I love gardening during the spring and summer, but like most Chicagoans and other city dwellers, I don't have a backyard. So I turn to my sunniest windows for herbs, tomatoes and other edible plants.
This year was my first time growing peas for the sole purpose of eating the shoots, tendrils or seedlings. I'm a huge fan of pea shoots, often used in Asian cuisine or as a fresh garnish for any meal. They have an incredible fresh flavor and delicious crunch. Similar in flavor to a snap pea, it's a lovely addition to any salad greens as well.
I purchased seeds that were marketed as pea shoots, but any kind of pea seed will work, it just depends on when you harvest them. Sow your seeds in a shallow planter, I used the saucer that's meant to go underneath a planter.
I'd imagine that any nutrient rich soil would work, but I used seed starter to give me pea shoots a fighting chance. Keep your soil moist, but not soaked. Leave some room between each seed you sow.
Within a few days, you'll notice your little seedlings are already starting to grow! Once they push up through the dirt, everything starts moving very fast. The whole process from start to finish for me took about a week! To harvest, cut above the second set of leaves. You can continue to harvest until your shoots start to taste tough, then it's time to start all over again.
If you want to learn more about seasonal ingredients and how to take your homegrown or farmers' market produce to the next level, don't miss Chef Maria Clementi's Farmers' Spring Table on Wednesday, May 31 at The Chopping Block at the Merchandise Mart. This special chef dinner will spotlight the delicacies of the spring harvest in this amazing menu:
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Sweet Potato-Stuffed Griddle Bread, Crushed Carrots with Harissa and Pistachios, Beet Caviar with Smoked Almonds, Sweet Fried Castelvetrano Olives and Pickled Spring Vegetables
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Seasonal Vegetable Vodka Tempura with Cardamom-Lime Dipping Sauce and Spring Microgreens
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Seared Wild Mushroom Herb Socca (Chickpea Flatbread) with Sweet Cashew Sour Crème, Orange and Edible Flowers
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Char-Broiled Spring Asparagus with Poached Egg, Candied Lemon and Jalapeño Citrus Jelly
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Caramelized Fennel Cappelletti (Stuffed Pasta) with Honey Grilled Figs and Farmers Cheese Ricotta
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Fiddlehead Fern and Mushroom Ragout with Wild Ramps and Purple Rice Arugula Fritters
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Lemon Almond Olive Oil Cake with Blackberry-Pepper Sorbet.
