What's Cookin? Tuesday - Pea Salad

Kristen Mowers, CalSERVES Nutrition Coordinator

 

  

Just the Facts: Peas

• The sugar snap pea is actually a hybrid of green and snow peas. It was developed in 1979 to make an edible-pod variety with sweeter, full-sized peas.
• Edible-pod peas were specifically bred so that the pods' fibers go in one direction, allowing them to be chewed.
• Today only 5 percent of all peas grown are sold fresh; over half are canned and most of the rest are frozen.
• One of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite vegetables was the English Pea. He planted more than 30 varieties of it in his garden at Monticello.

Pea Salad with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

Makes 10 servings at 1/2 cup each

1/2 lb. sugar snap peas

1/2 lb. snow peas

1/2 lb. fresh green peas, shelled

1/2 bunch mint

1/2 bunch cilantro

1/2 bunch Italian parsley

1 tablespoons light olive oil

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

Dash salt

Directions:

Wash peas. Remove any stems. Blanch peas in boiling water (blanch pod peas separately from shelled peas). When tender, scoop peas out with strainer and lay out to cool on baking sheet covered with towel. Combine peas in large bowl. Blend herbs, oil, vinegar and salt until smooth. Pour over peas and serve.