How to Make Snap Peas More Flavorful
Lemon Juice and Pepper with Seasoned Croutons Add Taste without Fat
Oct 29, 2009 Sapna Nayyar-Pellicane
According to a 2009 article in Eating Well magazine, eatingwell.com, a plant breeder named Calvin Lamborn "made sugar snap peas so sweet and succulent" that many people are actually tempted to eat them raw. The article explains that although peas with edible pods have been around and consumed for hundreds of years, Lamborn's creation of snap peas took place in the late-1960s by chance while breeding shell peas. The article adds that although sugar snap peas are cultivated from snap peas, they are often categorized as 'sugar snap peas" at the grocery store.
Peas in general "belong to the vegetable family known as legumes whose plants produce pods with enclosed seeds," says fresh grocer Tony Tantillo in a 2007 article on his self-titled website, tonytantillo.com. "Legumes are protein-rich, low-fat, nutritional additions to almost any meal, and peas are certainly no exception."
Snap peas are commonly found in Asian dishes but can also be used in typical western cooking on their own or as part of salads or pasta dishes. This particular recipe will make use of snap peas sautéed in lemon juice, pepper, and topped with seasoned homemade croutons. Since snap peas can be bland on their own, condiments are used as supplements to enhance their delicate and sweet taste. This recipe also breaks the convention of the typical soy sauce based Asian dish.
Ingredients & Preparation Tips
- Snap peas should be firm and crisp to touch, have a good dark color, and a flat, fairly shiny appearance, Tantillo advises. He adds that they should be about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long, and should have a plump and snug pod encasing the peas. They have a slightly longer shelf life than green peas, and can last up to three days when refrigerated and stored unwashed in plastic bags.
- Their strings do not have to be removed; it depends on individual preference. However, the calyx, or cap at the end, should be cut off, says Tantillo. He also advises boiling them for about three minutes and refreshing them in ice water to preserve their bright green color prior to using as a stir-fry with other vegetables, or blanching them for a minute in boiling water, and then draining them in cold water and adding them to salad and pasta dishes.
- The snap peas should be sautéed in lemon juice or in the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon alone and pepper in order to complement their lightly sweet flavor with a tart taste and in order to keep the oil content of the dish minimal.
- Croutons can either be purchased from the grocery store or made by toasting bread, buttering it with margarine or a similar spread, garnishing it with garlic salt, and then cutting the bread into small squares. This recipe will focus on homemade croutons made with whole-wheat or other whole-grain bread.
Snap Peas in Lemon Juice with Garlic Croutons
Ingredients:
- 2 cups snap peas, washed, with the cap chopped off
- 1 pan boiling water
- 1 bowl ice water
- 1 cup lemon juice or freshly squeezed lemon
- 2 slices of whole-wheat or other whole-grain bread
- 1 tablespoon margarine/similar spread
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions:
- Boil the snap peas for roughly three minutes, and then refresh them in ice water to preserve their color.
- Sauté the snap peas in the lemon juice and sprinkle pepper. Add a little juice at a time, using medium-high heat. Cook until most of the juice has been absorbed and the peas feel tender but still crisp.
- Toast the bread slices and remove from toaster. Allow the bread to cool slightly and then spread margarine or a similar topping. Sprinkle the garlic salt. Cut into small cubes.
- Remove the snap peas from the heat. Top with the croutons. Serve with a clear soup.
This light and delicious dish serves 4.
Snap peas have a sweet and delicate taste.
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