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Highlighting peas when your harvest is small


Chris Hennes

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Like many gardeners, my preferred method for eating peas is standing in front of the plants eating them right off the bush. Alas, this habit also means that the number peas that make it into the kitchen is woefully small. Here's today's batch:

Peas.jpg

Any ideas for how best to highlight them? That's not even enough for one side-dish serving, so they've got to go IN something. But what?

Chris Hennes
Director of Operations
chennes@egullet.org

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I had a dinner at Gramercy Tavern a while ago where we were served a piece of fish (maybe halibut?) atop some kind of purée of broccoli that was intensely GREEN.

Maybe you could do something similar? Sort of like a broth-like sauce?

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I actually like peas in carbonara! But they play a distant third role to the pork and the pepper there. I just made some fettucini, now trying to come up with a sauce that doesn't mask the peas (fortunately they are massively flavorful so that's not too tough).

Chris Hennes
Director of Operations
chennes@egullet.org

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Sounds like you've disposed of that ramekin of peas, more or less. I suggest that you keep it simple for the fettucine sauce: toss with garlic-infused olive oil, grated parmigiano-reggiano, and shreds of prosciutto.

The next time you have a handful of peas, you can also try a potato salad with peas and bacon in it. The peas are remarkably good in this combo. To make this potato salad: Combine very warm cooked potatoes, preferably red potatoes, with an herb-mustard vinaigrette (olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic +/or shallots, Dijon mustard, S&P, and various herbs like parsley, dill, or tarragon). Let sit for awhile to cool and allow the flavors to meld. Then gently fold in fresh cooked peas and crumbled bits of crisp bacon. Serve on a bed of watercress or arugula if you have any around.

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i love them in orrechiette. the way they nestle inside the hollows of the pasta...don't need a lot to play hide and seek with them that way. i do it very simply, with goat cheese or ricotta salata. little lemon zest, maybe. very early spring. might just have to go grab some from the great little produce market that has the really fresh ones!

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

www.chezcherie.com

Author of The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook ,The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook and The I Love Trader Joe's Around the World Cookbook

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There is a recipe in the new River Cottage Everyday for broadbeans and procutto on toast. I think peas may work in lieu of the broad beans.

Dan

"Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea." --Pythagoras.

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My mom used to make the most sublime dish, but the ingredients have to be first class. Fresh peas, fresh new potatoes, both steamed or boiled until just cooked, then tossed with warmed cream, salt and pepper. The pinnacle of Spring.

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A son of mine (Dear Bolle) remembers sitting under the hazel twigs row that carried the pea plants, and eating the young peas raw.

They would have been first earlies small and the sweetest of all.

Martial.2,500 Years ago:

If pale beans bubble for you in a red earthenware pot, you can often decline the dinners of sumptuous hosts.

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If you look at that outer skin in your pic. That can be removed (what you think of as a pea). Inside is pure pea meat and love. It's a very fine dining thing to do, but it's not actually that hard. just work. It's easier if you blanch/shock but you can do it from raw as well. If this makes sense. Try it, if not I'll see if i can show you but it may take a few days..

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:unsure: Er.... what IS it?

Risi e Bisi is a classic Venetian dish of peas and rice, very good stuff, but the quality of the broth and peas is key. The one thing I'd recommend doing differently is adding the peas right at the end, so they're heated but don't lose the freshness they've got going for them.

Just squish this through babelfish: http://virgiliovenezia.myblog.it/archive/2010/05/24/risi-e-bisi.html (you get a recipe + Vogon poetry).

Michaela, aka "Mjx"
Manager, eG Forums
mscioscia@egstaff.org

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If you look at that outer skin in your pic. That can be removed (what you think of as a pea). Inside is pure pea meat and love. It's a very fine dining thing to do, but it's not actually that hard. just work. It's easier if you blanch/shock but you can do it from raw as well. If this makes sense. Try it, if not I'll see if i can show you but it may take a few days..

Back in 2007, I volunteered at the James Beard Awards Ceremony as a culinary studen. Chef Sullivan had us skin several pounds of peas for his pistou. Nothing like free student labor.

"Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea." --Pythagoras.

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Risi e Bisi , typically was a springtime venetian dish. a literal translation is Rice and peas. Preperation is similar to risotto but traditionally should be much looser, almost soupy . I think Anna Maria Volpi has a good recipe for it on her website if google for it.

"Why is the rum always gone?"

Captain Jack Sparrow

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Ciao..here's a good, traditional risi e bisi recipe. The key here is the rice: vialone nero. The Venetians like their risotto "all onda' or wavy in the bowl, halfway between soup & risotto.

Ingredientsi: (for 4)

8 oz fresh peas

6 oz rice – vialone nano variety

1 oz finely chopped pancetta

2T olive oil

1T finely choppedparsley

1 clove garlic

2T butter

parmigiano cheese, grated

chicken or vegetable broth

Directions:

Warm the broth and add the pea hulls to the broth, simmer for 20 minutes and strain.

In a saute pan heat sauté the cubed pancetta and finely chopped onion and garlic until the onions are soft. If the pancetta doesn’t have enough fat, add a little olive oil.

Add the fresh peas to the pan with a little broth and gently simmer for 5 minutes.

In another pot bring the stock to a boil, pour in the rice and cook until ¾ done. Then add the pea & pancetta mix and finish cooking the rice.

Right before serving, add two tablespoons of chopped parsley to the soup pot and mix well.

When done, this dish should not be too thick, nor too soupy.

Check the salt & pepper levels. Serve with grated parmigiano on the side.

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