Recipes
Ingredient of the Month
June: Sugar Snap Peas
These plump, crisp peas are a versatile addition to your kitchen, adding texture, color and flavor to a wide array of dishes.
Buying: Always look for sugar snap peas that are full with a vibrant green color and a dry stem. Avoid peas that are limp and moist, since this indicates that they are not fresh.
Storing: Refrigerate the peas in a perforated plastic bag for 1 to 3 days and cook them as soon as possible.
Preparing: Typically, the seams on both sides of the sugar snap peas are removed, but this is not necessary and depends on the dish. To do this, break the stem then gently pull down the length of the pod to remove both seams simultaneously. The key to cooking snap peas is to prepare them quickly, since overcooking can destroy the taste and texture. Steam sugar snap peas for approximately 4 minutes or boil them for 2 minutes. For best flavor they should be added to cooked dishes just before serving.
OTHER USES |
Chilled Pea Soup with Mint Chutney
Serves 4
Ingredients:
¼ cups double-smoked bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice (from about 1 ¾ ounces bacon) (available from gourmet stores, specialty butchers, and by mail order) |
2 cups water |
Method:
Fill a large, wide bowl halfway with ice water.
Put the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook over low heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is cooked, approximately 7 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the peas and let the stock return to a vigorous boil. Cook until the peas are tender, approximately 5 minutes.
Do the following in batches: Carefully pour the contents of the pot into a blender and blend at medium speed to make a smooth soup. Pour the soup into a fine-mesh strainer set over a stainless steel bowl and press down on the solids with a rubber spatula or the back of a ladle to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible. Taste and season to taste with sugar. Set the bottom of the bowl into the ice water, and stir to cool the soup as quickly as possible. The soup can be made to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
Divide the cold soup among 4 chilled bowls. Top each serving with 1 rounded tablespoon chutney. Serve.
Mint Chutney
Makes about ¾ cup
Ingredients:
2/3 cup white wine vinegar |
½ cup finely chopped shallots |
Method:
Put the vinegar, sugar, mint stems, and shallots into a 1-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lovers the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced by three-fourths, stirring, until the liquid has reduced by three-fourths, approximately 15 minutes.
When the shallots are done cooking, set the mixture aside to cool. Use tongs to fish out and discard the mint stems. When the mixture is completely cool, add the sliced mint leaves and stir together. Season with salt to taste. The chutney can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.