Best Fresh Peas Recipes

PASTA WITH FRESH HERBS, LEMON AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or pasta bowl, combine the herbs, lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
• When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. A few minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the water. When the pasta is just about al dente, remove a half cup of the cooking water and add to the bowl with the herbs. Drain the pasta and peas, toss with the herb mixture and the cheese, and serve.

FRESH PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Put crème fraîche, cream and butter in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Turn off heat as soon as mixture is hot, and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper and a little nutmeg.
• Plunge peas in boiling water and let cook for 1 minute. Remove with a mesh spider or slotted spoon and add to cream mixture.
• Drop noodles in boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface, about 1 minute. Taste a noodle to see if it is sufficiently cooked. It should be firm-tender, just past al dente.
• Drain pasta and add to skillet. Sprinkle with prosciutto and chives, then toss gently to coat with sauce. Divide among warmed bowls and serve immediately. Pass grated Parmesan at table.

FRESH ANGEL-HAIR PASTA WITH BACON AND PEAS

Steps:

• Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).
• Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.

FRESH GREEN PEAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS IN SESAME DRESSING

Steps:

• Cook shelled peas in large saucepan of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add sugar snap peas to same pan and continue boiling 30 seconds. Drain; rinse under cold water and drain again. Transfer to large bowl.
• Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. (Peas and dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.) Pour dressing over peas in large bowl; toss to coat. Season salad to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

GREEN PEAS WITH FRESH PARSLEY AND GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat and saute the garlic until highly fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Add the green peas and vegetable broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture until the peas are tender but not shriveled, about 4 minutes total.
• Stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

SMASHED PEAS WITH FRESH MINT

Steps:

• Quarter leek lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Place leeks in a large bowl of cold water, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift leeks out of the water with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
• In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat; add garlic, shallots, leeks, salt, and pepper. Cook until very soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add peas, raise heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until peas are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the pea mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add chicken stock and remaining tablespoon of olive oil; pulse until mixture is a coarse puree, about 12 pulses. Transfer half the puree to a medium bowl. Process the remaining half for 15 seconds, then combine with the coarsely pureed peas. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Transfer smashed peas to a serving dish. Stir in mint. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

SAFFRON COUSCOUS WITH FRESH PEAS AND CHIVES

Steps:

• Bring chicken broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Add peas and cook just until tender, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer peas to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons butter and saffron threads to broth and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add couscous; stir to blend. Cover tightly and let stand until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Gently mix in chives and peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer couscous to large bowl.

GLAZED FRESH PEAS AND CARROTS WITH MINT AND DILL

Steps:

• Cut a 1/2-inch piece from a carrot at an angle. Roll the carrot until the cut side faces up and cut another 1/2-inch piece at an angle. Continue rolling and cutting both carrots.
• Combine the carrots, onion, 1 tablespoon of the butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until very tender, about 10 minutes. A knife should be able to pierce through a carrot with no resistance.
• Meanwhile, combine the peas and 3 tablespoons water in a large saucepan. There should be just enough water to coat the bottom of the pan. If there isn't, add more water as needed. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the peas are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the carrot mixture and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the peas. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are glazed and bound by a thin, creamy sauce, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and top with mint and dill.

ORZO WITH FRESH PEAS AND MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the orzo in a large bowl and combine with the pesto. Fold in the peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley.

FRESH PASTA WITH CRABMEAT, PEAS AND CHILE

Steps:

• Cook fettuccine in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta.
• While pasta water comes to a boil, cook spring onions in 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, peas, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook 1 minute. Add crab and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta, lemon juice, cheese, chile, and remaining tablespoon each of oil and butter and stir to combine well, adding more cooking water to moisten if necessary. Remove from heat and stir in all but 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve pasta sprinkled with remaining parsley.
• What to drink:
• Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano '07

GREEN SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND CARROTS WITH FRESH MINT

Steps:

• Trim off and discard the tips of the peas.
• Scrape and trim the carrots. Cut the carrots into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Cut the pieces lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices (batons) about 1/4 inch wide. There should be about 1 1/2 cups.
• Bring enough water to a boil in a saucepan to cover the peas and carrots when added. Add the vegetables and cook about 4 minutes, or until they are crisp tender. Drain immediately.
• Return the peas and carrots to the saucepan. Add the butter, mint, salt and pepper. Stir and blend well. Serve immediately.

