with New Potatoes and Mint

• 8 ounces tiny red or white new potatoes, scrubbed clean*
• 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas (1 1/2 pounds peas in the pod)
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water over medium-high heat until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the cooking water, but don’t bother to rinse out the pot. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
2. In the same saucepan, combine the peas, water, about 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the peas are barely tender and turn bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the warm potatoes and the remaining butter. Cook uncovered, shaking the pan gently, until the butter melts and becomes creamy and sauce-like, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Taste, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the mint and serve at once.

Serves 4.

*If you have only larger potatoes on hand, cut them into 1-inch chunks

Pea Primer

• There are basically two kinds of peas: English peas (aka common garden peas) that must be shelled to eat the “seeds” inside; and snow peas and sugar snap peas, which have edible pods. Sugar snap peas are plump; while snow peas—a favorite in Chinese cuisine—are flat.
• Although there are “string-less” sugar snap peas on the market now, most other varieties have a tough string running along the length of the pod. To remove it, snap off the leaf end and pull down on the string. (This is a mindless chore best done while watching television, or staring into space. Ditto for shelling fresh English peas.)
• Like corn, the sugars contained within peas convert to starch shortly after harvesting, so it’s best to buy them fresh at the farmers’ market and eat them as soon as possible.
• Easy does it! An over-cooked pea is a sorry thing. Strictly speaking, peas do not require cooking—though giving them a quick sauté or blanch in boiling water will intensify their color and mellow their flavor ever so slightly.
• One of my favorite go-to salad/side dishes comes from Ina Garten, and requires absolutely no cooking: Trim the ends from sugar snap peas, and remove strings if needed. Toss the uncooked sugar snaps with barely enough Asian sesame oil to coat lightly. (Be miserly here. Don’t think of the oil as “salad dressing;” add only enough to make the peas glisten.) Sprinkle with toasted white or black sesame seeds and serve at room temperature. You will be amazed.
•  Regardless of which variety you buy, always inspect the packaging: look for plump, glossy green pea pods, crisp and free of blemishes.
• Peas taste best when eaten the same day they were picked. When that is not possible, store them in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
• Pea Arithmetic: one pound of English peas-in-the-pod yields 1 cup of shelled peas.

 

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.