Five Favorite Recipes for Green Peas

These favorite recipes for green peas can be made using fresh garden peas or frozen peas. At the end of May, my peas are almost ready to harvest. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that tastes as good as fresh peas…cooked or raw, they’re just delicious. Here are my five favorite recipes for green peas, from your garden or from the grocery store.

 

 

 

Five Favorite Recipes for Green Peas

I can’t remember the first time I ate fresh green peas. Some of my earliest memories are walking with Mr. Hoffman, the man who owned the house next door to us in suburban/urban Long Island, showing m me how to pick peas from the vines. He’d let me shuck peas, watching as my nimble fingers carefully extracted the peas from the pods. I’m surprised he had enough left to eat; probably as many peas as landed in the metal cooking pot at my feet also landed in my mouth, for I loved fresh sweet peas!

This year, my pea crop looks like it might be a little low. A few surprise frosts, torrential rains, and a lot of challenges have kept the peas from really flourishing as they ought to. But when I do get those peas in, I love to cook with them. From the Italian pea recipe below to risotto dotted with green jewel-like peas, peas are some of my favorite vegetables from the garden.

How to Cook Fresh Peas

I boil or steam the fresh peas out of the pod. Place a sauce pan on the stove and add 1 cup of water. Add 1 cup of fresh peas and a pinch of salt. Make sure the water covers the peas but doesn’t drown them, as my dad would say. Bring them to a boil, cover, and boil for up to six minutes, testing for the right consistency that pleases you after 2 minutes. Drain and serve with butter and salt.

Freezing Fresh Garden Peas

You can freeze fresh garden peas to enjoy later. To freeze garden peas, you will need:

• Pot of boiling water
• Pot of ice water
• Strainer
• Zip lock bags
• 1 cup measuring cup

You’ll need to blanch the peas out of their pods before freezing them. Blanching means immersing them in hot water for 1 minute, then into ice-cold water for 30 seconds. (Time can vary with other vegetables or fruits.) Blanching stops the enzyme activity in the vegetables so they don’t get freezer burn or spoil as quickly.

Simply add the peas to the boiling water, time it for a minute, then pour them into the strainer or colander. Pour the hot peas into the ice water and time for 30 seconds. Then pour back into the colander or strainer to rid them of excess water. Place 1 cup of peas into a zip lock plastic bag. Put the name of the item and the date on the bag and freeze immediately. You can freeze larger quantities if you want to but a 1 cup portion is the right size for two people.

 

Five Great Recipes for Fresh Garden Peas

These recipes all make fantastic side dishes with fresh garden peas. For a main dish, steam rice or cook arborio rice to make risotto. Add peas, shaved Parmesan cheese, and any other fresh spring vegetables that please you.

1. Recipe: Italian Peas:  This recipe uses fresh or frozen green peas, chicken stock and garlic to make a hearty dish with Italian flair.
2. Recipe: Balsamic Pea Salad:  Fresh peas in a creamy mayonnaise-feta balsamic vinegar dressing add just the right tartness from the vinegar and creaminess from the mayo for a pleasing side salad. I like to add a sprinkle of bacon bits to the top.
3. Six pea recipes! Okay, so this counts as more than one recipe, but there are two here that I like so I thought I’d share them. One is the peas and deviled egg recipe – just a great spring recipe for all your potlucks and light suppers. The other is the Roasted Garlic Green Sweet Pea spread. Delicious!
4. Spring Peas and Pearl Onions:  This recipe is an old-fashioned  favorite. If you love pearl onions, this is a great way to combine two great flavors and spring vegetables into one dish.
5. Sweet Pea Gnocci: I have a thing for gnocci. I love it. I eat it sparingly because it can be a heavy (ie, calorie packing) meal, but it is good comfort food for me. This gnocchi dish includes green peas in a tasty way.

I hope you enjoyed these recipes and that you make some this week. Stop back every Friday for more tips on cooking and enjoying what you grow! #FoodieFriday  #recipesfromthegarden

Happy gardening. Keep growing!