Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Mint Oil

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite summer dishes. Sugar snap peas are a cross between snow and English peas and they are one of the easiest of vegetables to prepare. They are crisp and sweet and, unlike the English pea, even the pod is edible. It is, however, advisable to remove the strings from both sides of the peas before cooking. This is done by removing the tip of the pea, pinching the string between your fingers and pulling downward towards the opposite end. I love to make this version of snap peas when I grill lamb chops. The mint oil that is made to dress the peas can also be used as a marinade for lamb chops, assuring that nothing goes to waste. This is a five ingredient recipe that is sophisticated in its simplicity. The peas can be served hot or cold. I usually make them ahead of time and serve them at room temperature. It is one less thing to worry about when trying to get dinner on the table. I must warn you that these are addicting. I have to slap my own hand when I make them. If you are looking for new ways to prepare old standby vegetables, I know you'll love this recipe. You simply can't beat fast, easy and delicious. Here's the recipe.

Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Mint Oil...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Grace Parisi

Ingredients:
2/3 cup fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup canola oil
Salt and ground pepper
1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
Optional: Lemon wedges and sea salt for serving

Directions:
1) Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add mint and blanch just until it is limp and turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove mint from pan with a slotted spoon. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking and set color. Drain mint, squeezing out excess liquid. Place mint in blender jar and pulse until finely chopped. With blender running, slowly add oil and blend until mint is pureed. Transfer to a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2) Add salt to water in which mint cooked. Bring to a boil. Blanch peas until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Plunge peas into a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons mint oil. Arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt if using. Garnish with lemon wedges. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame - One Perfect Bite
Asian Sugar Snap Peas - For the Love of Cooking
Flavorful Sugar Snap Peas - The Baking Beauties
Snap Peas and Feta Salad Dressing - Twin Tables
Honey Butter Snap Peas - Rachael Ray Show

Fresh Mint Ice Cream - Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite - Mint has been banished from our slopes and is now under house arrest. We had a bumper crop last year that all but strangled anything it its way. Between spearmint and peppermint our hillside had enough of the herb to supply every green grocer in the county. Now potted in containers, it's hard to remember the havoc caused by the unrestrained exuberance. This beautiful shrub-sized plant is the source of the peppermint used to make the mint ice cream that is my contribution to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. The ice cream recipe comes from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop. I found the recipe at Serious Eats. This is a lovely ice cream. You're gonna love the way it tastes.




Fresh Mint Ice Cream...From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
5 large egg yolks

Directions:
1) Warm milk, sugar, 1 cup cream and salt in a small saucepan. Add mint leaves and stir until they're immersed in liquid. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
2) Strain mint-infused mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan (milk will be a lovely shade of emerald). Mine was a pale green, not emerald. Press mint leaves to extract as much flavor as possible, then discard them. Pour remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer on top.
3) Rewarm mint-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Slowly pour warm mint liquid into egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape warmed egg yolks back into saucepan.
4) Stir mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coats spatula. Pour custard through strainer and stir it into cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
5) Chill mixture thoroughly in refrigerator. Then freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Turn into a storage container and freeze until ready to use. Yield: 1 Quart.