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Things to do with frozen peas


Fat Guy

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Some terrific ideas, folks. Please keep them coming.

Incidentally, I learned that peas, like any self-respecting food product, have their own trade organization. You can see the website at: http://www.peas.org/

There are a ton of recipe ideas on that website, including:

Spicy Pea and Avocado Dip

Garden Pea, Pecorino and Mint Soufflé

Pea and Goat's Cheese Tart

Warm Pea and Lentil Salad

Grilled Halloumi with Peas, Pine Nuts, Broad Beans and Rocket

Pea, Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon Dressing

Sauté of Peas and Lettuce

Pea and Roasted Garlic Soup

Cheesy Pea and Bacon Fritters

Japanese Miso-style Pea and Tofu Soup with Chives

Warm Pea, Broccoli, Chorizo and Feta Tart

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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I'm not particularly proud of the creativity quotient in my household tonight, but I did manage to use about a third of a bag of peas. I made chicken with mushrooms and peas. Sauteed chicken, set aside. Sauteed mushrooms, set aside. Made a pan sauce from capers (packed in Sherry vinegar), chicken stock, a little soy sauce, a little sesame oil and a dash of oregano. Added the chicken and mushrooms, as well as frozen peas, to the sauce and heated through.

One point of interest: peas and capers have kind of a similar appearance in a finished, sauced dish. I may have to explore the peas-and-capers concept a bit more someday.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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Some great ideas here! Need to bookmark this thread.  :biggrin:

Of course, though, the first thing I thought of when I read the thread title is that the packages make great icepacks. . . :hmmm:

OH! You are so right!

Any injury to the human body, be it sports related or accident related, a bag of frozen peas makes a wonderful, flexible, and cold ice pack. Remember the RICE acronym, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Frozen peas will coddle an injury like nothing else.

Been there, had kids, done that.

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This is a comfort food for me: Ground Beef with Peas in an Asian stirfry. The recipe is from a 1960s cookbook I will not name, because the author is now in disrepute. She offers "Chinese-American" recipes like chop suey, seasoned with MSG--This cookbook was published before Chinese food was supposed to be healthy or authentic. :laugh: But I cook the recipes now and then. The food reminds me of the Chinese restaurant food I ate as a kid, and hey, it still tastes good. I skip the MSG, though.

Here is my adaptation. It's quick and easy after a busy day.

GROUND BEEF WITH PEAS

2 Tb oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

few slices of fresh gingerroot

1 large onion, sliced

1 lb ground beef

2 Tb soy sauce

1 Tb dry sherry

1 tsp sugar

1 Tb cornstarch, dissolved in a little water

3 cups frozen peas (FG, this is almost a whole bag!)

roasted sesame oil

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and gingerroot, then the onion, and saute until slightly softened. Crumble in the ground beef, and break it up into smaller chunks with a spatula. Cook the beef until the red color disappears. Add the soy sauce, sherry, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Mix in well. Add the peas, and let cook for a minute. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the dissolved cornstarch. Bring to a boil, adding more water as necessary, until the peas are hot and the gravy has thickened. Drizzle with a little roasted sesame oil. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Edited by djyee100 (log)
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Pasta with Pea Puree is one of those dishes you can strip down to the ultra-minimalist version (peas, water, salt) for a really phenomenally clean dish but also a blank slate you can build on (add 2 or 3 of onions, shallots, garlic, butter, white wine, chicken stock, parmesan, mozarella, bacon, proscuitto, potato, truffle etc.).

I also like to sautee some leeks and peas in butter as a side for the standard meat & 3 veg.

PS: I am a guy.

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This is a comfort food for me: Ground Beef with Peas in an Asian stirfry. The recipe is from a 1960s cookbook I will not name, because the author is now is disrepute. She offers "Chinese-American" recipes like chop suey, seasoned with MSG--This cookbook was published before Chinese food was supposed to be healthy or authentic.  :laugh: But I cook the recipes now and then. The food reminds me of the Chinese restaurant food I ate as a kid, and hey, it still tastes good. I skip the MSG, though.

