Name: crispy sugar snap peas with tarragon aioli
Ingredients: 2 small garlic cloves, peeled; 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided; 1 large egg ((See Recipe Notes)); 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice ((plus more if desired)); 3/4 cup avocado oil ((or any neutral oil)); 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup finely milled semolina flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 cup buttermilk, shaken; 6 cups peanut oil ((or frying oil of your choice)); 16 ounces sugar snap pea pods, trimmed, strings removed ((patted dry)); 2 teaspoons coarse or flaky sea salt; lemon wedges, for serving

Are you a fan of Italian fritto misto? These crispy sugar snap peas have a similar flavor and texture with their semolina batter coating. Within minutes, they are fried to golden perfection.

Give them a dip in the homemade tarragon aioli and you’ll be sold. Even the kids will be happy to eat their vegetables.

Since the frying process is a quick one, be sure to have your tarragon aioli prepared and ready for dipping.

What is aioli?

Some folks think of it simply as homemade mayonnaise but that’s not quite right. Although aioli and mayonnaise are both creamy emulsions, aioli is usually made from garlic and olive oil. Mayo is typically made from egg yolks and canola oil.

The final result may look similar but the two sauces have distinctly different flavors. Our friends at Bon Appétit share their insight on this subject.

Let’s start with the homemade aioli…

Garlic
Fine sea salt
Large egg
Dijon mustard
Lemon
Avocado oil
Fresh tarragon
Extra-virgin olive oil

A food processor is suggested for making this tarragon aioli…

I suppose you could try this by hand, but fair warning …you need to use some serious muscle power in whisking the base as you slowly add the oil. It actually isn’t that hard once you get the hang of it.

For me, it’s worth pulling out the equipment.

This makes a small amount so you don’t need to use your full-sized processor.

I have a mini-version that is great for chopping and mixing. It works well here since the lid has two receptacles in it with pinholes which allow the oil to stream into the bowl while the processor is creating a perfect emulsion.

There’s a bit of prep work here.

The fresh tarragon needs to be chopped. And the garlic is turned into a paste.

Not as hard as it sounds. Grab your best chef knife and mince the garlic as small as you can. Then combine it with the salt right on your cutting board. Using the side of your knife blade, press on the mixture while rocking the blade back and forth. In no time, you’ll have garlic paste.

To make a garlic paste, mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt together, then press down on the garlic with the side of your knife. Move the side of the knife back and forth against the garlic and salt until a paste forms.

Place the garlic paste, egg, mustard, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt in the bowl of a food processor; process 5 seconds just until mixture is combined.
With food processor running, very slowly drizzle a small amount of the avocado oil through the feed tube. Continue processing while maintaining a small but steady stream of oil. (It should take 2 to 4 minutes to drizzle in the full 3/4 cup of avocado oil.)

Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chopped tarragon. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Scrape down the sides of bowl again and, if desired, season with up to 1 teaspoon additional lemon juice. Serve with Crispy Sugar Snap Peas or refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days. Makes 1 cup.

Just like that, you have homemade Tarragon Aioli.

Creamy and flavorful. The perfect complement to the savory crunch of the Crispy Sugar Snap Peas.

If you’re limited for time, no worries. These snacks would be really good dipped in your favorite ranch dressing.

Not a fan of aioli?

These guys are really delicious when paired with our Creamy Horseradish Sauce & Dip.
Another great combo …Crispy Sugar Snap Peas dipped into our Smoked Red Pepper Sauce.
And there’s always our awesome homemade Basic But Delicious Hummus.

Let’s move on to the star of the show …the Crispy Sugar Snap Peas.

As you guys know, I’m really particular about the flour I use. It has to be organic, non-GMO and free of toxic glyphosate. Since this recipe calls for semolina flour, my choice is an easy one. Caputo Semolina Flour …imported from Italy.

You may be lucky enough to find it at your local Italian bakery or deli. Or maybe at Whole Foods. Otherwise, it is usually available for prime delivery on Amazon.

What is semolina?

Semolina is a coarse, pale yellow flour that is made from “durum” wheat. Since durum wheat is the hardest species of wheat, it has a high protein & gluten content and is highly resistant to milling. As a result, the milling process of durum wheat results in coarse wheat middlings, known as semolina flour.

The folks at The Spruce Eats offer a more involved explanation.

What does semolina flour taste like?

Semolina flour has a sweet, slightly nutty taste. The texture is coarse …similar to that of cornmeal.

What you need for the Crispy Sugar Snap Peas…

Unbleached all-purpose white flour
Finely milled semolina flour
Baking powder
Fine sea salt
Buttermilk
Peanut oil, for frying
Fresh sugar snap pea pods
Coarse or flaky sea salt
Lemon wedges, for serving

A bit more prep…

It’s super important that you take the time to clean up those pea pods by pinching off the ends and removing the string that runs down each side. Get the kids to join in for the project. They’ll have fun with the process and you’ll be done in a flash.

Set up an assembly line by the stove.

First up, a pie plate or shallow bowl for the buttermilk bath.
Then, a large bowl with your flour mixture.
Next to that, the cooking oil heating up in a large heavy-duty skillet on the stove.
Finally, a large baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Now, that’s a tray of delicious crispy sugar snap peas.

Be sure to give the pea pods plenty of room as you’re frying them. That way they’ll have a chance to fry evenly and the temperature of the oil will be maintained.

As the fried snap peas are placed on the tray, sprinkle them with some coarse or flaky sea salt.

These crispy sugar snap peas are best when served immediately.

If need be, they can be kept warm for 30 minutes or so in a 200°F oven.

This recipe is adapted from one that I found at The BHG Test Kitchen. I follow it for the most part but switch out the various oils suggested in the recipe.

I’m not a fan of canola oil or vegetable oil, so I use avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil when making the aioli. For frying the snap peas, peanut oil works well.

As you’re frying, you’ll find that some of the coating may break away so that the pea pods are peeking through. That’s perfectly normal. It’s the rustic nature of the dish.