When I posted about these peas to Instagram, a friend who cooks for a living immediately asked me how I knew to cook them this way. But here’s the thing: I didn’t know. This recipe is a result of me stumbling around, trying to figure out what to do with a mountain of snap peas (okay, it was 2 pounds, which still feels like a mountain for a home cook) that I wanted to use as a side dish, and not as an element in a salad. My first thought was a quick stir-fry. My second thought was to grab a lemon, because lemon is good with peas. My third was to blister them, because blistering always makes vegetables more interesting. My fourth and final thought, before pulling out my wok (my skillet didn’t have the surface area I needed), was to throw the lemon in there with them. I hoped the oils in the lemon zest would perfume the peas while the segments softened and sweetened.

And that’s exactly what happened. The peas blistered, popped, and became more tender, but didn’t lose their crunch. The lemons deepened in flavor. The salt brightened everything. We ate them with some baked chicken and smashed garlic potatoes and they were just the perfect thing: simple, quick, fresh, salty, and a little acidic. My picky son even ate some. I hope you love them as much as we did.

Do more with your snap peas:
Spring Market Salad with Radishes and Peas
Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Sesame and Ginger
Sesame Noodles with Sugar Snap Peas and Chile Oil
Farro Salad with Peas, Asparagus, and Feta
Ricotta with Roasted Asparagus and Peas

Blistered Peas in the Pod with Lemon and Salt

Yields 4 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

2 pounds sugar snap peas, rinsed, any tough strings removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, ends trimmed, cut into thin (1/8-inch) wedges
1 teaspoon coarse or flaky sea salt, plus more to taste

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over high heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan, then immediately add the peas and lemon wedges in a single layer. Let them cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes, until the peas on the bottom begin to blister and blacken slightly. Stir well, scraping up any stuck bits. Let them cook again, undisturbed, for another 2 to 3 minutes, then stir again. Repeat this one more time, until most of the peas are blistered and the lemons are a little soft and browned. The peas should still have a nice crunch. Remove from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon salt, and taste, adding more if needed. Serve immediately.