Give us plenty of peas, please

All we are saying is give peas a chance...

Crispy lamb, pea and mint fritters Source: Donna Hay

It's springtime! Or, for those in the know, it's pea time! This is to say, that exquisite time of year when you can pop fresh peas straight from pod to mouth. Worth every fiddly moment.

If you can't grow your own (or simply can't be bothered), you can buy peas in their pod from a good greengrocer. We're sitting on our front step in the late evening glow, ready to prise sweet green peas from their pods. Get the whole family and your friends involved in this most marvellous past-time. It will make you all feel so good, and you haven't even tucked into these yummy pea recipes yet!

Rest assured that romance aside, a packet of frozen peas from the supermarket will still bring plenty of springy pea freshness to any of these recipes.

Peas for brekkie

Now that's a fresh take on the classic bacon and eggs combo. Source: Adam Liaw

Peas are how you start the day outright. Dipping toast into Adam Liaw's pea-purée baked eggs topped with crisp bacon and parmesan. It's going to be a pea-ticularly great day.

Classic Venetian

Peas work beautifully in soups as this hearty Italian dish proves. Source: Chris Chen

Risi e bisi is what happens when peas step up from freezer staple to royal ingredient. This soupy risotto is traditionally offered to the ruler of Venice on St Mark’s feast day.

With early potatoes

Chukauni originated in the western Nepali district of Palpa and is traditionally served at breakfast time. Source: Alan Benson

The only veggie that can rival the pea for spring freshness is new potatoes. So it makes sense to combine them Nepalese-style into a salad to blow your mind. Cue flavour explosion.

Green fritters

Every cook needs a pea fritter recipe or two up their sleeve. Source: Donna Hay

Pack some peas into your lamb and cavolo nero fritters and watch the kids gobble them up. Side note: it's very satisfying watching children eat green things.

Time for soup

Worth making for the stunning colour alone. Source: Wok Vs Pot with Marion and Silvia

Pea soup is what you make when you think you have nothing in the pantry-slash-freezer. This one adds some fancy crisp pancetta slices, but it's honestly just as good without. Peas stand alone.

With broccoli too

Serve this with grilled cheese sourdough crusts and prepare for lift off. Source: Renee Byrd

Broccoli and peas make quiet companions, matched by colour and complemented in flavour. This creamy soup makes the most of the last of winter's broccoli and early spring peas.

Mash it good

Hot Pickapeppa sauce is good with both the pork belly and the mash. Be generous. Source: Great British Food Revival

Add some freshly-shelled peas to a simple new potato mash for pops of fresh flavour. Serve it with a jerk pork belly on the side...

Aloo there peas

Peas inside and peas outside - could a dish get any finer? Source: Ella Rubeli / Jimmy Shu's Taste of the Territory

Jimmy Shu adds Indian flair to a pea puree in this spicy aloo bonda. Pea puree is an excellent resting place between bites of spice-packed fritter.

Minty peas

Minty peas are lifted by salty feta in this spring picnic staple. Source: Smith & Gilmour

Mint and peas have long been excellent dance partners and here they join feta in a quiche extravaganza. Leftovers are excellent cold for lunch the next day. Hmmm... better make two.

Tarty peas

If you don't have any broccoli on hand, just add more peas. Source: Plum Books / Jeremy Simons

This broccoli, pea and cheddar tart is everything a Saturday lunch in spring should be. Take it outside onto the deck, terrace, patio, balcony or lawn.

Shiny peas

When peas are in season, make this salad. Source: Earl Carter

A humble Greek salad that proves that fresh peas don't need a lot to shine. The greens rest on a cauliflower puree and are sprinkled with both oregano salt and a fresh lemon dressing.

Pea-ella

Paella is the one-pan wonder that's a perfect spring reintroduction to eating outside. Source: Benito Martin

Every good paella deserves peas. The little green flavour bombs add just the right amount of simple freshness to the complex dish.

Pea salsa

Try and track down fresh peas for this dish - they make all the difference to the salsa. Source: Adam Liaw

We've established by now that peas go with pretty much everything, but especially salmon. Here Lyndey Milan pairs a spiced pea soup and crunchy raw pea salsa with Japanese-inspired pan-fried trout.

Muffin without peas

It's no surprise that asparagus is another pea-loving vegetable. Source: Simon & Schuster Australia

Thank you, kind and versatile peas. At breakfast, lunch, dinner or during muffin frittata snack time, we thank you.