Easy Peasy

Pea shoots from the Portugal Cove Organic Farm stall at the St. John’s Farmer’s Market made it back home with us, besides a chili plant and a vibrant green tray of lettuce sprouts. The chili plant is up on the kitchen windowsill sunbathing, bearing the promise of two purple round chilies. The lettuce has been paired with a Tumbler tomato in a terracotta planter. The back patio is the hangout for potted plants, mostly herbs and finicky flower-bearing plants.  Despite the recent cold nasty foggy weather, I believe I’ll be able to finagle a salad out of all that. We are practically babysitting our potted plants; at times I wonder who gets more attention, Saira or the potted basil.

Now, the pea shoots are a totally different story. They came in a little growing container, so while they grow they can be snipped off as-needed.  In the first 24 hours they came home, they grew at least an inch without any babysitting or cajoling. All it needs is a bit of water and bit of light – and it almost makes me want to be a pea-shoot farmer!

While the rest of the pea shoots grow gleefully on my kitchen windowsill, I made a pea shoot salad of lunch. Who knows, I may be busy farming pea shoots next summer and not have the luxury of a sunny lunch on the patio. You never know. For now though I think I hear the basil crying to come inside out of the cold.

PEA SHOOT LUNCH SALAD with more peas, pancetta  and fried egg.

YOU NEED: (Makes 1 serving)

• Pea shoot: A handful
• Baby sweet pea: blanched about 6-8
• Green peas: blanched about 1 table spoon
• Pancetta: diced and fried about 1 table spoon
• Egg: 1 pan friend sunny side up
• Shallots: half of 1 small, sliced and slightly tossed in a hot pan
• Lime juice: 2 tea spoons
• Reduced balsamic vinegar for drizzle

HERE’S HOW:

• Assemble the pea shoot on your plate.  Toss the peas, shallots and pancetta in the lime juice and arrange on top of the pea shoots.
• Top off the salad with a hot fried egg and drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar.

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