There is no better way to eat peas than fresh from the pod. The first time we went to a market for vegetables and saw peas for sale, my husband bought 1 kilo which I thought was too much!
We can freeze what we don’t use he said, but by the time we had got to the end of the market, they were all gone! Lesson learnt and now we buy 3 kilos; one to eat on the way round, one for tea and one to freeze! Peas go very well with mint, but of course can be added to most things for great taste and colour. I have tried a few BBQ recipes and the kebabs were very easy to make but tasted delicious.
Pork and Snap Pea Kebabs with Ginger Hoisin Glaze
¼ cup Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 pork tenderloin (about ¾lb), cut into ¾ inch slices
2 green peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces
½lb snap peas, trimmed
Heat grill to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and rice vinegar. Alternately thread pork tenderloin, green peppers and snap peas onto four 8-inch skewers. Grill, turning skewers occasionally until pork is cooked through and vegetables are charred – about 9 minutes. Brush kebabs with hoisin mixture and cook 1 minute more, turning once, until mixture begins to bubble.
Pea Tortilla
700g peas
½ bunch parsley
2 onions
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
6 eggs
Wash and shell peas. Finely chop parsley and peel and dice onions. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and cook slowly for 5 minutes until transparent. Remove onions and add remaining oil and cook peas for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs for two minutes, add onions to the peas and stir gently. Pour the egg evenly over the vegetables. Cook the tortilla on a very low heat for 5 minutes or until underneath is golden brown. Place a plate the size of the frying pan over the mixture and turn over sliding the tortilla back into the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes slowly. Serve hot or cold.
Pea and Ham Soup
2 tbsp butter
2 cups chopped leeks,
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups stock, preferably chicken
5 cups freshly shelled peas or 2 packages frozen peas
2/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
2 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup créme fraiche
½ cup freshly chopped chives
Garlic croutons, for serving
Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks and onion and cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Add the peas and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.) Off the heat, add the mint, salt, and pepper. Serve course or blend until smooth.
Decorate with creme fraiche, chives and croutons
Couscous with Peas, Lemon, and Tarragon
1 pkt of couscous
2 lemons
Tarragon
Small packet of peas
3 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Soften a few tablespoons of butter in the microwave, then stir in some lemon juice, grated lemon zest and chopped tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Prepare couscous according to package directions, adding a cupful of frozen peas. Before fluffing the couscous and peas, add the seasoned butter, then fluff with a fork to combine. Cover and let sit a few minutes more.
Peas and Bacon in Lettuce Cups
4 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 leeks (white and pale-green parts only), halved, thinly sliced into half-moons and rinsed well (2 cups)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
20 oz spinach, tough stems removed, washed well (8 packed cups)
2 cups shelled fresh garden peas (from 2 lbs in pods)
½ cup chicken broth
1 tblsp finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as dill, chervil, and tarragon
12 lettuce leaves
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp – about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until foamy. Add leeks and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are translucent – about 3 minutes. Add spinach, cover and cook for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add peas and broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and bright green – 3-4 minutes.
Stir in herbs and bacon and season with salt and pepper. Divide lettuce leaves among 6 plates and top with pea mixture. Serve immediately.