Heirloom Tomato Salad With Fresh Lady Peas

Lady peas are smaller, sweeter, and more tender than most peas. If you can't find them, look for fresh black-eyed, purple-hull, pink eye, or crowder peas. In a pinch, substitute cooked dried peas, and proceed with step 2. Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1  cup  fresh lady peas or other fresh shell peas
• 1/4  cup  cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1  shallot, minced
• 1  teaspoon  sugar
• 1/4  cup  olive oil
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1  jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
• 2  pounds  assorted heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 4  fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1/2  cup  crumbled soft goat cheese

Preparation

1. Cook peas in a large pot of boiling salted water 8 to 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain, rinse until cooled completely, and drain again.

2. Combine vinegar and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Add olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly. Add sea salt and pepper; stir in jalapeño. Drizzle half of vinaigrette over peas, and toss to coat.

3. Arrange tomato slices on a platter or individual plates. Spoon peas over tomato, and serve with remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with basil, goat cheese, and additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Sara Foster, Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes from Foster's Market, MyRecipes, JULY 2007