Snow Peas


Oh, you lucky people who have cool Spring weather that lasts several weeks! One of my favorite garden vegetables is the Snow Pea. Unfortunately, living in the southern Midwest as I do, our cool-weather growing season is so short that some years it is non-existent. However, each year, I hope against hope, and plant a little patch of Snow Peas. If I manage to find a shady spot in which to plant them, I may actually harvested enough to freeze a few. When I do get to freeze them, this is the best method I have found:

Directions for Freezing Snow Peas

Blanch your Snow Peas in boiling water for 2 minutes. Immediately submerge them in ice water for 2 or 3 minutes following the blanching. Drain and pat dry. Lay them out, not touching, on a cookie sheet, and place them in the freezer for 24 hours. Quickly pack them in freezer bags, label, and return to the freezer. (I usually just do this standing over the open chest freezer, so they never really have a chance to thaw at all.)

If you freeze them this way, it is easy to grab a handful at a time to add to stir-fry recipes and soups.

Here are some recipes for using those Peas:

http://www.neosoft.com/recipes/crockpot/... A yummy recipe for making an oriental beef and snow pea dish.

http://207.90.64.2/Recipes/349.html Simply thaw those Snow Peas and toss in this marinade for a delicious salad.

http://www.mcleodhealth.org/recipes/r_e_... Snow Peas with Scallops

http://.soar.berkeley.edu/recipes/rice/s... Ginger Rice with Snow Peas

If you haven't planted yet, don't forget a few rows of snow peas. If you live where I do, then you're already harvesting, so "enjoy"!

Here's an article on growing those Peas, by the way:

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/vege...

If you are always looking for new how-to's about canning, freezing, and dehydrating, and want to try new recipes, check out Home Food Preservers Magazine at http://members.aol.com/preservers/index.... Be sure to check this site for information on our newest publication, The Preserving Cook, a newsletter dedicated to cooking with what you've put up. It will be filled with oodles and oodles of good recipes for using all those goodies that you've canned, frozen and dehydrated.

The copyright of the article Snow Peas in Food Preservation is owned by Pier Jones. Permission to republish Snow Peas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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