Susie Hates Peas (Raw Pea, Pea Tendril, and Feta Salad)
The Lovely Suse is a fantastic and adventurous eater who indulges most of my culinary escapades (although I’m still not allowed to cook Indian food in the house after the last curry incident a few years back who’s smell lingered for about 2 weeks). However, she has a unique set of food quirks. I guess we all have our likes and dislikes, but hers are a little different than anyone I’ve met. Cooked fruit, dried fruit, raisins (ok, any fruit in an “unnatural state”), cake, pie (except pumpkin), and peas. She thinks peas smell like feet. However, this only applies to cooked peas (all of her food quirks have caveats and exceptions). Still, I wouldn’t give her up for all the pizza in Pizzaville. I happen to love fresh peas, so I have to come up with ways of using them in their uncooked state, a task that is actually a pretty easy one when peas are in season, like right now.
One of my favorite ways to use raw peas is in salads. They’re nice and sweet and a little crunchy, so they add great flavor and texture. Playing this sweetness and crunch off the other elements is the way to go, and this salad is one of my favorites. The toughest part about the entire thing is shelling the peas, which will take a little time. Don’t dare try to use frozen peas with this. You need the still-in-their-shell-now-i-have-to-spend-the-next-ten-minutes-shelling-them type.
The role of bitter in this salad will be played by pea tendrils, the greens and stalks of the pea plant itself. You can find them in the spring at Asian markets and some farmers markets, or my favorite produce store in the whole wide world for about $5/lb.. We’ll just use the raw tender leaves and thinner stalks in this case, although they’re also great stir-fried. If you can’t find them, arugula will work just as well.
The saltiness and creaminess will come from feta cheese, broken up into big chunks. Toss the peas, pea tendrils, and feta in a bowl with some lemon zest, fresh mint, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper, and you’re done. I served this along with some grilled king salmon, laying the salad on top of the fish so all of the nice lemon and olive oil and feta will ooze all over it. Now that’s some good Spring eating. And it doesn’t smell like feet.
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