So what exactly is that gorgeous looking bouquet of flowers and leafy tendrils in your share this week? Pea shoots, who would ever think to eat these was really on to something. They taste just like peas and are perfect for a delicate summer salad. In Chinese cuisine they have been popular for years, they are loaded with Vitamins A and C.
How to store:
Pea shoots are fragile and best used within one to two days of harvesting. Keep them wrapped in paper towels in an open plastic bag in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator
Some quick serving ideas:
Add raw pea shoots to a tossed salad.
Serve a fresh mound of pea shoots with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Add pea shoots to any stir-fry or soup near the end of cooking time.
Toss wilted pea shoots with sprinkles of ginger and sugar to taste.
Flash-Cooked Greens with Garlic
1-1/4 lb. pea shoots or other greens, rinsed
1 teaspoon canola or olive oil
a couple of garlic scapes
2-1/2 tablespoons rice wine, sake or water
¼ teaspoon salt, if desired
Preparation
Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add pea shoots and garlic; toss lightly about 20 seconds, then add rice wine and salt. Toss over high heat 1 minute or less, just until wilted. Lift out of pan, leaving the liquid. Serve. (Adapted from A Spoonful of Ginger: Irresistible, Health-Giving Recipes from Asian Kitchens by Nina Simonds, Knopf, 1999.)
The original recipe called for garlic cloves I changed it so you can use the scapes you have in your share this week.
I'm in the process of adding some more recipes and links on the website for the shoots and other veggies.
Some Nutrition Information:
Pea shoots may also contain valuable phytochemicals. Certain pea plants have these natural disease fighters, but it is not known whether garden peas contain them. The phytochemicals found in other types of pea plants include lignins, a flavonoid called quercetin, and caffeic acid. Researchers believe these substances help prevent cancer in different ways and have other beneficial health effects.
Source: Washington State University Cooperative Extension
http://agsyst.wsu.edu/peashootbroc.pdf
More on pea shoots:
http://www.tastespotting.com/search/pea+shoot/1
http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2009/02/12/i-heart-pea-shoots/
Pea Shoot Pesto
- 3 cups pea shoots
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon salt1/3 cup olive oil
Preparation
This couldn’t be simpler — add all of the ingredients except for the olive oil into a cuisinart or blender and pulse until finely ground, then stream in the olive oil while blending.
To store the pesto, put it in a tupperware and pour a thin film of olive oil over the top before putting it in the fridge or freezer.
-Kerry Tilden
i made my pea shoots last night. i trimmed the woody stems and sauteed them a bit in olive oil and then i added a little mirin and a touch of vinegar. the tendrils were a bit stringy and i would cut them off next time. otherwise they were delicious.
ReplyDeleteI tried a variation on Cheryl's recipe- I sauteed green garlic and scapes in peanut oil, and then added both the well-trimmed pea shoots (thanks Clyde!) and baby bok choy. I added rice wine vinegar and covered over low heat .At the very end of the cooking time, I added a little soy sauce. I did more than flash cook the greens since the bok choy took some time to cook. I served the greens with dumplings and a dipping sauce. I always keep a container of this dipping sauce in my refrigerator I found the recipe in Real Simple years ago, but unfortunately didn't note the author:
ReplyDelete1/4 cup plus 1tbs soy sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs light-brown sugar
1 finely chopped scallion
I also added fresh ginger to the sauce when I served...
A perfect and simple meal!