I always chuckle a little when I read articles in food magazines talking about Spring peas. In this part of the world (Finland), peas are very decidedly a Summer vegetable. I have peas just beginning to sprout on my windowsill now, and they have reached a soaring height of roughly 2 inches. I’m a long way from peas I can eat. Thankfully, frozen peas are a perfectly reasonable and healthy substitute as they are typically frozen very soon after harvesting and in some cases, may be better than the fresh peas in the pod that you may see on offer in your grocery store already.
Why? Because peas turn to starch shortly after they are picked, making really good peas hard to find unless you have a garden out back where you pick your own.
Have you ever purchased one of those brown paper bags full of peas, only to find that while some are fresh, juicy and tender as you’d hoped, there are always a few that are clearly past their prime – and a little woody? Those are old peas we’re talking about, and nobody really wants to eat them. Frozen peas, on the other hand, rarely disappoint. Just make sure you flash cook them. They don’t need more than a minute. Bring your water to a boil, toss in the frozen peas, let it boil again, drain, done & perfect.
But if as you are reading this you have an abundance of fresh peas, by all means, use them instead. Fresh peas are a rare and hard-to-beat treat. But the wind is indeed howling and beating rain against my window. There will be no fresh peas until July. But when mine begin to grow, I’ll be getting back to these magazines & blogs who’s recipes look mighty tempting – take a look:
- Self magazine (Crushed Spring Peas and Mint)
- Bon Appetit magazine (Snap Pea Salad with Burrata)
- Simply Recipes Blog (Seared Sugar Snap Peas)
- Tory Avey’s recipe on Zabar’s (Spring Pea Guacamole)
- An oldie-but-goodie post on peas from 101 Cookbooks (Fresh Shelling Peas: Four Ways Recipe)
- And this old Eat Simply Eat Well favorite (Summer Pea, Potato and Mint Soup)
With peas in the freezer and dried pasta in the cupboard (or rice if you want to go the risotto route instead), you can avoid the grocery stores on the days when the Spring wind and rain are howling around your ears, scurry on home straight after work, and get this dish on the table in just slightly more time then it takes your pasta to cook to al dente.
Not to mention, this is a really inexpensive option, especially if you have mint growing in your garden already – frozen peas come at a really friendly price, too. But there’s no compromise on flavor here. The ingredients list may be simple, but everything you need is in there to create a satisfying dish, right now.
I added in one special ingredient that is part of Spring around here. I stopped by the Herttoniemi CSA last week to pick up a few items. One of our local farmers was in sharing samples of what he called Winter garlic, Spring stems – planted last fall and just beginning to sprout. Timing is everything: I was offered a bundle to take home with me. If you have garlic in your garden or know someone who does, it’s definitely worth trying out. Just make sure to cook it only briefly so it’s freshness shines through. And if you live in Helsinki, the Herttoniemi CSA is selling it right now for a limited time. Tell Jyrkki and Olli I sent you.
Pea, Mint, Feta & Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
Bring 1.5 liters/ 1.5 quarts of water to a boil. Add:
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 250 g whole wheat penne pasta
Cook roughly 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Pour the frozen peas into the pot along with the pasta and continue to cook just long enough for the water to reach a boil. Scoop out 3/4 cup of the cooking water and reserve. Drain the pasta and peas through a colander and set aside for now.
Put the pot back on the heat. Add:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 green onions
- 2 green Spring garlic (or two garlic cloves)
- Cook until tender and just beginning to brown. Add in:
- the cooked pasta and peas
- 75g feta cheese, diced
- 1/2 cup loosely packed mint leaves, roughly chopped
- zest of one lemon
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup pasta water – start with a little and add if needed
- 4 tablespoons grated good quality Parmesan cheese
Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour onto a serving platter and serve it to your soon-to-be-very-happy dining companions.
Serves 2 as a hearty meal.