Peas in our time
There were peas at the farmers’ market this past Wednesday. I think freshly shelled peas are possibly the most delightful summer vegetable a garden can produce, and one of my biggest garden regrets is that I don’t have enough space or sun to make growing peas worthwhile or even possible. I must make do instead with buying bags of them at the farmers market, and then rushing home to shell them for lunch.
This hot weather seems to call for pasta salad, to which very fresh peas are a delicious addition. Examining the contents of my crisper drawer, I cobbled together a combination of two Martha Stewart recipes–one for a pea and orzo side dish, and the other a pasta salad with feta and snow peas (in itself one of the best pasta salad recipes ever concocted).
Pretty peas pasta salad
- 2 cups orzo (fusilli works great too–try 4 cups or so)
- 2Tb butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- zest of half a lemon
- freshly shelled peas (about 2 cups)
- 1 chopped sweet pepper (I used half red and half green because that’s what I had on hand)
- 2 chopped green onions
- 2Tb chopped fresh mint
- a handful chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (or to taste)–I used goat feta
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Add orzo to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente (about 6-8 minutes, but check your package). Drain and set aside. Melt the butter over medium heat and saute the lemon zest and shallot until translucent.
Add the peas and cook until bright green and tender, adding a bit of water if the shallots start to turn brown before peas are tender. Don’t overcook the peas! Better that they’re slightly underdone than overdone. I added the peppers to the pan as well, but it is equally nice if they’re left raw and crunchy.
In a large bowl, combine the peas with the cooked orzo, chopped peppers, green onion, feta, mint, cilantro, and dressing, and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
serves 4
p.s. I don’t think the shallot or lemon zest is absolutely necessary; you could just gently cook the peas in a bit of butter and they would still be lovely. We had leftovers cold the next day over lettuce leaves, with some added hardboiled egg, chopped tomato, and cucumber.
