pea pesto.

Peas are so misunderstood (which is why I'm here to give them the respect they deserve).

As Tyler will attest to, I spent most of the month of June discussing the fact that I was unable to find shelling peas.  Sugar snap peas were ALL over the place and while I love them (blanched and dipped in miso peanut dressing please) shelling peas are my favorite mostly because I love the act of shelling them.  (I find it therapeutic.) 

The first batch of peas were suppose to regaled to pasta but because of the heat I switched gears (because being a cook means thinking on your feet).  Pea pesto was made and consumed with such abandon that I think I may prefer to to the original pesto.  Sweet peas are just barely pulvarized and paired with basil, mint, and pecorino.  The pairing is earthy, bright, and clean.  It's perfect on well toasted bread with an additional slice of pecorino but it also makes for one hell of a panini.  

Pea Pesto

Only now do I realize I forgot to add the nuts! How could I forget the nuts?! I'm dreaming of pistachios (more green!) though the standard pine nuts wouldn't be out of place here.  Looks like I'll have to make a new batch, what a shame.  

2 cups of peas, blanched
10 basil leaves
10 mint leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil 
1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
10 grinds of black pepper plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons pecorino
1/4 cup pistachios or pine nuts (optional)
Juice of half a lemon (optional)

Place all ingredients (including the nuts if using) in a food processor with the exception of the lemon juice. Pulse the mixture together until the peas are crushed but not pureed.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Stir in the lemon juice if using.  Eat with a spoon or atop crusty well-toasted bread.  

charred peas, mortadella, and burnt ricotta.

In my eyes, peas always get the short end of the stick.  They always get regaled to being a component of a dish instead of being the main attraction and it’s sad because they are so cute and tasty.  Fresh peas in particular have the tendency to steal my heart (most notably because I am one of those bizarre people who adores shelling peas) and when their season arrives at the farmers market I find myself buying handfuls of them.  I usually end up with far more peas then one would ever need to include in a batch of samosa’s or in a springified version of spaghetti carbonara and for that reason I decided this year I needed to find a dish where the peas could be the shinning little green stars they always wanted to be.  I wanted a dish that could serve as a light dinner when accompanied by some crusty bread and a wedge of good cheese and when I found this dish I realized it was everything I could have ever wanted and so much more.  It’s light and bright but also smoky and substantial.  The lemon zest marries the flavors of the pork and cheese well and the charred peas lend a subtle sweetness to the plate.  It’s absurdly simple, comes together beyond quickly, and is also a one pan meal making it ideal for hectic weeknights. 

Charred Peas, Mortadella, and Burnt Ricotta

Recipe from Tasting Table

4-ounce piece mortadella cut into ½-inch cubes

4-ounces ricotta salata, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 cups fresh shelled peas (or 2 cups frozen)

2 tablespoons - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (I found I didn’t need the full ¼ cup)

Zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

2 medium garlic cloves very finely chopped

¼ teaspoon kosher salt (plus ¼ more if you deem it necessary)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until the skillet starts to smoke, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mortadella and stir occasionally. Once it starts to render its fat, after about 3 minutes, add the ricotta salata. Once the cheese begins to blacken around the edges, after about 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a large plate.

To the same skillet used for the mortadella and ricotta salata, add the peas. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the peas are blistered and charred, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the olive oil over the peas and return the mortadella and ricotta salata to the skillet along with the lemon zest, parsley and garlic. Season with the salt and pepper, divide among 4 plates and serve.

spring pea guacamole.

As of late I’ve been a terribly strange eater.  Sit down meals with one main dish no longer interests me.   Instead I’ve become a person who solely wants to snack and graze on little assorted bites of food which is why our dinners have been composed of various vegetable dishes, a hunk of cheese, crunchy grilled bread, and if we are feeling particularly splurge worthy some prosciutto or salami.  I call this style of eating California style or European alfresco style and it perfectly suits the summer months (and begs to be served with a chilled glass of wine).  Most meals of this nature have taken on an Italian spin but lately I’ve been leaning towards a more Mexican style (since it goes so well with ice cold tequila and lime) which is why this guacamole is now in heavy rotation.  This version is the perfect elevated rift on the classic dish of mashed avocado.  The peas add a subtle sweetness that plays off the charred jalapeno and the topping of toasted pumpkin seeds provides a little crunch and smoky flavor.  I love serving this with homemade salsa and chips or wedges of melted cheese quesadillas and a large margarita on the rocks for the epitome of superb summer eating and the perfect end to a long hot day. 

Spring Pea Guacamole

Recipe from ABC Cocina via Tasting Table

The boy took me to ABC Cocina for my birthday (or rather I told him I wanted to eat at ABC Cocina for my birthday and I made a reservation and he was kind enough to pay).  We ate this guacamole there and I feel in love and then was lucky enough to find out that Tasting Table scored the recipe.   I highly recommend going to ABC Cocina if you get the chance  - they are doing some really amazing things with vegetables and Mexican/Spanish flavors.  I also recommend consuming as much of the hot sauce as humanly possible as it’s the perfect combination of citrus and heat.  Oh and the restaurant itself is beyond gorgeous and unbelievably romantic. 

Ice

¾ cup shelled sweet peas

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 medium jalapeño

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

2 ripe avocados--halved, pitted and peeled

3 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced crosswise

2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest, plus

¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)

Pinch sea salt

Tortilla chips, for serving

Fill a large bowl with ice and water. To a medium saucepan of boiling water, add the peas and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the whole cilantro leaves and cook just long enough to wilt them, about 5 seconds. Strain both the peas and cilantro into a fine-mesh sieve and plunge the sieve into the ice water to stop the cooking. Once the peas are cool, transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Place the cilantro in a few layers of paper towels and wring dry.

