Try one or two first; if they're sweet and crunchy and fresh-tasting, buy as many as you can possibly get. If they don't taste sweet and green, avoid like the plague.
You can shell them and eat them raw (I tend to consume a good deal while shelling), or if they're young sugar snap peas, you don't even have to shell them. I usually get a ton, like, uh, several pounds, and shell them and cook them on the same day. They convert sugar to starch very quickly, so eat them soon.
I usually cook them over low heat with a little oil, some salt and some pepper, to taste. Stir every so often to make sure the bottom ones don't get mushy. Wait till they turn bright green, and then try them every so often until the texture is the way you like (I like not-too-crunchy, but not smooshy either). Then I squeeze some lemon juice on top and just eat giant bowls.
Fresh peas are the best thing ever.
Also, looks like cucumbers are in season right now, and you can probably get dill and garlic and make very good yogurt sauce: use about 1/2 c. yogurt (I use non-fat, works fine) for every cucumber. If you want to take more time, put the yogurt in a coffee filter in the fridge for a few hours to thicken it and let the whey drip out. You can also peel and dice the cucumbers, salt them slightly and leave them in the fridge to take out some of the moisture, but I avoid the first two steps when I'm too hungry. Chuck the yogurt in a large bowl with crushed cloves of garlic (to taste, I probably put in 2-3 per cucumber) and finely chopped dill (I usually put 1-2 tbsp per cucumber). Pour in a tbsp or two of olive oil if you want. Mix and refrigerate and let the flavors blend.
no subject
*ahem*
Try one or two first; if they're sweet and crunchy and fresh-tasting, buy as many as you can possibly get. If they don't taste sweet and green, avoid like the plague.
You can shell them and eat them raw (I tend to consume a good deal while shelling), or if they're young sugar snap peas, you don't even have to shell them. I usually get a ton, like, uh, several pounds, and shell them and cook them on the same day. They convert sugar to starch very quickly, so eat them soon.
I usually cook them over low heat with a little oil, some salt and some pepper, to taste. Stir every so often to make sure the bottom ones don't get mushy. Wait till they turn bright green, and then try them every so often until the texture is the way you like (I like not-too-crunchy, but not smooshy either). Then I squeeze some lemon juice on top and just eat giant bowls.
Fresh peas are the best thing ever.
Also, looks like cucumbers are in season right now, and you can probably get dill and garlic and make very good yogurt sauce: use about 1/2 c. yogurt (I use non-fat, works fine) for every cucumber. If you want to take more time, put the yogurt in a coffee filter in the fridge for a few hours to thicken it and let the whey drip out. You can also peel and dice the cucumbers, salt them slightly and leave them in the fridge to take out some of the moisture, but I avoid the first two steps when I'm too hungry. Chuck the yogurt in a large bowl with crushed cloves of garlic (to taste, I probably put in 2-3 per cucumber) and finely chopped dill (I usually put 1-2 tbsp per cucumber). Pour in a tbsp or two of olive oil if you want. Mix and refrigerate and let the flavors blend.
Yay! Farmers' market!