# Salad question



## sundowner (Feb 13, 2008)

What kind of peas are usually used on a salad bar? I have tried to use can peas in the past, but they end up being too mushy.
Thanks for your help!


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 13, 2008)

Oh yea no, yick. I have never been one to like peas to begin with, but if I am going to eat them in something, I go with fresh June peas. But anything fresh or fresh frozen is way better than the can.


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## Katie H (Feb 13, 2008)

The only "peas" I've seen at a salad bar are chickpeas  AKA garbanzo beans.  I love them mixed in my salad.

Just take a can of these beans, drain well, chill and add to your  salad.

Never heard of any other kind of peas used in a salad, except for drained baby peas in tuna  salad.


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 13, 2008)

Tuna salad, macaroni salad, and on the salad bar as a 'topping' for a make it yourself salad. I have also seen it in a couple of other salads but I don't know their names.


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## babetoo (Feb 13, 2008)

Katie E said:


> The only "peas" I've seen at a salad bar are chickpeas AKA garbanzo beans. I love them mixed in my salad.
> 
> Just take a can of these beans, drain well, chill and add to your salad.
> 
> Never heard of any other kind of peas used in a salad, except for drained baby peas in tuna salad.


 
i put the soy peas(at least i think that is what they are called) in stews, soup and salads. they are very sturdy and do not get mushy. i know there is a fancy name for them but can't remember it

babe


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## sattie (Feb 13, 2008)

edamame babetoo?  I was thinking snow peas... but those would need to be blanched.  Definately seen chickpeas or even dark red kidney beans that have been drained and chilled.


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## Katie H (Feb 13, 2008)

sattie said:


> edamame babetoo?  I was thinking snow peas... but those would need to be blanched.  Definately seen chickpeas or even dark red kidney beans that have been drained and chilled.



Yes, sattie, I've also seen red kidney beans on salad bars, but I was trying to stay with the "peas" question of the OP.  I'd also forgotten about edamame.  Thanks for reminding me.


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## sattie (Feb 13, 2008)

LOL Katie.... are not peas, beans and beans, peas?  I thought about that as I was posting about the kidneys, but not sure where to draw the line between what is a bean, and what is a pea???  LOL!  Something new to learn!


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## jabbur (Feb 14, 2008)

If I want to have fresh peas like at the salad bar, I take some frozen ones, microwave them per directions on the bag then chill them in the fridge.  Or if you are adding hot meats like grilled chicken, tuna or beef, just add them warm.  The canned peas have been cooked too long to hold up for a salad.


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## Jeff G. (Feb 14, 2008)

sundowner said:


> What kind of peas are usually used on a salad bar? I have tried to use can peas in the past, but they end up being too mushy.
> Thanks for your help!



Frozen or fresh NOT canned...


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## kitchenelf (Feb 14, 2008)

Jeff G. said:


> Frozen or fresh NOT canned...



ditto

Canned peas are sweet peas - frozen peas are English peas and what is found on salad bars if peas are served.  It's one of my fav ingredients.


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## DramaQueen (Feb 14, 2008)

*I swear to you that canned peas are not real food.  They don't resemble fresh or frozen peas in any way.  The horrible, mushy mouthfeel and the olive drab color (maybe this is what they use to dye Army uniforms) makes me cringe.  And they don't even come close to the taste of fresh or frozen peas.  AAAACCCKKKKK!  Go with frozen, your best bet.  And they don't need to be heated.  *


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## GotGarlic (Feb 14, 2008)

sattie said:


> LOL Katie.... are not peas, beans and beans, peas?  I thought about that as I was posting about the kidneys, but not sure where to draw the line between what is a bean, and what is a pea???  LOL!  Something new to learn!



According to Pea and Bean Tribe :

The major difference between peas and beans is that peas have a hollow stem and beans have a solid stem.


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## sattie (Feb 14, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> According to Pea and Bean Tribe :
> 
> The major difference between peas and beans is that peas have a hollow stem and beans have a solid stem.


 

Ahhhhh!!!  Ok, I understand now!  Thanks GG!


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## miniman (Feb 14, 2008)

jabbur said:


> If I want to have fresh peas like at the salad bar, I take some frozen ones, microwave them per directions on the bag then chill them in the fridge. Or if you are adding hot meats like grilled chicken, tuna or beef, just add them warm. The canned peas have been cooked too long to hold up for a salad.


 
Personnally, I would just let the frozen peas defrost and use them straight like that. If you want to serve them warm , blanch and serve, I don't believe that they need any more.


