Sugar snaps, the darling of pea lovers, are a cross of the snow pea and English pea and are much sweeter than either of their forebears. At the Minneapolis and St. Paul farmers markets, you can find them sold on their vines; both are a real taste of spring. Use pea vines as you might any other delicate green - in salads, a light stir fry or sauté.
Both peas and their vines, lightly cooked, are especially good with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of chopped mint. Here they're tossed with pasta and topped with sharp salty cheese. Any day we should be seeing our local peas at farmers markets. Once they're in, enjoy them quickly, because they don't wait.
What's your signature dish? Please send your recipes, along with stories, to Beth Dooley at bdirish@earthlink.net or by mail to Star Tribune, Taste/ One Great Dish, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488. All letters, stories and recipe submissions become the property of Beth Dooley.
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