Mushy Peas
Versatile peas have a neutral temperature and very sweet flavor. They can lend themselves to sweet or savory dishes. A classic side dish served in England and Ireland with your fish and chips, mushy have become a regular part of my menu. Traditionally, dried peas were soaked with baking soda to soften them, then cooked, and mashed with salt and pepper and lemon if you had it. Like so many other simple, common foods, recipes vary with the household and what was available, such as, using butter instead of oil, and the addition of garlic or cream.
Personally, I love the addition of tahini, a bit of garlic and a dash of Tabasco for toast with seasonal veg. They are wonderfully simple and great for busy schedules.
Pictured above - I used blanched asparagus and fresh miner’s lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, watercress, and a drizzle of yogurt dill sauce.
Servings: 4 Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients
1 (10 oz) package frozen peas, defrosted. I use fresh peas when they are available.
1 T. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Pepper
Options - mix in 1 T. tahini sauce, a pinch of garlic powder, and a dash of Tabasco for a creamer, spread with a bit of zip to spread on toast or veg dipping.
Instructions
Bring water to boil in a small pan over medium - high heat. Add frozen peas and cook for 3 minutes. Do not over cook, or you will get grey peas.
Drain peas - and choose your mashing method and weapon. You can use a food processor, blender - or my favorite - using a fork or potato masher. Add in remaining ingredients and process to desired consistency. I prefer my mushy peas to still have a lot of form, others may prefer to mash them down to a near puree. It’s a matter of preference and what you are using them for.
Cheers!
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