3 ways with a bag of peas

Katerina Pavlakis written by

Your instant dinner guarantee

Keeping a bag (or two) of green peas in the freezer is a guarantee of an instant wholesome meal.

And no, I don't mean that boring bowl of grey looking peas nobody wants to eat: Green peas can be a super flexible starting point to go off in all sorts of flavoursome directions, in a matter of minutes!

Here are my favourite 3 ways with a bag of peas, for those in-between days I can't be bothered to cook, or any other kind of emergency meal.

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Greek style: with onions, tomato and garlic

• chop onions, soften in olive oil
• add fresh or tinned tomatoes, simmer for a few minutes
• add frozen peas and chopped garlic.
• add salt, and a few herbs (parsley, oregano, dill...)
• simmer for a few more minutes until peas have softened (this happens real quick even from frozen!)

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French style: with spring onion, carrots and butter

• finely chop carrots (or make shavings with a potato peeler)
• chop spring onions (or shallots, or just onions)
• soften both in a bit of butter mixed with olive oil (gives you the buttery taste but stops butter from burning)
• add frozen peas, salt, and some herbs (parsley, mint, dill...)
• if you have any chunky lettuce like gem or romaine, add some too!
• simmer until just softened (only a few minutes usually!)
• finish off with more butter, or a dash of cream (or a dash of soy sauce - not French, I know, but delicious!). 
• you might need a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar to brighten the sweetness.

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Mediterranean style: with olives and feta cheese

• chop onions, soften in olive oil
• chop up some olives
• add peas and olives and check for salt (take into account the saltiness of the olives), simmer until just softened
• crumble over feta cheese, goats cheese or ricotta.
• finish with some herbs (parsley, dill, mint...)

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We often have peas, one way or another, just on their own, perhaps with some boiled potatoes or a tin of sardines. 

You can also add cooked chicken, ham, a hard boiled egg or tofu for more substance, and obviously serve the peas as a side to something bigger to.

The same approach also works with green beans or broad beans, fresh or frozen.

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And of course, just throwing a couple of handfuls of frozen peas into anything (rice, pasta, soups & stews, even pot noodles!) will add a touch of fresh green wholesomeness with zero effort!

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Note: Larger 'garden peas' rather than the tiny 'petit pois' are better suited to bolder flavours (use whatever you have though!)

Categories: COOK