Reminds me of a vaguely Chinese dish I "invented" years ago, based on what was on-hand: Ground or finely chopped beef or pork, peas, and chopped tree-ear mushrooms. I think I seasoned it with hoisin and soy sauce, but I'll check my notes to make sure. It was great comfort food, served over rice.

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

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This is a comfort food for me: Ground Beef with Peas in an Asian stirfry. The recipe is from a 1960s cookbook I will not name, because the author is now in disrepute. She offers "Chinese-American" recipes like chop suey, seasoned with MSG--This cookbook was published before Chinese food was supposed to be healthy or authentic.  :laugh: But I cook the recipes now and then. The food reminds me of the Chinese restaurant food I ate as a kid, and hey, it still tastes good. I skip the MSG, though.

Here is my adaptation. It's quick and easy after a busy day.

GROUND BEEF WITH PEAS

2 Tb oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

few slices of fresh gingerroot

1 large onion, sliced

1 lb ground beef

2 Tb soy sauce

1 Tb dry sherry

1 tsp sugar

1 Tb cornstarch, dissolved in a little water

3 cups frozen peas (FG, this is almost a whole bag!)

roasted sesame oil

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and gingerroot, then the onion, and saute until slightly softened. Crumble in the ground beef, and break it up into smaller chunks with a spatula. Cook the beef until the red color disappears. Add the soy sauce, sherry, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Mix in well. Add the peas, and let cook for a minute. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the dissolved cornstarch. Bring to a boil, adding more water as necessary, until the peas are hot and the gravy has thickened. Drizzle with a little roasted sesame oil. Serve hot over steamed rice.

so interesting!

This parallels a North Indian style dish called

Keema Matar (ground meat with peas; meat usually mutton I guess)

Brown and drain cooked goat mince;

then bhoono onion,ginger,garlic paste in some oil,

add typical spices:

bay leaf, all the garam masalas (coarsely ground black peppercorns;

cinnamon, cloves, cardamom - black or green, nutmeg or mace if you have it);

red chili powder, turmeric, cumin and coriander powder.

When the onion ... paste is done,

add the meat, and cook a while,

add water if necessary. Salt sometime during the process.

Add water when almost cooked.

Texture should not be soupy though, just medium.

Add peas (cooked or still frozen).

Cook some more,

serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges

with rotis, sabzi and raita etc. May re-heat with a little more

garam masala (powder) sprinkled in...

Milagai

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I love peas in all seasoned rice dishes, peas in fried rice as mentioned, peas in rice pilaf, and my official contribution to this thread is Arroz Con Pollo.

I use about half of a 1lb bag of peas when I make it.

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In Spain I had peas cooked with fatty ham til the peas were super soft, and full of rich (greasy) wonderful ham flavor. I tried it at home with bacon and it worked ok. Takes a while. Wish I could remember what it was called. I ended up ordering two plates of it. My original dinner, and one to share with the table, so that I didnt starve for all the sharing.

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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I really love all these ideas. Peas are one of the veggies all 6 members of my family can usually agree on as a side dish, so we eat a lot.

I've been experimenting with spreads for sandwiches and wraps to cut down on using so much mayo (I have to wear a bridesmaid dress this summer :wacko: ), and last week I defrosted some frozen peas, lightly salted and peppered them, added a bit of dill (just a pinch) and pureed with sour cream. I think I used about a cup of peas and about 2 T of SC. It was really great with turkey and my sister liked it with roast beef (but I didn't try). It's also pretty great on an all veggie wrap (cucumber, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, frisee and marinated artichokes) or just with cheese (cheap, grocery store deli provolone).

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta." - Frederico Fellini

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In Spain I had peas cooked with fatty ham til the peas were super soft, and full of rich (greasy) wonderful ham flavor. I tried it at home with bacon and it worked ok.

