Peas with Lemon, Mint, and Scallions
A funny thing happened when I sent out this recipe to some folks for cross-testing. Everyone came back and said they loved it, but that they had tried it with frozen peas after trying it with fresh, and had better results! This was because the “fresh” peas they got from the market were large, old, and starchy. Unfortunately, fresh peas should not really be available year-round at the grocery store, as they don’t store well. We should all enjoy them in late spring and early summer when we see them at the farmers’ market, or we should grow our own, because they’re sweet, tender, and delicious. If you do see fresh peas at the grocery store, they will definitely be fresher if they are still in the shell. The rest of the year, you shouldn’t think twice about using frozen peas. And this is just the recipe to dress them up and give them a bright flavor.
These peas are the perfect Easter side dish; serve with roast leg of lamb and buttered new potatoes. Or for weeknights, serve with seared lamb rib chops and a simple rice pilaf. If you don’t have scallions, you can use an equal amount of minced shallots. You can also substitute chives for the mint. And I’ve included a variation below made with a little bit of coconut milk. Those would still be good with lamb, preferably grilled kebabs.
If you’re entertaining, you can boil the fresh peas or thaw the frozen peas ahead of time. It will take less than 10 minutes to finish them on the stove top when dinnertime comes.
Kosher salt
8 oz/225 g shelled fresh peas (about 2 cups) or frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 large scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
1/4 cup/60 ml heavy cream
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp packed finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper
1. If using fresh peas: Fill a large saucepan half full with water and 2 tsp kosher salt and bring to a boil. Drop the peas into the boiling water and cook until just tender (taste one or two), 2 minutes for smaller peas, 3 minutes for larger, older peas. Begin timing immediately; don’t wait for the water to return to a boil. Use a mesh strainer to transfer the peas to a dish towel or a few layers of paper towels to drain. Discard the water the peas were boiled in, but reserve the pot.
If using frozen peas: Put them in a colander and run cold water over them for a few minutes until they’re mostly thawed. Spread them out on a few layers of dish towels to drain.
2. Melt the butter in the reserved saucepan over low heat. Add the scallions and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream, half of the mint, the lemon zest, 1/4 tsp of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until it thickens slightly and a wooden spoon leaves a wide path when scraped across the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Add the peas and stir until they’re heated through and well coated with the sauce, 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat, taste for salt and pepper, and serve immediately, garnished with the remaining mint. Serves 3
