Creamy Pasta with Early Summer Garden Veggies and Bacon

This was absolutely divine. I love it when a recipe idea turns out even better than it was in my head.

Feel free to mix and match vegetables. I really liked the snap peas in this, but you could use chopped spinach, early zucchini, or whatever else sounds good. I threw in some chopped leftover grilled chicken as well, but it's definitely optional. If you're vegetarian and want to skip the bacon, you can and it will still be good - but of course it won't be the same. In that case, I suggest adding some grated Parmesan.

1 lb cut pasta such as shells or penne rigate
1 Tbsp butter
2-3 cups snap peas (diced), fava beans, shell peas, or combination
1 bunch scallions (including green part), chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain when done, drizzle lightly with oil, and toss to coat.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce: Melt  the butter in a Dutch oven or other large saucepan. Add the scallions and snap peas or other vegetables. Saute over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes, until the scallion greens are wilted. Add the cream, then reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. If using snap peas, they should be tender but still retain some crunch. Stir in the bacon and basil and simmer another minute or so. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pour the veggie mixture over the sauce and toss to coat well. The cream will soak into the pasta after a while if you don't serve it immediately, but that's ok. Serve hot or warm.

Serves at about 6.

Mint-Pea Pesto with Feta and Walnuts

We accidentally planted shell peas this year after my husband bought a packet of seeds he thought were sugar snaps. But shell peas are delicious, too, and this is a nice way to enjoy them fresh.

1 cup fresh shelled peas
1 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted and cooled
1 cup fresh mint
2-3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup crumbled feta, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

If your peas are small and sweet, you can use them raw. If they have developed a little bitter aftertaste, give them a quick steam until they are just barely tender.

Combine 1 cup of the peas with the walnuts, mint, garlic, and feta in a food processor. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until fairly smooth. Thin with a little water (pasta cooking water is perfect for this).

Serve this with pasta, tossing in another cup or two of fresh peas.

Makes enough to sauce 1 lb of cooked pasta.

Pasta Salad with Snap Peas and Herbs

Another cold dish for another hot June day.  If you like, you can beef this up into more of a main dish by adding tuna (3 cans is about right), cooked shredded chicken, or cooked beans.  Feel free to substitute shelled English peas for the snap peas, or even fava beans or edamame.  You can also mix up the herbs for different flavor profiles: try mint, cilantro, or dill here in place of the basil and/or parsley.

1 lb pasta, cooked and cooled
3-4 cups diced snap peas
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp minced garlic scapes
1 cup chopped chives
1/2 - 1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until everything is coated with mayo and ingredients are evenly distributed.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Serves about 6.

Lamb and Snap Pea Curry

This is a Southeast Asian style curry with coconut milk. Substitute shell peas for the snap peas if you like. If you don't have scapes, feel free to use a few cloves of regular garlic instead. Serve this over rice.

1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
1 cup chopped garlic scapes
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 14-oz can coconut milk (lite is fine)
3/4 lb snap peas
1 bunch scallions, sliced in rounds (white and green parts)

Cook the lamb in a Dutch oven or other large pot. When it's done, pour off the most of fat (there is likely to be a lot of it). Add the scapes, garam masala, and cumin, as well as some salt and pepper, and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Add the snap peas and scallions at the end, cooking just until tender, 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Serve hot over rice.

Serves 4-6.

Whole Grain Spring Salad with Peas and Fresh Herbs

Snap pea season is here! This would also work with regular shelled peas, or even chopped snow peas. For herbs, I used cilantro and mint because I have them in abundance right now, but parsley and/or basil would work nicely as well. You could also use chives in place of the onion.

3-4 cups cold cooked brown rice, bulgar, or quinoa (or combination)
3-4 Tbsp olive oil (or to taste)
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups snap peas, whole or in 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup minced red onion (spring onion works well)
1 Tbsp minced green garlic (optional)
1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If not serving immediately, refrigerate.

Serves 4-6.

Snap Peas and Snow Peas

I haven't noticed peas at the farmers market yet, but I bet they're coming soon. We have been picking early snap peas in our garden for a week or more now. Snap peas and snow peas are great eaten right off the vine (or out of the box from the market), but if you have enough to survive that step, you can also:

1. Use them in green salads, either whole or chopped
2. Put them in a stir-fry, perhaps with some early carrots, spring onions or bunching onions, and chicken or tofu
3. For a side dish, stir fry very briefly with sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce. Add a little grated fresh ginger if you like. Top with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.
4. Steam lightly and serve tossed with a little chopped fresh mint or basil

And, of course, you can always freeze some for later, too. Blanch very, very briefly, then dunk in ice water. Dry and freeze in a freezer bag. Tray freeze for 30 minutes or so first if you want to be able to take out just a few at a time after they're frozen.