marinated green tomato, pepper and pea salad
Peas and peppers are classic fall veggies in the South. Most people don’t think of peppers as a fall vegetable, but they are abundant in my garden and in my CSA, community-supported agriculture box. Sweet pepper varieties include Anaheim, poblano, sweet habanero and banana; while the hotter varieties include jalapeno, Fresno and Padron. In this recipe you can use the sweet or the hot peppers depending on your tolerance for heat and flavor preference. I’ve included sweet habaneros and an Anaheim, but these Anaheims proved to be a bit spicier than expected, so there was a little bit of heat with this.
As I am typing this intro, I am realizing that the reference to ‘peas’ in this salad, may lead folks to picture little green peas. Those are not the ones to which I am referring, although you could certainly use those. We love brown peas and beans, aka legumes in the South. These are field peas, which is a broad category of peas that are sometimes referred to by other names such as Crowder peas. Black-eyed peas fit this bill also. Honestly, you can use any type of pea or bean in this recipe. They serve as kind of a backdrop for the marinated vegetables and somewhat of a substitute for salad greens. (PS. Lettuces are fall crops in the South too.) So if you really aren’t a pea-eater, just top a bed of salad greens with the marinated veggies.
Ingredients:
4 small green tomatoes, chopped
1 Anaheim, Fresno or Padron pepper, seeded, membranes removed, diced
4 sweet habanero peppers, diced
4 green onions, including tops, sliced
1/2 Tbs Persian-lime flavored olive oil or 1/2 Tbs plain olive oil + juice and zest of 1 lime
1/2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. cooked field peas
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except peas. Refrigerate 2 hours to overnight.
Arrange cooked peas in a ring on a salad plate. Spoon marinated veggies into the middle of the ring of peas.
If desired, add a pinch more salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.