blistered snap peas with herby buttermilk
This salad utilizes peas in three ways: charred whole snap peas, lemony raw sliced snap peas, and delicate crunchy pea shoots. What you end up with is a vibrant, monochromatic explosion of fresh flavor and texture. You could add some roasted nuts or crumbled feta, but the all-green vibe really does it for me personally.
yield 4 servings
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 scallion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 cup packed mixed herbs, roughly chopped (like parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, celery leaves, fennel fronds, basil)
1/2 cup full-fat greek yogurt
12 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 T olive oil, plus more
1/3 cup pea shoots (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
recipe prep
Combine buttermilk, scallion, garlic, herbs and a pinch of salt in a blender and blend until very smooth and vibrant. Transfer to a medium bowl, add yogurt and whisk for 2-3 minutes to fully incorporate. Taste and add salt as needed.
Thinly slice a third of the snap peas on the bias. Set aside. In a medium bowl, toss remaining whole snap peas with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Heat a cast iron or skillet over high heat. Once very hot, add snap peas in a single layer. Cook, stirring very occasionally, until snap peas are bright green and charred in spots, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, transfer the sliced snap peas to the medium bowl (you know, the one with a light coating of olive oil) and toss with lemon juice, zest and a small pinch of salt. Once they’re finished cooking, transfer blistered snap peas to the bowl with the sliced snap peas and toss to combine. Add pea shoots, if using, and toss to combine.
Pour buttermilk sauce in a large, shallow bowl. Pile snap peas in the center. If you’re serving individually, divide sauce between 4 bowls and top each with an equal portion of the snap peas. Top with fresh, coarsely ground pepper.
if you can’t find pea shoots Look for them at farmer’s markets in the spring and Asian groceries year round. If you can’t find them, sunflower shoots would also work. You could also omit them entirely.
