Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Side Dish
American
4 - 6 servings
10 minutes
5 minutes
Snap Peas with Mint and Chervil is a fine example of dishes created by Chef Traunfeld, a James Beard award winning chef known for featuring fresh herbs in his repertoire. The key is to use as fresh as possible and do not overcook.
4 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound Sugar Snap Pea (See Chef notes)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
6 mint leaves tied together with kitchen twine (4 inches long)
1/2 cup chervil, coarsely snipped (see Chef notes)
Bring the water with the salt to a boil in a large pot. Snap the stems off the peas, pulling down to remove any strings.
Put the butter in a serving bowl and set it in a warm spot like a warm oven. When the water is at a rolling boil, drop in the peas and the mint bundle.
Boil until the peas are crisp-tender, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Drain the peas in a colander and let them sit for a minute to evaporate excess moisture. Discard the mint.
Toss the peas with the butter in the serving bowl and sprinkle with the chervil. Serve right away.
Sugar Snap Peas are completely edible. The fat little 1 1/2 inch pods and shells keep their sweet flavor for days after harvesting. Simply store uncooked peas refrigerated in a paper bag up to one week. There should be no signs of wrinkles; they should snap!
Chervil looks very similar to parsley, but much more delicate in appearance and flavor. Store unwashed chervil loosely wrapped in paper towel and placed in a plastic bag with air. Use within two days of purchase. When ready to use, wash, spin dry.
