Community Corner

Taste of the Season: Peas and Beans

Westhampton Beach Coobook author Margaret Johnson shares her recipe for Mixed Bean Salad with Bacon and Almonds.

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Editor's Note: Margaret M. Johnson, of Westhampton Beach, is the author of seven cookbooks, most recently,”Flavors of Ireland.”

Local farm stands are now brimming with all types of beans and peas. Sugar snap peas, also known as sugar peas or sugar snaps, are the sweet, crunchy cross between English butter peas and snow peas. They are best eaten, pod and all, in a salad, or cooked very briefly to retain color, crispness, and flavor. They’re delicious hot combined with green beans, broad beans, butter beans, or baby lima beans, but you can also serve them cold topped with bacon and almonds for a lovely summer salad. Toss with vinaigrette dressing (recipe follows) or a splash of oil and vinegar. Keep in mind that sugar peas have strings on both seams that should be removed before eating. Just snap off a bit of the stem and pull gently down both sides.

Mixed Bean Salad with Bacon and Almonds

Serves 4-6  

Salad

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  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 lb. fresh sugar snap peas, strings removed
  • 1 lb. fresh green beans
  • 1 (10 oz.) package frozen butter beans
  • 1 (10 oz.) package frozen lima beans
  • 1 oz. slivered almonds
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Vinaigrette 

  • 3 tbsp. roasted walnut oil 
  • 1 tbsp. canola oil 
  • 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar 
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. To make the salad, in a small skillet over medium heat, or in a microwave over, cook the bacon until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove to drain on absorbent paper.

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2. In a large saucepan over high heat, drop the snap peas and green beans into boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Set aside. Refill saucepan with water, bring to a boil, and cook butter beans and lima beans, until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.

3. To make the vinaigrette, combine the oils, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a sealable jar, cover, and shake until blended.

4. To serve, combine snap peas and beans in a serving bowl, season with salt and pepper, and toss with the dressing. Crumble the bacon on top and sprinkle with the almonds.


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