Nourishments—

The Appeal Of Peas

By Nancy K. Crevier

When I think of fresh, green peas, I remember my grandmother and her sisters sitting on the front steps in the early days of summer, a white enamel basin between them and the steady plink, plink, plink as peas shot out of the pods and into the bowl. Their nimble fingers stripped open the pods at a rapid pace and in no time at all, a mound of emerald peas was carried into the kitchen and readied for the evening meal.

Along with supple stems of asparagus and tiny, new leaves of lettuce, peas at dinner meant that summer was truly on the way.

Green peas had their 15 minutes of fame in the 19th Century when botanist Gregory Mendel used them to demonstrate heredity experiments that founded the study of modern genetics. Since then, however, their popularity has waned as the edible pod sugar snap and snow peas have risen to the top of the culinary ladder.

 Although they are quicker to prepare than the heritage varieties that require shelling, the edible pod peas still need to be trimmed and de-stringed before cooking. To retain the nutritional value and best flavor of all types of peas, store the unwashed pods in a perforated bag in the refrigerator for no more than two days. Peas left at room temperature will soon convert the natural sugars they contain to a less palatable starch. That explains why there is nothing better than peas plucked from the garden and swiftly served.

Cook peas for a short time — one to two minutes — in a small amount of liquid or stir fry briefly in a tiny bit of oil so as not to deplete the good source of phosphorus, folate and Vitamin C. With a minimum of fat, peas contain over 8 grams of fiber in each cup as well, and only 134 calories.

To get a cup of peas, it takes about 1 pound of peas in the pod. Figure that the average person will eat about ¼ pound of peas, a little less than a cup, as a side dish; of course, some of us are above average, so plan accordingly.

What could be nicer on a mild spring day than to pick a peck of green peas and sit and shuck them with the people you love best? I think I know what my grandma would say.

Peas and Herbs

4 C shelled green peas

1/3  C water

2 Tbs unsalted butter

1 Tbs fresh, minced mint

2 tsp fresh, minced thyme

Grated rind of one small lemon

Salt and pepper

In small pan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in mint, thyme and lemon. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place peas and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about one minute, just until the peas turn bright green.

Drain peas and toss with butter. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Serve hot.

Snow Peas and Carrots

1½ lb snow peas, rinsed and stemmed

1 large carrot, sliced into julienne strips

1 red Thai pepper, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 slice of ginger, about the size of a quarter, finely minced

2 Tbs toasted sesame oil

1 Tbs tamari soy sauce

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp fresh lime juice

Heat oil in small wok until hot. Add carrot, pepper, garlic and ginger and stir fry quickly for about one minute. Add snow peas and continue stir frying until peas turn bright green.

Add tamari, lemon and lime juice and quickly stir.

Remove from heat and serve as a side dish with seared tuna or grilled chicken.