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Epicurious

Sautéed Snap Peas and Baby Turnips

This recipe uses a combination of steaming to soften the texture and brighten the color (especially helpful when cooking green vegetables), and sautéing in butter to increase flavor. The method is similar to blanching then sautéing, only in the same pan. This steam-sauté method can also be used to cook green beans, snow peas, green peas, asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. In the recipe below, sautéed snap peas are combined with shaved raw baby turnips, which are slightly bitter and contrast nicely with the sweetness of the peas. Radishes would offer the same balance of taste and crunchy texture.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or herbed Compound Butter (page 166)
3 tablespoons water
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 baby turnips, scrubbed well, shaved paper thin on a mandoline
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
1 scallion, dark-green part only, thinly sliced crosswise on the diagonal

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim peas Snap off tip of one end of a pea pod and pull string along the spine to remove, then repeat, working from other end. Repeat with all peas.

    Step 2

    Steam-sauté Melt butter in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add peas and toss to coat, then stir in water. Once water is at a boil, cover and cook until crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking until any remaining liquid has evaporated (there shouldn’t be much, if any). Season with salt and pepper, then cook for 30 seconds, just to allow the seasonings to infuse.

    Step 3

    Add turnips Stir together turnips and vinegar, then add to pan and immediately remove from heat and toss to combine.

    Step 4

    Serve Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with scallions. Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook by Martha Stewart. Copyright © 2008 by Martha Stewart. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-winning, daily national syndicated program, and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which publishes several magazines, including Martha Stewart Living; produces Martha Stewart Living Radio, channel 112 on SIRIUS Satellite Radio; and provides a wealth of ideas and information on www.marthastewart.com.
TagsSugar Snap PeaPeaBean and LegumeVegetableTurnipRoot VegetableSideDinnerNut FreeGluten FreeVegetarianEasyQuick30 Minutes or LessCookbooks
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