SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Sugar snap peas are tender, sweet, and irresistibly crisp—a member favorite. They have the crunch of a raw string bean with a sweet earthy burst. Sugar snap peas are delicious raw (our favorite way to eat them!) and we have some tasty cooking suggestions and recipes below as well.
They can be eaten whole, pod and all. Just remove the string: pinch the stem and pull the string down toward the other end to remove the stem and the string.
Varieties in Your Share
Sugar Snap Peas
Storing: Unwashed pods should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator crisper drawer. For optimal flavor/texture, use them within a couple of days as the sugar will quickly turn into starch—although if you are planning to cook them, you can keep them in the fridge for up to a week. Sugar snap peas need to stay dry until they are ready to eat. Wash when ready to use.
Preserving: The best way to preserve these tender pods is to freeze them. First you must blanch the pods in boiling water for about 1 ½ minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes. Drain and dry off the pods, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for at least an hour. Transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. They should keep for 6-8 months.
The greatest thing about these little pods is you can just wash them, remove the string, and pop them in your mouth. No need to cook! That said, cooking them quickly can intensify the sweet flavor, so if you are interested in cooking here are some tips:
Grill: Season with oil, salt, pepper, herbs & spices before grilling.
Boil: Add to soup to add a sweet crunch. They cook quick, so add them in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
Stir fry: A great addition to any Asian dishes. Again, add in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking so as not to overcook.
Sauté: Over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, with a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Stoneledge Farm’s Deborah loves them sauteed quickly with a few chopped garlic scapes, mixed with pasta and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Steam or blanch: Steam for about 3-4 minutes or blanch in boiling water for 90 seconds, until the pods are tender-crisp. If blanching, transfer to a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes. Steamed, they are lovely tossed with a little sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sea salt.
Dehydrate: Add a little salt or mild seasoning.
Pickle: Using bread and butter seasonings, in the same style you would cucumbers.
Raw: Julienne and add to any fresh salad or as a garnish to a dish needing a little crunch.
RECIPES
MISC
Sugar snap peas are very low in calories and high in dietary fiber. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of Vitamin K. Sugar snap peas are a non-starchy vegetable.
Sugar Snap Peas are cool season plants. They can be grown in spring or fall after/before frost seasons.
Picking these delicious peas is a very time-consuming job. It takes the full Stoneledge Farm workforce a solid workday to pick sugar snap peas from their vines for the CSA.
The French call these crunchy little explosions of flavor “mange-touts” for a very good reason. Unlike their cousin the Garden Pea, there is no work involved; the entire pod is edible!
Dating back to around 3,000 BCE, peas have been a staple of many European and Asian cultures’ diets. The Chinese were the first to breed a varietal that was fully edible. It wasn’t until the late 1970s when Dr. Calvin Lamborn crossed a Snow Pea with a Garden Pea, that the Sugar Snap Pea was born!
CONTRIBUTOR
Caline
Rye/Soundshore CSA