Market report correspondent Gillian Ferguson visits with Katianna and John Hong of the much-anticipated Yangban Society in the Arts District. Partners in business and life, the chefs worked at Meadowood in Napa, where they were deeply connected to the seasons and California ingredients. Take a numbered ticket and get in line at their new Korean deli, where everything is sold by weight and reflective of their heritage. At the market, the Hongs are shopping for pea shoots for a version of a scallion salad typically found at Korean barbecue. Katianna describes the difference between tendrils, which are tender with leaves that wilt quickly, and the shoots, which are firmer and are generally kept raw for a crunch.
Paul Thurston is now at Laubacher Farms after serving as the farm manager at McGrath Family Farms for over 25 years, where he planted nine different varieties of peas. Oregon Trail was an English shelling pea that grew best on the farm and he continues to experiment with trial seeds.
Blistered Snap Peas
Courtesy of Katianna & John Hong, Yangban Society
Ingredients
- 4C/1 lb snap peas or snow peas
- 2 tsp/8 g oil
- 2 tsp/10 g everything bagel seasoning (you can also substitute with black sesame seeds, toasted white sesame seeds, fried garlic and/or nigella seeds)
- 3T/16g fried shallots (purchased)
- 2 tsp/10 g soy sauce
- ¼ tsp/ ½ ea. lemon zest
- To taste: Maldon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add oil to the pan, swirling to coat the surface. Add the snap peas, cooking quickly so that they blister and slightly char, but remain quite fresh in flavor and crunchy.
- When sauteed, remove from heat and toss with everything bagel seasoning, fried shallots, soy sauce and lemon zest. If desired, season with additional crunchy finishing salt such as maldon or gray salt.
- Serve warm or room temperature.