WITH their luscious green colourings and sweet taste, peas add an extra dimension to almost any dish. Wintery stews and summery salads can all be livened up with the addition of a few peas, and while there’s nothing wrong with the frozen variety, we strongly recommend stocking up on fresh summer peas, podding them and then freezing them yourself. A little time consuming but well worth it for their flavour.
To make a very quick Pea and Basil Soup for 4-6 guests, take 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 roughly chopped onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1.5l (2½ pints) chicken or vegetable stock, 600g (1lb 5oz) freshly podded peas, 2 bunches fresh basil, 2 tbsp sour cream and the juice of half a lemon.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the roughly chopped onion and slowly cook until soft for 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and stock and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer gently for 10 minutes before adding the peas then continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes until the peas are cooked.
Next, pour the soup into a food processor along with the sour cream, lemon juice and the basil, saving a few leaves for decoration, and blend until smooth. Season to taste and serve piping hot with the extra basil shredded on top.
This next recipe is our take on the Italian classic Macaroni Cheese – Macaroni Peas!
You’ll need 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tin (400g/14oz) chopped tomatoes, 2½ pints vegetable stock, 600g (1lb 5oz) freshly podded peas, 4 large new season potatoes (peeled and cut into small, even squares), 400g (14oz) macaroni, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and some chopped, flat leaf parsley.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the garlic and chopped onion. Leave to cook for 10-15 minutes until soft, before adding the tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes.
Add the peas and the chopped potatoes and carry on simmering for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked. Add the macaroni and leave to cook for a further 10 minutes. The macaroni should be cooked and most of the liquid absorbed.
Season the dish with salt and pepper, divide between four pasta bowls and serve with generous amounts of parmesan cheese and the chopped flat leaf parsley.
Our final dish this week is Fragrant Rice with Peas, Coriander and Almonds – excellent served with fresh grilled fish, especially salmon marinated in Indian spices.
To serve six, take 100g (4oz) butter, 1 fresh cinnamon stick, 10 fresh cracked cardamom pods, a few whole black peppercorns, 250g (9oz) well rinsed basmati rice, 600g (1lb 5oz) freshly podded peas, 200g (8oz) whole almonds, salt and pepper and a little fresh coriander.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat and add the cinnamon, cardamom and pepper corns. Fry gently for about 5 minutes until the aromas start to release. Now add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Pour in enough water to cover the rice and rest some grease proof paper over the top. Bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes until all the water has been absorbed.
Whilst the rice is cooking, add the peas to salted, boiling water and cook for around seven minutes before draining. Next, put the 200g (8oz) of almonds into some warm water, drain, peel and then roast in a hot oven until golden. Leave to cool then roughly chop.
When the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and stir in the peas. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with almonds and coriander before serving.
* Sheila Benson and Sean Millar are at The Side Door, 29a Hope Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0151 707 7888.