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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Every good paella deserves peas. The little green flavour bombs add just the right amount of simple freshness to the complex dish.
Pea salsa
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
Thank you, kind and versatile peas. At breakfast, lunch, dinner or during muffin frittata snack time, we thank you.
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