Sugar Snap Peas with High-Summer Tomatoes, Herbs, and Tahini

By Joy Howard

This fresh salad with a flavorful tahini dressing will be your new summer standby.

Photo of sugar snap peas with tomatoes, herbs, and tahini dressing. — Photo © Joe St. Pierre.

The deep, nutty flavor of toasted sesame seeds is a complement to many dishes, including salads like this one made with sweet sugar snaps and vine-ripened tomatoes. Here the sesame takes the form of tahini, which is used as the base for an addictively tasty four ingredient dressing with olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll likely want to drizzle it on everything—and you can. It also works well with falafel, grilled meat, and roasted vegetables. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, grated
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces mixed summer tomatoes, halved or sliced into wedges
8 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, halved
3 tablespoons roughly chopped mixed fresh herbs (I like mint, parsley, and basil)

Directions:

Whisk together the oil, tahini, water, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with the salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Combine the tomatoes and peas in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup of the tahini dressing and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter on the herbs. Serve with extra dressing on the side.

Excerpted and adapted from Tomato Love © by Joy Howard.

Tomato Love

by Joy Howard

Tomato Love is a joyful collection of recipes that celebrate the favorite high-summer fruit. There’s nothing quite like a luscious Brandywine or a sweet Sungold freshly-picked from the vine, but tasty canned and jarred products ensure tomatoes can be enjoyed year-round. The recipes in this collection invite year-round eating, new takes on classic dishes like red sauce and tomato soup, along with a mix of fresh ideas ranging from Sweet, Spicy, Smoky Barbecue Sauce, Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons, to Caprese Pasta Salad with Salami and Shakshuka with Extra Veg. Home cooks, backyard gardeners, and CSA members overwhelmed with the bounty of the season will find dozens of inspiring ideas for introducing variety into the everyday repertoire of meals. With fresh and nourishing ingredients at the forefront, this cookbook makes it easy for families to put good food on the table—with easy cooking steps, ingredients that are readily available, and delicious recipes. Every recipe is shown in a color photo, making the book easy to browse and use.

$14.95

$19.95 CAD

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About the Author

Joy Howard is a cookbook author, food stylist, and recipe developer. She writes a regular column about cooking with kids for EatingWell magazine, is the author of Disney Eats (Disney Publishing), and her work has appeared in numerous magazines, cookbooks, and national advertising campaigns. She got her start in food media as a magazine editor producing recipes and culinary content for home cooks and ran a test kitchen for many years. She lives in New England with her husband and daughters.

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