The UK season for fresh peas, which are lovely, is June to August but frozen peas are an excellent example of how good a fresh product can be even after freezing –easy to store, easy to use and very likeable.
This staple freezer standby can be even more appreciated during these times of Covid-19 lockdown, especially if you have no fresh greens. They are tasty, reasonably nutritious and add a pop of fresh green to brighten all sorts of foods.
Throw a few into salads (see also the Salad of Peas recipe below) or omelettes, or add some to carrots or spinach, chard, cooked and finely sliced asparagus or other greens and also soups see Beetroot Soup and very-simple-vegetable-soup in these pages.
A Salad of Peas
For 4-6
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped or crushed
1 tsp caster sugar or runny honey
1 tsp mustard – it could be English, Grain, or Dijon mustard
500g frozen peas, cooked and cooled
Optional extras:
A small bunch of snipped chives, some chopped fresh mint leaves, a few finely sliced Spring onions or a few thinly sliced radishes
Mix the vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar or honey and mustard together until well combined – you could shake them together in a clean jar with a lid.
Just before you want to eat the salad, put the peas (and optional extras if using) in a bowl, pour over the dressing and toss the whole lot together gently. Don’t do this bit too early as the peas will discolour if they sit in the vinegary dressing for too long – about 30 minutes is the maximum time.
