Pea sprouts, from seed to salad
Fresh peas are back in season, but the peas from our local store were terrible: astringent, mealy, and very expensive! I knew they wouldn't taste much better cooked and, not wanting to waste them, it was an easy decision to try my hand at sprouting.
I kept the fresh peas in a jar and rinsed them a couple of times a day until they sprouted (about 3-4 days later). When most had small roots, I sprinkled the peas into pots with some clean soil and covered the
m with more soil—about 3/4". Some peas turned to mush in the sprouting process, but most were growing fast and in a very short time were beautiful, lush, and green. I want to always have sprouts in my house now! They are beautiful as well as delicious.
On fair days my peas sprouts sit in the sun; most days they are under flourescent lights in a spare room.
Pea sprouts will be one of our treats for Thanksgiving dinner next week. The culinary possibilities are many!
• combine with marinated mushrooms a
nd chives
• make a colorful salad with crisp vegetables, edible flowers, and black sesame seeds
• roll into spring rolls with other vegetables and shrimp