BRAISED FRESH BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH BABY TURNIPS

Steps:

• Remove the green tops from the turnips, and cut the turnips into quarters or sixths depending on size. Separate leaves from stems and discard stems; wash leaves.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3- to 4-quart shallow stovetop braiser over medium heat. Sweat onion in butter for 1 minute, until translucent. Add turnips and sweat 2 minutes, until glossy and starting to "shine."
• Run a knife through the leaves once, maybe twice, and add to the pot. Season with a healthy pinch of salt and stir until leaves are also starting to sweat and wilt.
• Add peas and 1 cup of water. Season with two large pinches of salt (restaurant-chef pinches, not home-cook pinches). Cover. Reduce heat. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
• Stir. Add 1 cup water. Add pinch salt. Re-cover. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
• Stir. Simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until beans are cooked and soft and starchy inside, turnips are cooked and water has turned grayish purple. Taste for salt and season. Let cool completely on stovetop with heat off.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow everything to meld and settle. Serve the next day, reheated over low until tepid, stirring in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to melt gently into the broth. Finish with a shower of fresh mint and ground black pepper.

ASPARAGUS, PEAS, AND RADISHES WITH FRESH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water, and line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels.
• Add asparagus to pot; cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, transfer to ice bath. Let cool completely, then transfer to prepared baking sheet and pat dry. (Wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 1 day.)
• In a large pot with a lid, heat butter over medium. Add asparagus and peas. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are heated through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in radishes and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

BASMATI RICE WITH CASHEWS, PEAS AND FRESH CORIANDER

Steps:

• In a small pan over a medium heat, bring the water to the boil; add the salt and turmeric; reduce to a simmer and cover tightly.
• In a larger - preferably heavy-based - pan, over a medium heat, heat the ghee or oil; add the yellow asafetida powder and chopped onion and stir to combine for 1-2 minutes, add the rice and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until the rice becomes whitish in colour.
• Carefully pour the simmering water into the pan containing the rice, stir briefly, and if the peas you are using are fresh, add them now; increase the heat so that the water is again boiling, then reduce to a very low heat and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Simmer the rice for 15-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender and flaky; if you are using frozen peas, add them 5 minutes before the end of this stage of the cooking; stir through the rice quickly, and replace the lid as soon as you can.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave it covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes to allow the grains to firm up.
• Fold in the cashews, chopped baby spinach leaves and chopped coriander leaves, and stir well to combine the ingredients.
• Serve hot, garnished with the remaining herbs.
• NOTES: (i) I have suggested adding the chopped baby spinach leaves in step six, as baby spinach leaves wilt very quickly once they come into contact with something like hot rice. If you would like your spinach leaves not just wilted but cooked, add them when adding the frozen peas towards the end of the cooking time in step four. (ii) The Zaar Kitchen Dictionary suggests that either garlic powder or onion powder are suitable substitutions for yellow asafetida powder.

ARAKAS (GREEK FRESH GREEN PEAS IN TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Rinse peas in cold water and drain.
• Sautee the onions in the olive oil.
• Add the tomatoes, peas, salt and the dill.
• Add the water and bring to a boil.
• Stir, cover and cook slowly for about 50 minutes.