There's a recipe for "Braised Peas with Onions, Sage, and Pancetta" in Judy Rodgers' Zuni Cafe Cookbook. It sounds like the dish you're describing. The dish is supposed to be made with big, starchy, less than wonderfully flavored fresh peas (not the small sweet spring peas). I bet frozen peas would be a good substitute.

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I thought we were out of frozen peas, so I bought two bags today. When I went to put them in the freezer, I found two full bags and a mostly full third bag. So, with nearly five bags of peas, I really need to cook some peas.

Of course, I can figure out to eat them just heated up and served as peas. I also occasionally snack on them right out of the bag, like little green frozen M&Ms. But let's say I want more from the relationship?

I'm trying to think outside the box, bag, whatever here. I know a few pasta and rice dishes to which peas can be added. What I'm really trying to figure out is something unexpected.

My cousin used frozen peas when he had a vasectomy, but maybe thats not what you ment!

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I thought we were out of frozen peas, so I bought two bags today. When I went to put them in the freezer, I found two full bags and a mostly full third bag. So, with nearly five bags of peas, I really need to cook some peas.

Of course, I can figure out to eat them just heated up and served as peas. I also occasionally snack on them right out of the bag, like little green frozen M&Ms. But let's say I want more from the relationship?

I'm trying to think outside the box, bag, whatever here. I know a few pasta and rice dishes to which peas can be added. What I'm really trying to figure out is something unexpected.

My cousin used frozen peas when he had a vasectomy, but maybe thats not what you meant!

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Midwestern pea dishes:

tuna, peas, wagon wheel pasta, onion, oil and vinegar dressing

the compartments in the wagon wheels hold on to the peas

my mother used to make a dish that was ground beef with mushrooms and peas, very gravy-ish, spooned over a bed of mashed potatoes

I like to bake nice things. And then I eat them. Then I can bake some more.

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Some great ideas here! Need to bookmark this thread.  :biggrin:

Of course, though, the first thing I thought of when I read the thread title is that the packages make great icepacks. . . :hmmm:

:biggrin: I was going to say that too! Frozen peas are the go-to veggie when I need to ice an injury!

Has anyone mentioned fried rice?

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My grammy used to make a green pea and cheese salad. Haven't thought of it in years, but used to love it.

Peas 'n Cheese

2/3 cup MW or mayo

1/3 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

3 large sweet pickles, chopped

1 (16 ounce) package frozen green peas, thawed

3/4 cup cubed Cheddar cheese

S & P to taste

Mix everything except for the peas and cheese, tossing until well combined. Fold in peas and cheese and serve on lettuce leaves.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Peas, mint, butter lettuce, chicken stock. Cook peas in just enough chicken stock to cook them through (fresh peas take a lot more cooking), reduce chicken stock until it is almost a glaze, add mint and lettuce, wilt, eat. Spring on a plate.

Peas with béchamel, the meat of your choice, a little grating cheese and some undercooked ziti baked together in the oven is very nice.

--

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Peas, mint, butter lettuce, chicken stock.  Cook peas in just enough chicken stock to cook them through (fresh peas take a lot more cooking), reduce chicken stock until it is almost a glaze, add mint and lettuce, wilt, eat.  Spring on a plate.

Yes, very similar to the recipe that Two Fat Ladies featured a few years back. Actually, there was another thread about peas and both Fifi and I said we absolutely loved that recipe. I linked to it, but the page is now gone.

Does anyone else know how I can find that recipe again?

:huh:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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This just in from my mother, folks:

I can't seem to log in but I do want say that I always have a lot of frozen peas in the freezer so it may be genetic.

I think that peas are the best of all the frozen vegetables. They taste more like the fresh ones than any other veg.

Toddlers love them warm or cold. You always liked them as a child!

Because of the consistency of a bag of frozen peas they mold well around an injury.

Their color perks up a  drab meal.

Be careful not to over cook them. Defrosting is enough.

Mixed with fresh steamed and then cooled sliced carrots and some reduced fat mayo they are a great snack.

When I was child it was my job to shell the peas for dinner but I wasn't allowed to eat any until my mother had cooked the taste out of them.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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