Grilled Snow Peas with Shiitakes and Scallions

If you haven't tried snow or snap peas on the grill, you should - they're great, and they're quick. Here they are excellent with shiitakes and scallions grilled alongside in an Asian marinade. You'll need a grill basket for this recipe.

2 cups shiitake mushroom caps in bite-sized chunks
3 cups snow peas, stemmed
Up to 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 1/2- 2-inch lengths
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat. Let marinate for up to an hour if you have time; even a few minutes is good.

Heat the grill and place the vegetables into the grill basket. Grill over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-10 minutes, until nicely browned in places. Serve hot.

Serves 2-4.

Asian Snow Pea and Carrot Salad

A quick and simple summer salad straight from the garden. Substitute snap peas if you like.

1/2 lb snow peas in 1-inch lengths
1/4 early carrots, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Combine the oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar and mix well, then dress the vegetables. Serve immediately.

Serves about 4.

Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Dill

Another good main dish salad for hot weather. This one is especially good, as there is nothing in it that requires cooking. Just soak the bulgur until tender, then combine with other ingredients and serve. If it's not scape season, throw in some chives or a couple finely sliced scallions.

1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat
Water
1 garlic scape, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup dried tomatoes, soaked and finely chopped
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted and cooled
3-4 ounces crumbled feta
1-2 cups chopped snap or snow peas (optional)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the bulgur in cold water for an hour or so, or until tender, then drain. You can do this in advance and refrigerate the bulgur in a sealed container for a day or two if you like.

Combine the soaked bulgur with the scape, dill, chickpeas, dried tomatoes, walnuts, and feta. Drizzle with the lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. Stir well, adding more oil if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6.

Cashew Chicken Salad with Snow Peas

This simple, satisfying hot weather meal is adapted from a recipe my mother-in-law has been making for decades. You can use leftover rice (or make extra with another meal, planning ahead), or cook the rice in the morning or evening before and stash it in the fridge until you're ready. If you're making this outside of scape season, use a couple of scallions or some chives instead.

3-4 cups cooked and cooled brown rice (I like a short grain brown rice here)
2-3 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup minced garlic scapes
3 cups chopped snow peas (or snap peas)
1/2 - 1 cup cashews, lightly toasted and cooled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Serve cold.

Serves 4-6.

Snow Pea Stir Fry with Thai Basil

Our snap peas are just about done, but the snow peas, which we planted slightly later, are still going.  I took a big pile of them and made this simple stir fry, where they are shown off to good advantage.  I used chicken for the protein here, but feel free to substitute beef, pork, broiled tofu, etc. Alternatively, skip the protein and serve the snow peas as a side dish. Serve this over rice if you're making a meal out of it.

Canola oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 lb chicken breasts, cubed
6 cups snow peas
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp (optional) soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional)
1 cup Thai basil leaves, whole or cut into ribbons

Heat a little canola oil in a wok or extra large skillet.  Add the garlic, ginger, and chicken, and stir fry over medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the snow peas and stir fry until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce.  If desired, combine 1 Tbsp soy sauce with 1 Tbsp corn starch and stir into the stir fry.  Cook very briefly, just until the sauce thickens. Stir in the Thai basil.

Serve over rice.

Serves 4-5.

Lime-Basil Beef and Snow Peas

I think the peas are about the only thing in the garden that genuinely likes this cool, rainy weather. They have been producing bountifully, especially the snow peas. I combined them here with beef from Wheelview Farm, scapes and scallions from the farmers market, and Thai basil from the garden. Cilantro would work well, too. I used stew beef, sliced thinly, because it was what I had, but sirloin or flank steak would be better. Serve this over rice.

1 lb beef, in small chunks or slices (stew beef, sirloin, or flank steak)
3 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1-3 tsp Asian chili paste (to taste)
2 Tbsp grated ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Canola oil
1-2 cups chopped scapes
3-4 scallions, in thin rounds (white and green parts)
1/2 lb snow peas
1 cup loosely packed chopped Thai basil

Combine the beef, lime juice, soy sauce, chili paste, ginger, and salt and pepper in a bowl and stir well. Let it sit for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.

Heat about 1 Tbsp canola oil in a wok or very large skillet. Add the beef mixture and cook over high heat, stirring periodically, for 2-3 minutes or until done. Add the scapes, scallions, and snow peas and cook until just tender, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the basil until it wilts, then remove from heat.

Serve over rice.

Serves about 4.

Stir-Fried Lamb and Snow Peas

This is an adaptation of a Mark Bittman recipe that was published in the New York Times. His version is basically just lamb; I added the scapes and peas (from my garden!). Although the form is that of a stir-fry, the flavors are more Persian than Chinese. I used some delicious lamb from Leyden Glen Farm, purchased at Green Fields Market, and scapes and scallions from the farmers market. You could use snap peas in place of the snow peas if you like. Serves this over rice.

1 lb stew lamb, trimmed of as much fat and connective tissue as possible, and cut into small cubes
1 Tbsp whole cumin seed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped scapes (about 4 oz.)
4-5 scallions (green and white parts), chopped
6 oz. snow peas

Lightly toast the cumin seed in a dry skillet over medium heat, until fragrant.

In a medium bowl, toss the lamb with the cumin seed, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and soy sauce until well coated.

Heat a tablespoon or so of canola oil in a large skillet (not a wok). Add the lamb, in a single layer if possible. Cook over high heat without stirring for 1 minute. Add the scapes and stir, returning the lamb to a single layer. Cook 1 more minute. Add the scallions and snow peas and stir, cooking for about 1 more minute. Add a few tablespoons of water if you like, to make a little sauce.

Serve over rice.

Serves about 4.

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.