On the 4th day of advent the greengrocer brought to me….
A bag of frozen peas!
So you might of hated these at school but the trick is not to overcook them. They are blanches before they are frozen so you basically need to defrost them. Put them in boiling water for a few minutes til they are hot and serve them quick. There is no need to cook frozen peas. And, there is no need to salt them. They taste delicious just as they are.
Peas are part of the legume family which means not only are they an excellent source of fibre, vitamins and minerals but they are also contain protein.
Peas can be used in salads, in stir fries, as a side, in dips, in sauces (like pesto) and more. This recipe for lemon and pea risotto I developed for Tutto Bene uses their Parmesan but if you can’t get hold of it, other Parmesan will work too.
Serves 4
300g Arborio (risotto) rice
1 small onion (finely chopped) – about 100g
1 clove garlic (crushed)
Zest and juice of a lemon (about 70ml)
250g frozen peas
950ml boiling water
1 tsp vegetable stock powder (reduced salt if possible)
4 x 15g sachet Tutto Bene Parmesan flakes
2 tsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and onion and soften over a low heat. Meanwhile, dissolve the stock powder in the boiling water and set aside. Add the rice and mix until the rice has absorbed all the oil. Gradually add stock until the rice is cooked – you want the rice to absorb all the water. Add the Parmesan, peas and lemon (to taste). Cook until the peas have heated through.