Name: Buttery Sugar Snap Peas
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound sugar snap peas; 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot; ¾ teaspoon white wine vinegar; ¼ teaspoon table salt; Pinch sugar; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 2 pieces and chilled

Why This Recipe Works

It's easy being green (vegetables) with this simple snap pea side! To coat each and every pea with our buttery sauce, we add cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, to a mixture of sautéed shallot, white wine vinegar, salt, sugar, and a splash of water. Then, we toss in the cooked snap peas until they're blanketed in buttery goodness. This recipe creates a real-world opportunity to teach your young chef about emulsions. An emulsion is a combination of two liquids that don't usually mix, such as oil and water or, in this recipe, butter and water. Slowly whisking in the cold butter allows its fat to break down into tiny droplets that can spread evenly throughout the sauce, making it thick and creamy. (Read more about the science of emulsions in “Fun Fact: Don’t Cry, Emulsify!,” below.) See if kids can think of any other edible emulsions, smooth mixtures of fat (such as oil) and water-based ingredients, like lemon juice or vinegar. One popular emulsion in almost every refrigerator or pantry? Vinaigrette salad dressing! (If your vinaigrette is separated into layers, have kids shake it up and see what happens.)

Before You Begin

If your sugar snap peas are labeled “stringless,” you can skip step 1.

Instructions

Working with 1 snap pea at a time, snap off tip and grasp string (see photo, “Step-by-Step: How to Prep Snap Peas,” below). Pull string along flat side of snap pea to remove it.

In large saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Place snap peas in steamer basket. Use oven mitts to carefully lower basket into saucepan (ask an adult for help).

Cover saucepan with lid. Cook snap peas for 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Use oven mitts to remove lid and lift steamer basket out of saucepan (ask an adult for help). Place steamer basket on large plate.

Slide saucepan to cool burner and let cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Hold saucepan handle with oven mitts and carefully pour water from saucepan into liquid measuring cup (ask an adult for help).

Measure out 2 tablespoons water from liquid measuring cup and transfer back to large saucepan.

Add shallot, vinegar, salt, and sugar to saucepan. Whisk until sugar and salt are dissolved. Cook over medium heat until mixture is bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add 1 piece butter to saucepan. Whisk constantly until butter is melted and incorporated, about 45 seconds. Repeat with second piece butter, whisking until sauce is thick and smooth, about 1 minute.

Carefully add snap peas back to saucepan and use wooden spoon to stir until coated with sauce. Cook until snap peas are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Serve.