The pleasure of frozen peas - recipes

Published Jul 30, 2015

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Angela Day

Frozen peas are as good as fresh. Keep a bag handy to whip up these tasty dishes.

 

On the menu:

Pea and mint soup

Pea pancakes

Creamy bacon and pea pasta

Green pea guacamole

Pea and potato samoosas

 

PEA AND MINT SOUP

Serves 6-8

15ml olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 large potato, peeled, diced

1.5 litres of chicken stock

500g frozen peas, thawed

125ml chopped mint leaves

250g tub of crème fraiche

crispy fried pancetta, for serving

chopped chives, for serving

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic and potato.

Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the stock, peas and mint.

Bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the soup from the heat and process until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.

Return to a low heat and stir in the tub of crème fraiche.

Ladle into bowls and serve with crispy pancetta and chopped chives.

 

PEA PANCAKES

Makes 12-14

500g frozen petit pois

50g butter

60ml flour

5ml baking powder

2 eggs, separated

salt and pepper

100g feta, crumbled

olive oil, for frying

crispy fried bacon and maple syrup, for serving

Cook the peas in boiling salted water for a few minutes, drain in a colander and plunge them in ice water.

Drain well and place in a food processor.

Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and cook until light brown. Remove from the heat and add to the peas in the processor together with the flour, baking powder, egg yolks, salt and pepper to make a fairly smooth purée.

Transfer to a bowl and crumble in the feta.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold it into the pea mixture.

Heat 15ml oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook spoonfuls of the batter, a few at a time.

Cook until golden on each side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve warm with crispy bacon and maple syrup.

 

CREAMY BACON AND PEA PASTA

Serves 6

60ml olive oil

6 rashers of bacon,thinly sliced

250g portabellini mushrooms, quartered

300ml cream

salt and pepper

250ml frozen peas

250g fettuccine pasta

125ml chopped fresh basil

125ml grated Parmesan

Heat half the oil in a pan and cook the bacon until golden. Remove and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil and fry the mushrooms for 3 minutes.

Return the bacon.

Add the cream and season to taste.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in the peas and simmer for a further 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine in salted, boiling water untilal dente.

Drain and add to the bacon sauce with the basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately.

 

PEA AND POTATO SAMOOSAS

Makes 24

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

45ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

10ml chopped garlic

5ml mustard seeds

5ml cumin seeds

5ml coriander seeds

10-15ml curry powder

250ml water

salt and pepper

125ml frozen peas

125ml chopped coriander

samoosa pastry

flour and water mixed to make glue

Put the potato in a pot and cover with cold water.

Place on a medium high heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.

Drain.

In a pan, heat the oil, and fry the onion and garlic until soft.

Add the spices and fry for a few seconds.

Add the curry powder and fry.

Add the potatoesand water, and simmer gently until the potatoes are very soft but not disintegrated.

Season well.

Stir in the peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the coriander and allow the mixture to cool.

Place a strip of samoosa pastry on your work surface.

Place a spoonful of filling at the base.

Fold over to forma triangle. Continue folding, keeping the triangle shape.

Place a bit of the flour and water mixture at the end of the strip and fold over to seal the edges. Repeat until all the filling has been used.

Heat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 180°C and fry the samoosasa few at a time until golden brown and crisp.

Drain on paper towel and serve warm.

 

GREEN PEA GUACOMOLE

Serves 8-10

500g frozen peas

2 ripe avocados, mashed

2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped

1 red chilli, seeded, chopped

1 small red onion, diced

grated rind and juice of 2 limes

125ml chopped fresh coriander

5ml salt

2ml pepper

tortilla chips, for serving

Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil and prepare a bowl of ice water.

Add the peas to the boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Drain peas and immediately transfer to the ice water. Drain well.

In a bowl, combine the mashed avocados, tomatoes, chilli, red onion, lime rind and juice, chopped coriander, salt and pepper.

In a food processor, purée the peas until almost smooth, but still a little chunky, and add to the avocado mixture.

Stir well to combine.

Adjust salt and lime juice as needed.

Serve in a bowl with tortilla chips.

 

* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.

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