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SFist In The Kitchen: Snap Peas
It seemed like every vendor at Oakland's 9th Street Market was selling sugar snap peas last Friday, and it didn't take us long to cave in to the impulse to buy some. We always look forward to snap peas; they look like little green smiles. It's a bit tedious to remove the stems and the little strings that run down the side, but the sweet flavor and the crunch of the pod as you pop it into your mouth make up for the work.
SFist Derrick, contributing. Photos by Melissa Schneider.
Snap peas are easy to cook. (We're tempted to say they're a snap, but we fear you might lob nowhere-near-ripe tomatoes at us). Break off the stems and bring a big pot of well-salted water to a vigorous boil. Once it's boiling, make an ice bath by adding ice to water in a large bowl. Drop the peas into the boiling pot, and pull one out once a minute to test: It should be crunchy but no longer chalky. Drain off the boiling water, and immediately plunge the peas into the ice bath. This prevents them from overcooking and locks in the bright green color. You can do this well in advance of dinner. Once the peas cool down, take them out of the bath. Re-warm them briefly in the fat of your choice just before dinner.
We like the way lemon zest and sauteed garlic add a little zing. Just toss the zest and garlic into the pan with the peas as you re-warm them, and toss well to coat. Minced pancetta and onion, Jack Bishop's suggestion in Vegetables Every Day, makes our mouth water as well. Snap peas take nicely to Asian flavors, and a delicate dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar and orange juice adds a compelling savoriness and tartness that complements the sweet peas.
You could partner peas with a Sauvignon Blanc when they're the main feature in a dish: "Canned peas" and "green flavors" are common descriptions of these wines. But a light white from Italy's Alto Adige region, which snuggles up against Switzerland, seems promising as well.
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