To a skillet set over medium-high heat, add the sunflower seeds and toast until fragrant and golden-brown, about 1 minute. Transfer the sunflower seeds to a medium plate. To the skillet, add the whole jalapeño. Cook, using tongs to turn it often, until the jalapeño is charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chile to a small bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes. Peel the charred skin from the jalapeño, remove the stem, halve the chile lengthwise and remove the seeds with the tip of a paring knife.

To the small bowl insert of a food processor (or using a small capacity food processor), add all but 2 tablespoons of the cooled peas, the blanched cilantro, the charred jalapeño and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt. Pulse the mixture until it is coarsely chopped, about 20 one-second pulses. Transfer the pea mixture to a medium bowl.

To the peas, add the avocados, scallions, lime zest, lime juice and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mash with a fork. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the sunflower seeds, the remaining peas, the chopped cilantro and the pinch of sea salt. Serve with the tortilla chips.

new at the market.

Peas!!

I am one of those strange people who simply adores shelling peas.  Opening a pod and seeing all of the little peas lined up like soldiers is utterly adorable.  

Fresh peas are a beautiful thing.  I love using them for a creamy pesto to coat strands of spaghetti.  They are wonderful tossed in crunchy salads with a miso dressing.  They are magical in spaghetti carbonara.   

I am most excited to eat them in guacamole.  I imagine you are wondering how guacamole and peas go together but I promise you they do.  I had a guacamole like that at ABC Cocina when I was there for my birthday dinner it was absurdly good. I am now smitten.  

Recipe is coming by the end of this week...

pea pesto pasta

I am beginning to get overwhelmed.  The sheer volume of produce at the farmers market is so staggering that I have to a limit the amount of money I am allowed to spend each time I go (budgeting is a true test of my will). Even with my budget, I end up bringing home more then I know to do with – potatoes, asparagus, fava beans, cucumbers, cherries, and strawberries! The inside of our fridge currently looks like a small garden.  It’s a beautiful sight. 

Most recently I brought home a pound of peas (I’ll be honest, they were purchased because I have a slight obsession with popping peas from their pods).  After shucking them, what remained was a cup of peas.  I knew I wanted them to be more than a side dish and a one-pot dinner (ok one pot and the Cuisinart) seemed like a good idea for a casual week night evening.  What resulted was pea pesto pasta that was garlicy, sweet, and fresh.  It was light but still felt substantial and a wonderful use of that weeks produce haul. 

Pea Pesto Pasta

Adapted from Gourmet

For this dish, I made my own fresh pasta (I am a sucker for making the most simple of dinners as complicated as possible.  Why use dry pasta when I can make fresh pasta and roll it out, cut it into strips and cook it! Who cares if we eat dinner at 9, it will still be yummy!).  I do not recommend making yourself crazy on a Wednesday night by making fresh pasta – I know for a fact it would be just as wonderful on a penne, gnocchi, or ravioli.  Lets be honest, it would taste good on any pasta so use what makes you happy (or toast, excellent on toast!). 

1 cup peas (fresh is best but frozen works just as well)

¼ cup basil, loosely packed

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 cloves of garlic

¼ cup parmesan plus more for sprinkling with at the end

¼ cup of olive oil (some may prefer more oil, I prefer my pesto a little thicker especially in the case of pasta since I can use water the cooking water to thin it!). 

½ pound of pasta

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Cook peas in a pot of boiling water until tender about 2 -3 min. Add peas to the food processor (I would recommend setting some peas aside for texture, about ¼ cup, I planned on doing that but I forgot so everything ended up in the Cusinart and it still turned out lovely).  Add into the food processor with the peas the basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, and a few twists of pepper.  Turn the food processor on and begin to drizzle in the olive oil. Taste the pesto and adjust seasonings. 

Cook your pasta in salted water and drain when done (setting aside about 1 cup of pasta water).  Over medium heat, return the pasta to the pot as add in the pesto.  Mix it around and slowly add in the past water, mixing as you do, until you reach the desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with more basil and parmesan. 

fresh green peas and sugar snap peas in sesame dressing.

Green is everywhere – not just in the world of clothing (neon green in particular is having a moment which makes me swoon) but all over.  The onslaught of warm weather has enticed me to migrate outside, and in the great outdoors, I’ve found myself surrounded by lush grass, big leafy trees, and a plethora of flowers.  The color has also carried over to the farmers market.  It seems that almost every time I visit something new shows up – the latest being the beautiful green sugar snap peas.

I was never particularly drawn to sugar snap peas before, but maybe it’s come with age or the desire to always try something new but I purchased a pound of them and figured I would come up with a way to enjoy them. Let’s just say I found this weeks favorite food.

I took a recipe from Bon Appétit and doctored it up a bit – adding in some Siracha (one of the most useful condiments!)  for heat, and some brown rice so it would feel a little more like a side dish.  The result felt healthy (especially needed when eating homemade pie for dessert) and it exuded the sweet and spicy flavors I love. The leftovers made for a lovely lunch at work the next day, which reminded me why I love the arrival of summer.

Fresh Green Peas and Sugar Snap Peas in Sesame Dressing

Adapted from Epicurious

Serves 4

1 cups fresh shelled peas (from 1 pound peas in pods)

12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil

2 teaspoons Siracha (or more if you love spicy)

1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cooked rice (brown, white, whatever you love). 

Cook shelled peas in large saucepan of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add sugar snap peas to same pan and continue boiling 30 seconds. Drain; rinse under cold water and drain again. Transfer to large bowl.

Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. (Peas and dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.) Pour dressing over peas and rice in large bowl; toss to coat. Season salad to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve at room temperature.