SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH LEMON BUTTER
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Serves 6.
Gourmet Magazine

1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water blanch the snap peas for 1 minute, drain them, and plunge them into a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the peas well. The peas may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advanced and kept covered and chilled. In a large heavy skillet melt the butter with the zest, add the peas and salt and pepper to taste, and heat the peas over moderately low heat, stirring, until they are hot.



Sugar Snap Peas (allrecipes.com)
Ready In: 20 Minutes Yields: 4 servings

1/2 pound sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped onion or shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and kosher salt.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender but firm.

Lemon Chicken Salad (allrecipes.com)
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 15 Minutes Yields: 8 servings

1 cup creamy salad dressing or mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 cups sliced snow peas
1 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

In a large bowl, whisk together the salad dressing, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon pepper, basil and parsley. Add chicken, peas, onion, lettuce and almonds and stir until evenly coated. Refrigerate until serving.  

Creamed Peas (allrecipes.com)
Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Ready In: 15 Minutes Yields: 4 servings

2 cups fresh or frozen green peas, thawed
2/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine peas, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then stir in butter.
In a small bowl, whisk together cream, flour, and sugar. Stir mixture into peas. Cook over medium-high heat until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes.  

IDEAS FOR SERVING SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Adapted from Organic Style Magazine (Rodale Press, May 2004).

1. IN THE RAW with a dip of 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/3 cup crumbled feta, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns.

2. IN SUCCOTASH, sautéed with freshly cut corn kernels (scrape the milk from the cob to make it creamy), scallions, and cherry tomatoes.

3. BLANCHED AND TOSSED with buttered egg noodles, parsley, and garlic.

4. ROASTED with olive oil and sea salt beneath the broiler until crisp-tender and lightly browned on the edges; drizzle with a few drops of toasted sesame oil before serving.

5. TOSSED WARM WITH FRESH PESTO and toasted pine nuts.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND GOAT CHEESE    Southern Living, MAY 2001

1 pound fresh sugar snap peas
2 shallots, minced (or 1/4 cup finely minced onion)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces grape tomatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 (3-ounce) goat cheese log, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cook peas in boiling water to cover 2 minutes; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Sauté shallots in hot oil in a large skillet until tender. Add peas, and cook until thoroughly heated. Place mixture in a bowl. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients; toss gently. Serve immediately. Yield 4 servings

SNAP PEAS WITH SESAME AND CHIVES  (The Good Herb, Judith Benn Hurley)

1 lb. Sugar Snap Peas, trimmed
1 tsp. toasted (dark) Sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or other mild white vinegar
1 Tbsp. finely minced chives
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Blanch the peas in boiling water until bright green and just tender (about 2 minutes). Pat them dry. Place peas into a large bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, and chives; toss well to combine. Sprinkle sesame seeds into a dry pan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until toasted--about 1½ minutes. Toss the peas with the seeds, and serve warm as a side dish, or cover and refrigerate to enjoy later as a salad.

SLIGHTLY SPICY SUGAR SNAP PEAS  (Fine Cooking)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ tsp. Thai red curry paste
¾ lb. Sugar snap peas, trimmed
2 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh mint (optional)
2 tsp. Fresh lime juice

Heat 1 Tbsp of the butter in a medium saucepan. As soon as it melts, add the curry paste & mash it around with the back of a fork until it’s mostly broken up & distributed through the butter. Add the peas & toss with tongs to coat with butter. Add 1/3 cup of water, cover with lid slightly ajar, raise heat to medium high and steam until peas are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and let remaining liquid boil off. Stir in remaining 1 Tbsp butter, mint, and lime juice. Season with salt & serve.

NEW RECIPES FOR 2009

STIR FRY CHINESE PEAS w/ SESAME SEEDS   Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon

1# Snow Peas, ends & strings removed
3 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1” pieces
2 Tbsp. Toasted pine nuts
2 Tbsp. Toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. Toasted sesame oil
sea salt & fresh black pepper

Stir fry onions & peas in oil for about 3 minutes. Add pine nuts & sesame seeds & cook another minute. Remove from heat & stir in sesame oil. Season to taste.  

SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH PARSLEY
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
6 servings

1 1/2 pounds sugar snap peas
Coarse salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Place peas in pot and add 1 inch water. Add a little salt, a teaspoon of sugar and a couple of pats of butter to the pot. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until peas are tender but still bright green, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chopped parsley. Transfer peas to a serving dish.

GRILLED SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Courtesy of Victoria Wesseler, Going Local
Serves 4-6 as a side dish

1 ½ pounds sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea Salt
Toasted Sesame Oil (Optional)
Toasted Sesame Seeds (Optional)

Preheat the grill to MEDIUM-HIGH.
Place the sugar snap peas and olive oil in a quart size food storage bag. Close the bag, removing as much air as possible.
Gently massage the sugar snap peas until they evenly coated with the oil.
Wipe the vegetable grill basket by dipping a soft cotton cloth in vegetable oil and lightly coating its interior. Place the vegetable grill basket on the grill and pour the snap peas from the zipper bag into the basket.
Grill the sugar snap peas for 3-5 minutes, or until they develop a nice brown color on the “grill side”. Turn the vegetables over to grill on the other side. Cooking time varies with the freshness of the produce (generally, the fresher the vegetable the faster it will cook), so keep an eye on them and remove them from the grill when they are browned slightly but not charred. When the sugar snap peas are finished grilling, place them on a serving platter and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. A light drizzle of toasted sesame seed oil and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds is optional.
Cook’s Note: You can turn this side dish into a main dish by dressing cold, cooked brown rice with a bit of ponzu sauce and some fresh lime juice to taste, adding some warm grilled shrimp to the rice and then topping the rice and shrimp mixture with the grilled sugar snap peas. Drizzle with a bit of toasted sesame oil and top with some black sesame seeds for an easy elegant summer supper.

ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS Recipe #162736 recipezaar.com
This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine...very easy and delicious side dish. 
SERVES 6

1 lb sugar snap pea (also called sugar peas, these peas are not shelled, as the entire pod is eaten)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat broiler. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss peas with olive oil on prepared baking sheet. Spread peas in a single layer. Broil approximately 2 minutes, or just until crisp-tender and they are beginning to brown in spots, stirring once. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with coarse salt and chives. Serve immediately.

CORKSCREW PASTA WITH SHRIMP, SUGAR SNAP PEAS, AND RED PEPPERS
Recipe #45635 recipezaar.com
SERVES 6

8 ounces rotini pasta or fusilli
3/4 lb sugar snap pea (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 lb peeled deveined medium shrimp
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemons, zest of
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Cook pasta according to directions. Add snap peas to water in last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet heat 1 tb oil over medium high. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until shrimp are lightly golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove shrimp, add pepper strips to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften, 1-2 minutes. Combine with shrimp. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine basil, lemon juice, zest, and mustard. Slowly whisk in remaining oil until mixture thickens slightly. In large serving bowl combine reserved pasta with shrimp mixture and sauce/dressing/vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

SNOW PEA STIR-FRY 
Recipe courtesy Pete Luckett, Food Network
Serves 2

1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and sliced in strips
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 pound snow peas
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper, optional

CHICKEN AND SNOW PEA SALAD allrecipes.com

6 ounces chopped snow peas
1 pound boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 (4 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch white pepper

Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, ginger, lime rind, salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, combine the snow peas, chicken, onion and water chestnuts. Pour dressing over salad and mix gently. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

LEMON-BUTTER SNOW PEAS  allrecipes.com

1/2 pound fresh snow peas
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

In a microwave-safe dish, combine the snow peas, water and garlic. Cover and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. (OR: Steam peas in a steamer basket over boiling water for 3-4 minutes.) Combine the butter, lemon juice and Italian seasoning. Drizzle over peas; toss to coat.