Oh Sweet Pea

Vermont Valley, the CSA farm I belong to, has its annual pea pick this Sunday, where all the members are invited to the farm to pick as many sweet peas as they can carry. I have to miss it because I’ll be in Iowa City for a workshop on–what else?–food writing, but I always love a trip to the farm. Peas are one of my favorite late spring/early summer treats. They are delicious raw, but I also like to cook them as a side dish, using this simple recipe. It allows me to get rid of some of the mint that’s growing like crazy in my potted herb garden, but puts the focus on the tender sweet peas.




Sugar Snap Peas and Mint

• 2-3 c. sugar snap peas. Keep ’em in the pods, but “de-string” them. This means taking hold of the little stem at the end of the pod and pulling down on it, which takes off the tough “string” that runs along the side of the pod.
• 1-2 TB fresh mint, chopped
• 4TB water
• 2TB butter+1TB olive oil
• sea salt

Heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat in sauté pan with a lid. When butter is melted, add peas. Cook on medium heat, 3-4 minutes, moving them around so they don’t get brown. Add the water to the pan and cover, letting peas simmer and steam for about 5 minutes, checking them to make sure they don’t turn too soft or lose their bright green color. Remove lid, stir in mint, salt to taste. Serve and enjoy.