GREEN GNOCCHI WITH PEAS AND FRESH SAGE BUTTER

Steps:

• Bake the potatoes in their skins until tender when probed with a paring knife, about 40 minutes. (Potatoes may also be boiled in their skins, then removed from the pot and slashed to release steam.) Peel the potatoes while still warm, discard the peels and weigh the flesh; you want exactly 1 pound. Force the potatoes through a ricer, food mill or medium-meshed sieve into a mixing bowl.
• Add 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup parsley, pecorino, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Mix with fingers to form a mass, then knead very briefly to make a smooth ball, just one minute or so. Be careful not to overwork the dough or the gnocchi will be tough. Make a couple of preliminary half-inch ovals and boil in well-salted water to check the texture. Let them bob to the surface and cook for about 1 minute. If they hold their shape, proceed to the next step, otherwise add a little more flour to the dough. It may require a full cup of flour.
• Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a clean counter or cutting board, roll the dough pieces into footlong logs, approximately 1 inch thick, dusting with additional flour as necessary. Cut each log into 18 to 20 gnocchi. If desired, roll each of the gnocchi over the tines of a fork to make the traditional ridged oval shape (otherwise, random small pillow shapes are fine).
• Sprinkle a baking sheet liberally with flour and line up the gnocchi in one layer, making sure they don't touch. Now sprinkle flour lightly over the top of the gnocchi and leave at room temperature, uncovered, until ready to cook. Fill a large, wide pasta pot with water. Add salt liberally and bring to a rapid boil.
• Put 2 cups of water in a small saucepan for cooking the peas and bring to a brisk simmer. Cook the peas briefly until just done, then drain. Melt the butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sage leaves and let them sizzle without browning, then turn off the heat.
• Add the gnocchi one by one to the boiling water. Carefully stir as the gnocchi begin to bob to the surface. You may do this in batches if your burner is not strong enough to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds, until tender (semolina gnocchi will take about 2 minutes), then transfer cooked gnocchi to the butter sauce using a wide skimmer.
• Add the cooked peas and a little salt and pepper and gently toss everything together with a large spoon. Pour into a warm low-sided ovenproof serving vessel. If desired, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and run under the broiler till lightly browned. Garnish with the chopped parsley and scallions. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan, and spoon some of the sage butter over each portion. Pass the pepper mill.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH FRESH PEAS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Process ricotta, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a food processor until smooth. Add flour and blend until a smooth, semi-stiff batter forms. Transfer gnocchi batter to a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms in hot oil until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer; stir in peas. Cook until peas are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil.
• Working in batches, drop spoonfuls of ricotta batter into boiling water. Bring water back to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove gnocchi to ice water to stop the cooking process, then drain and reserve. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Combine gnocchi and mushroom sauce in a saucepan and cook until heated through, 2 to 5 minutes.

FRESH PEAS A LA FRANCAISE

Steps:

• Combine peas, onions, lettuce, salt, pepper, sugar and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a bowl. Mix well and add the water.
• Place in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender.
• Meanwhile, cream together the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the flour. Add to the saucepan, stirring with a wooden spatula. Blend well. When liquid has thickened and returned to a boil, remove from heat and serve immediately.

FRESH FETTUCCINE WITH BUTTER, PEAS AND SAGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a small saucepan. Add the sage leaves and cook until they are crisp. When the butter begins to brown, add the peas and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water, cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes, drain well and toss with the remaining butter, 3/4 cup of the grated Parmesan and the pea-and-sage mixture. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

SPRING RISOTTO WITH FRESH PEAS, SHRIMP AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• 1. Cook the peas in a pot of well salted water until they are tender, about 5 minutes (longer if the peas are large). Drain and plunge the peas into a bowl of ice water. When the peas are cool, drain and set aside. 2. Heat the chicken broth in a small saucepan, season it well with salt and pepper and keep warm over low heat. 3. In another large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. 4. Turn the heat up to high and add the shrimp and garlic. Cook until the shrimp are just opaque, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside. 5. Turn the heat down to low, add the rice to the onions and garlic in the pan and stir to combine. Add about 1 cup of the hot broth and stir slowly until the broth is absorbed. Continue to add the broth 1 cup at a time, occasionally stirring slowly, letting the rice absorb the broth before adding more. 6. The rice is cooked when it is creamy on the outside and just al dente in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes total. Stir in the shrimp, half of the peas and half of the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the risotto is too thick, add a little more broth until it becomes creamy. 7. Divide the risotto among warmed serving dishes and top each serving with strips of prosciutto, the remaining peas and Parmesan cheese and garnish with the chopped parsley.