Sautéed Snow Peas Recipe

Prep snow peas

Trim the stem ends and remove any string from each snow pea. Rinse under cold water and drain.

Prep pearl onions

To peel pearl onions quickly: score a small shallow X on the root end, blanch in boiling water for 60 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. Slip off the skins and pat dry.

Make the flavored butter

In a small bowl, mash together the unsalted butter, prepared horseradish, chopped tarragon, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until smooth and homogeneous. Taste and adjust salt or horseradish (add up to another 1/2 tsp) if desired. Keep at room temperature until needed so it is soft and spreadable.

Blanch snow peas

Bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Add the prepared snow peas and blanch for 45–60 seconds until bright green and just tender-crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer immediately to the ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with a towel.

Sauté pearl onions

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the peeled pearl onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until they develop light golden color and are tender, about 6–8 minutes. If they brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low and add a splash (1–2 tsp) of water to help them soften.

Combine and finish

Push the pearl onions to one side of the pan. Add the drained snow peas to the empty side and turn the heat up to medium-high for 30 seconds to reheat and evaporate excess moisture. Add the tarragon horseradish butter to the pan and gently toss the snow peas and pearl onions together until butter is melted and everything is evenly coated, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and adjust seasoning with a little more salt and pepper to taste.

Serve

Transfer to a warm serving dish and, if desired, garnish with a few extra chopped tarragon leaves. Serve immediately so the butter is glossy and the snow peas remain crisp-tender.