All cooks have a signature style. More often than not, mine is heavily dependent on the food processor, and involves creating slathers, spreads and dips. All cooks who are bloggers have a signature style, too. Our photos begin to look the same, the reader recognizes dishware, a preferred backdrop and lighting tendencies, but more importantly, the food begins to look like other previously created dishes. We all fall back on cooking practices that lie within our repertoire.
This fresh snap pea chutney, however, will fool you. I know it looks like other spreads and slathers I have created, but this one is surprising. You’ll be even more astonished when you find how it was served this evening.
Before I get to that, let me give you a little background. On the Fourth of July, my most favorite auntie brought for appetizers, a huge bowl of garden fresh snap peas – move over edamame! We sat around the kitchen table shelling the crisp little bundles and munching on fresh peas. Well, that got me to thinking about the snap peas that came in my CSA box. Last week we ate our snap peas with the pod on a chop salad, but this week I decided to shell them and turn them into a sort of chutney.
I also got a new cast iron wok to play with, so wanted to mix up a little Asian dinner. How could snap pea chutney and a stir-fry be paired? With peanuts and mint, what else! Bring on that fresh Southeast Asia blend to lighten a hot and spicy crispy fried green bean and ginger-fried cabbage. Do they do this in China? Do they serve a light condiment like they do in India to help relieve the heat, layer flavors and surprise the palate? Well, today it happened in my kitchen and it was fantastic.
Snap Pea Chutney
- 1 cup fresh snap peas, shelled
- 1 handful mint and cilantro
- 1 garlic scape cut into 1-inch chunks
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts
- 1 Tbs. peanut oil
- 1/2 lime, juiced
Directions:
Steam the peas over boiling water for three minutes until bright green and tender. Place all ingredients into food processor and pulse until blended. I opted to leave this one a little chunky, and the texture was a nice contribution to the meal.
Vegetarian Perspective 