Summer in the Kitchen: Lemon-Chive Biscuits & Pickled Snow Peas

Photo by Sue Frause

While on a recent five-day, no-car road trip that took me from Seattle-Vancouver on Amtrak Cascades; Vancouver-Victoria via Prince of Whales; Victoria-Port Angeles aboard Black Ball Ferry Line's MV Coho; and Port Angeles-Seattle on Kenmore Air, Farmer Bob was busy in both the garden and the kitchen. 

On Sunday morning, Bob made me a welcome home breakfast that included these yummy biscuits pictured above. I found the recipe for Lemon-Chive Biscuits at CHOW.com, and not only were they easy to make (they're drop biscuits, not the roll-out kind), they were nice 'n zesty. Served with poached eggs, ham and fresh strawberry-lemon smoothies. So nice to be home!

Photo by Sue Frause

These pickled snow peas were a real surprise, as Bob had never made them before. But with all the snow peas in his garden, he had to put them to good use. I have yet to taste one, but they sure are pretty!

Pickled Snow Peas

(Makes one quart)

Ingredients

• 1 pound snow peas
• 3/4 tsp coriander seed
• 3/4 tsp brown mustard seed
• 3/4 tsp cumin or caraway seed
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 dried chile de arbol or other dried red pepper, torn into several pieces
• 1-3/4 cups unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 Tbsps sugar (more if you prefer a moderately-sour pickle)
• 2 tsps kosher salt
• Scant 1/4 tsp tumeric

Instructions

1. Wash and drain snow peas. Snap off ends of each, peeling and discarding stringy fibers. Set aside. 
2. In a small saucepan, toast coriander, mustard, cumin, fennel, peppercorns and chile over medium-low heat until very fragrant; a tiny bit of smoke is okay. Put into a 4-6 cup jar. Add snow peas.
3. Return saucepan to the stove. Add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and tumeric. Bring to a rolling boil. Turn off heat, wait for bubbling to subside, then pour over snow peas. Use a spoon, spatula or ladle to gently push snow peas down so they are submerged in the brine. They should eventually be covered. 
4. Let cool completely, partially covered at room temperature. Cap and refrigerate overnight before eating (or can according to instructions below).

From Viet World Kitchen, adapted from The Preservation Kitchen, by Paul Virant and Kate Leahy (Ten Speed Press - 2012)

Canning Pickled Snow Peas

Bob decided to can the snow peas, using a recipe from Urban Farm Hub (urban agriculture news for the Pacific Northwest):

1. Sterilize jars while preparing rest of ingredients.
2. Pack pea pods in jars leaving 1/2" headroom. Ladle brine into jars. 
3. Process in boiling water bath for five minutes.