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## BreezyCooking (Feb 14, 2008)

Sweet Peas (unless you're talking about the flower) & English Peas are one & the same thing - Green Peas. It's nothing more than semantics - lol!!

The ones you find at salad bars are just plain frozen green peas that have been blanched in boiling water for a minute or two, refreshed in ice water to stop the cooking (since they've already been blanched/cooked before they were initially frozen), drained well, & then put out for use.

I use them this way frequently in all sorts of salads.

Canned green peas, regardless of brand (Le Seure, etc.) aren't even worth the can their in as far as quality & taste. It's old cafeteria food at its worst.


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## kitchenelf (Feb 14, 2008)

Blame it on my mother - LOL!


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## darlenemt08 (Feb 14, 2008)

Same here...fresh or frozen.  We thaw frozen peas and slightly cook them for a 7-layer lettuce salad.

Darlene


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## archiduc (Feb 14, 2008)

Hi Sundowner,
It depends what you are trying to make. If you have a recipe in mind it would help to have a little more information.
However, putting that aside, trying using frozen petit pois. Thaw them , drain thoroughly and use. To check this out, take a tablespoon of frozen peas, allow to thaw and taste. You should find that there is no need to do anything else to them.

Beans like kidney beans, haricot beans, borlotti beans, butter beans etc., must soaked and cooked until just tender, drained, cooled as quickly as possible by running under cold water and then used in a salad.

Mange Tout could be used raw if really fresh or blanched in boiling water for a couple of minutes, drained, plunged into iced water to stop cooking, drained again and then used in a salad.

Green beans like haricot verts or runner beans (I`m based in the UK) should be trimmed and cut/sliced if necessary, put into boiling, slightly salted water and cooked until just al dente. Again, drain, place in iced water, drain thoroughly and use in a salad.

Chick peas must be soaked and cooked, cooled quickly OR use canned chick peas. Chick peas, peeled and quartered or diced tomatoes, haricot verts and garlic in a vinaigrette make a nice, easy colourful salad. the vinaigrette need to be made with olive oil and you could add some shredded basil. If you were doing this commercially however, I would advise adding some torn basil to the top of the salad- if it is stirred in it will not look as good - keep some basil under the counter to add/top up as customers are served. The addition, at intervals as customers take from the dish will help to keep it looking fresh.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc


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## archiduc (Feb 14, 2008)

Hi Sundowner,
Peas can be absolutely fantastic in a salad. A lot depends upon what recipe you have in mind so a little more information would be useful. In the meantimes, here are a few thoughts.

In a commercial situation and for consistency, I would use frozen PETIT POIS. They have good colour, uniform size and are deliously sweet. All you need to do to them is thaw them, drain and use. To test this out, take a tablespoon of frozen peas, allow to thaw and taste. As you will see you don`t need to do anything to them other than to keep them refrigerated after thawing.

DRIED Beans like kidney beans, haricot beans, borlotti beans and butter beans should be soaked and cooked until tender, drained and cooled quickly by running under cold water. A mixture of beans like this can be used to make a mixed bean salad which is colourful and tasty.

FRESH green beans like Haricot Verts or runner beans should be trimmed, cut or sliced into 1 1/2 -2 inch lengths and cooked in boiling, slightly salted water until just "al dente". The should be drained immediately and plunged into iced water to stop any further cooking which would soften them. then use them in the sald recipe of your choice.

CHICK PEAS should be soaked and then cooked in the same manner as kidney beans or use canned, drained chick peas.  A very nice salad using chick peas is to mix cooked/canned chick peas with tomatoes (peeled and quartered/diced) with green beans, e.g., haricot verts prepared as above, and mixed with a little garlic and a good vinaigrette. IMHO, it is best to use a good olive oil in the vinaigrette. Serve the salad topped with some torn/shredded basil. In a commercial situation, I would keep some torn/shredded basil under the counter so that the salad can be "topped up" as customers are served or help themselves.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc


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## archiduc (Feb 14, 2008)

Hi Everyone,
Sincere apologies - according to my PC, the original posting was not sent so I had to quickly retype from memory!!!
Archiduc


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 14, 2008)

I call that a hick-up! LOL.


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## archiduc (Feb 14, 2008)

Hi Maverick2272,
I`m based in the UK (Edinburgh) and one of the TV channels was showing "French Connection" in tribute to the late, great Roy Scheider. I had one eye on the car chase and another on the computer screen. It could be that I blinked and hit the send button, at the same time during the car chase but you didn`t hear this from me. At the moment it`s a case of the Rockford Files aka the great James Garner aka Maverick - tooooooooo spooooooooooooky!
Archiduc


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