Summer Fest: Quick Salads with Peas

By: Cameron Curtis

Skip the frozen aisle and pick up shell peas or sugarsnap peas at the market right now. Shell peas need to be removed from their pod before eating. Sugarsnap peas have both edible pods and peas inside. Blanching or poaching peas lets their full flavor shine in these crunchy, summer-ready salads. You can also freeze blanched peas for up to six months so you can use them in to your favorite pea soups this coming winter.

Pea, Feta and Mint Salad (pictured above)

In just fifteen minutes you can turn blanched peas into the main event in this summer salad. Combine them with onions, pistachios and a sweet dressing then toss with mint, snow pea leaves and top the salad with the feta cheese.

Crab and Pea salad

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Crab and Pea salad

Photo by: Evan Sung for The New York Times

Evan Sung for The New York Times

Mark Bittman poaches shelled fresh peas for these hand-held bites of salad. Combine the peas with onion, bell pepper, fresh cooked crab meat, olive oil, lemon juice and some salt and pepper before spooning into lettuce cups or endive leaves.

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