Category: Peas (Snap, Snow, Shelling)

This dish was invented at the restaurant Le Cirque in New York City in the 70s. I think of it mostly as a disappointing restaurant dish vegetarian's are relegated to order. It can, however, be delicious and is a good template as it accommodates many different vegetables. There are many variations, some with cream or cream sauce, some without. Here's my cook-with-what-you-have version, employing a quick bechamel (white sauce) to enjoy spring through fall.  ... Read more »

I came up with this idea on a very hot evening and it's a winner. You could certainly add tofu or chicken (see variations below) but with the egg and peanuts it was perfect for a light summer supper. ... Read more »

This is bright, just slightly spicy and so delicious. You can use frozen or fresh peas or snap or snow peas, chopped up finely.  I use fresh ramen noodles here but rice noodles, soba noodles or regular spaghetti will work just fine. The ingredient  list looks long but it's mostly pantry items. ... Read more »

I happened to have some leftover pita bread that sparked the inspiration for this salad. This salad is a bit of a springy, non-traditional spin on a Fattoush salad. If you don’t have pita, you could make some toasty croutons instead. It’s a bright and crunchy salad with lots of flavor and texture.   ... Read more »

This bowl uses bean thread noodles aka mung bean, cellophane, glass or vermicelli noodles made with mung bean starch, as its foundation. The sauce is a light one that you'll also use to marinate the tofu.... Read more »

This is similar to this Salad-Roll Salad but it's quicker and even more versatile. Here bean thread noodles are combined with quickly stir-fried vegetables (and meat if you like), fresh herbs and a bright fish sauce, lime dressing. You can change the ratio of noodles to vegetables/herbs to suit your likes and needs. [caption id="attachment_20643" align="aligncenter" width="660"] And a fully loaded version with lots of toppings.[/caption] Bean thread noodles aka mung bean, cellophane, glass or vermicelli noodles are made with mung bean starch. They are a popular noodle in Chinese cuisine. They're quick to prepare and can be used in salads, stir-frys and soups.  ... Read more »

This is just a template to assemble a delicious bowl of food. The sauce makes everything taste good. You can use either yogurt or tahini in this sauce or a combination of both. I love all versions! Cook a pot of grains and then let people customize their bowls to suit their taste.  ... Read more »

Quinoa cooks quickly, has a pleasantly nutty taste and is nutritious. If you're in a rush and have random bits of vegetables on hand, even just a carrot and stalk of celery, you can have this on the table in 25 minutes. Round it out with a fried egg or any protein you'd like and/or a salad. You can easily scale this up and the ratio of quinoa to water is one to one and you can use whatever vegetables and/or meats you'd like so it's more of a set of guidelines than a recipe.... Read more »

There are three versions of cook-with-what-you-have Nicoise salad on this site. Each one can itself be varied in many ways. . . which vegetables you cook, which you leave raw, what kind of pickled/brined item you include, etc. Have fun with it!   The tuna is really optional--there is so much else going on that you may not miss it if you don't have it or don't eat fish.... Read more »

This dish was born out of haste and what was on hand. I didn't have time to cook rice but had half a head of savoy cabbage which turned into a lovely bed for this ground-beef stir fry.  ... Read more »

Polenta is a wonderful pantry staple and a good foil for anything a little bit saucy. This is a template for most any vegetables and leftover meat. [caption id="attachment_18201" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This assortment was what I had on hand during the first corona virus isolation period but by all means use whatever vegetables you have on hand or particularly like.[/caption]... Read more »

The only thing you need to have thought of in advance is to have made more rice than you needed for an earlier meal so that you have leftover rice ready, whether in the fridge or freezer. It matter little whether you use white or brown rice, short or long grain. I always make more rice than I need at any given time and then freeze the rest for the fried-rice-nights. Or make it in the morning and leave it sitting out all day and then you’ll have nicely dried out rice for the fried rice that evening.   Variations You can use most any vegetable you have on hand such as, broccoli, celery, Brussels sprouts, daikon, bell pepper, radish, and/or water chestnuts. Watery vegetables, like zucchini and tomatoes, are less well suited. Use a handful of radishes, chopped or a few salad turnips, chopped, in place of the carrots. If you don't have turnip tops, use beet greens, bok choi or any leafy green, you have. Snap or snow peas are great instead of shelling peas. Add any leftover meat you'd like or dice a couple slices of bacon or half a chicken breast and cook with the vegetables before adding rice. Add toasted peanuts or cashews for crunch and heft. Delicious herbs to add, in place of or with, cilantro are mint or basil ... Read more »

Snap peas are a good substitute for asparagus. Mushrooms are a nice addition in this quick, savory dish. This method works with both ground beef and strips of steak, with slightly different cooking methods.   ... Read more »

This is bright and earthy at the same time and beautiful to boot. Switch up the herbs based on what you have/like. Dill would be good as would cilantro. ... Read more »

This is a delicious, fresh dish and it’s a good template. Use whatever vegetables and herbs you have/like. You will likely have sauce left over which is good with cold noodles, leftover rice or chicken, roasted vegetables, etc.  ... Read more »

--Inspired by Quick & Easy Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey   The complex flavors in this simple curry dish belie the speed with which it comes together. It is a good template as many different vegetables can be used and you can add meats or seafood as you like. I use whatever combination of vegetables I have on hand.    ... Read more »

I love the short season of shelling peas. If it gets too hot and they stay on the vine too long they get starchy but when they're just right they are tender and sweet and enhance anything on the plate.   You can substitute goat cheese or feta for the fresh mozzarella.... Read more »

You can use snap or snow peas instead of shelling peas or omit them or omit the favas or substitute sliced green beans. All of those variations, and I'm sure many others, are excellent. It's a simple, fresh salad that is good warm or at room temperature and can be added to--hardboiled egg, tuna, other herbs, scallions, etc.   Serves 4  ... Read more »

I put this salad together on a whim after I splurged on a beautiful Dungeness crab. I had both fava beans and shelling peas on hand but either or is fabulous too. And you could substitute canned Oregon Albacore for the crab or bay shrimp or omit entirely or add chopped hardboiled egg or no additional protein at all. Adapt to your tastes/what you have on hand. ... Read more »

I invented this salad one evening for a dinner party with a theme of chimichurri--the hosts were grilling lots of meats and guests were asked to bring chimichurri (the herby vinegary Argentinian sauce) and/or a side dish. It turned out to be one of those fortuitous creations that bears making over and over again. It holds up really well (up to two days later it's still good) so it's great for summer potlucks and picnics.   I have used various white beans, from large ones called Mortgage Runner beans that is not commonly available to Purgatorio, Cannellini, or Tarbais/Tarbesque, etc. Change the ratio of beans to peas to shrimp however you'd like. And skip the shrimp if you'd like. It's fantastic without! [caption id="attachment_8152" align="alignleft" width="640"] Without shrimp.[/caption]... Read more »