Have you ever had a bad vegetable week? I almost did. But, thanks to Yummly.com, all is well.
You probably know about the recipe website Epicurious.com. It’s fantastic. Owned by publisher Conde Nast, it features recipes from both Bon Appetit and the now, sadly, lost Gourmet. Now in marriage, monogamy is the standard. For recipe websites, you are allowed to date. And Yummly.com is a site I heartily suggest. You’ll search on Yummly and often get directed to another website with the actual recipe, like Allrecipes.com.
This Yummly search engine provides thousands upon thousands of recipes and is fast. I needed speed.
My problem began last Friday. When Suzen has an event at Cooking by the Book, after the guests are served, the staff hangs in the kitchen for the staff meal. On Friday, I sampled the mashed potatoes, the gravy, the chicken.
“You forgot the green beans,” one of Suzen’s Culinary Advisors, Charmaine, said to me. Charmaine smiled when she said it, but she knew she has Suzen’s authority to monitor my plate. They all monitor my plate and how much dessert I try to sneak off with.
“Uh, not enough room on my plate,” I said as I fled to my office beyond the kitchen. I caught Suzen’s eye as I passed. Yeah, there was plenty of room on the plate. I just did not want more green vegetables.
So on Saturday, in the store Suzen held up a bag of sugar snap peas. “Will you eat these?” she asked with a hint of exasperation.
I really, really wanted to say no. It’s green. It’s a vegetable. Hasn’t my wife ever seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers? That’s how it all begins, you know. Some pod-like thing look innocent, maybe even tasty, and then the whole world is consumed. I’m not trying to dodge vegetables here. I’m just trying to save the planet.
After the green bean incident, I knew the ice was thin. “Can we compromise?” I asked.
“How?”
“I’ll find a recipe. Something a little exotic. Tasty.”
“Healthy.”
“Maybe. Well, hell, it’s going to be based on sugar snaps. How bad could it be?”
This recipe is not bad at all, not at all. I actually love it and there is peace and harmony in my life. And so far, no pod monsters have devoured my soul.
Bacon and Balsamic Glazed Sugar Snap Peas
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- ¼ pound bacon, minced
- 1 ½ cups fresh sugar snap peas
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Turbinado sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cook the minced bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon has begun to crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the skillet.
Add the sugar snap peas, and toss the coat with the fat. Cook and stir until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and cooked bacon. Continue cooking until the balsamic has reduced and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Source: yummly.com