Field Pea Salad with Tomatoes and Feta

Field Pea Salad is a Southern summer rite of passage. The South is home to countless heirloom varieties of field peas; in this recipe for Field Pea Salad with Tomatoes and Feta, we call for lady peas. "Sweet and tender lady peas remain creamy white or light green even after they have been cooked. And unlike other field peas, lady peas (also called Lady Cream peas) produce a clear, not cloudy, potlikker," writes Sheri Castle for Southern Living. Lady peas are less starchy than other field peas with a mild earthiness that's just delicious. Be sure to source your field peas locally if you can; look for lady peas at farmers markets and farm stands—you'll most often find them pre-shelled. Combined with an herby dressing and feta cheese, they add brightness to any veggie plate.

When cooking your peas, follow the lead of our Test Kitchen pros with some handy hacks. Letting the peas stand in their cooking liquid for a few minutes helps them to relax, so that the texture is super-creamy and the seasonings permeate throughout. This pea and tomato salad can be packed up and enjoyed on a picnic or lounging poolside. To make this dish into a full meal, simply add some grilled chicken on top.