Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Ingredients

First peas at the market are sno peas and sugar snap peas.  These are a good deal for the price because you only remove the tough end.  When English or shelling peas come to the market, they cost about twice the price because the pods are tough and recipes for them are so few. 

If the price puts you off, you're a little late, but you still have time to get plant starts and grow your own. 

I got half a pound, but I lost one or two during the photo session when my Cooking Assistant decided to sample the goods.

It's still early for tomatoes at the markets and those I've found are still a bit tart because they come from greenhouses and haven't developed the sweet flavor that comes from hot sunny days.  But I get so excited about tomatoes I got some anyway.

The scent of fresh tomatoes on a hot summer day . . .

Oregon tomatoes ripen before Washington tomatoes.  Oregon prices were a bit more consumer friendly there last year.  I'm not sure why--the ag laws?  More farms?  Here, selling at markets with all the city fees involved can kick up the cost of foods local farmers sell.

Organic and pesticide-free is a good thing, but the best is picking it from your own yard.  If you're new to gardening, Stupice is a good tomato type to cultivate west of the Cascades in the Northwest.  I got a great stupice plant start from River Farm a few weeks ago.

I bring a cooler with me to the market, that way greens can stay cool.  My assistant is always eager to survey the produce bounty.  I think he's looking for carrots. . . 

Or the berries . . .   

He's actually hovering here, but very close.  These peas are about to be blanched.  I looked and looked for a good sugar snap pea salad recipe and when I came up with little inspiration, I made my own.  I think strawberries would also be a great pairing with sugar snap peas . . .   Maybe next week.

Here's the recipe.  I'd serve it with marinated tofu or a rice pilaf or both.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

(Serves 4)

1/2 pound sugar snap peas

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 large avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

2 tablespoons Italian vinaigrette

Remove tough ends from sugar snap peas.  Compost ends.  

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch peas for 30 seconds.  Remove and plunge into cold water.

Combine vegetables and toss with vinaigrette.

I love the variety of colors in this festive salad.  I think my Cooking Assistant is more interested in the overwhelming food scents. For just one day, I'd like to detect scents like a dog.

He would eat everything on the plate if he could.