Suddenly my allotment is bursting with peas. In spite of staggering the planting they all appear to have ripened at once so I now spend my evenings in the garden with a glass of wine, shelling pea after pea after pea. It’s actually quite relaxing until you come across a maggot or two. Anyway I thought this one looked so perfect it had to be photographed.
Here are a few of my recipes with peas – use fresh if you can but frozen work fine – just never ever ever use tinned
OK, so not the prettiest photos in the world. I served it up then realised I should take a few snaps. These dishes were delicious. On the plate you can just about make out pilau rice with peas and cashews, paneer in a creamy tomato sauceand spinach with potato. The recipes below should feed about 6 people
Pilau Rice with Peas and Cashews
3-4 cups basmati rice
½ stick of cinnamon
1 bay leaf
3 cardamom pods
salt to taste
2 cups of peas
50g cashews
sunflower oil – about 2 tablespoons
Wash the rice in several changes of water, then leave to soak.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the cashews until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon. Return the pan with the oil to the heat and add the cardamom, bay and cinnamon. Fry for a few seconds, then drain the rice and add to the pan. Stir so the rice is coated in the oil, then add enough water to sit about 1cm above the top of the rice. Add the peas and some salt then bring to the boil. Once the rice starts being absorbed and peaks begin to form, place a lid over the pan and switch off the heat. Leave for about 20 minutes. Just before serving, fluff the rice up and mix in the cashews.
Paneer in a Creamy Tomato Sauce
200g paneer – cubed
1 onion – chopped
1cm piece of ginger – finely chopped
2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
4-5 tomatoes – skinned and finely chopped
4 black peppercorns and 3 cardamom pods (husks removed) – crushed in pestle and mortar
150ml single cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
cayenne pepper – the amount depends on how hot you like it
sunflower oil
smallish handful of coriander – chopped
Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a pan. Add the onion and fry until the edges start to brown then add the garlic, ginger, garam masala and crushed spices. Stir briefly, then add the tomatoes and salt and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and paneer. Warm through before serving, topped with chopped coriander.
Spinach with Potatoes
8 or so smallish waxy salad potatoes (I used one from the allotment – nicola or charlotte – I forgot to label them)
250g spinach
3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
1 onion – finely chopped
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
Scrub the potatoes then boil for 10 minutes or so until almost done. Drain, remove skins, cut into 1cm dice and leave to cool.
Wash the spinach and place in a pan with the water still clinging to the leaves. Cover and heat until wilted. Squeeze out as much water as you can and chop.
Heat the oil then add the mustard seeds. When the seeds sizzle add the onion and garlic and fry until the edges begin to brown. Now add the chopped spinach and stir for 5-10 minutes until nicely cooked. Now add the potatoes, salt and garam masala. Heat for a further 5-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
This couldn’t have been fresher (except for the peas). I picked some broad beans and mint from the allotment this evening, came home and made these within half an hour of picking. Delicious even if I say so myself and inspired partly by my dinner party hosts from Saturday night and partly from Celia Brooks Brown’s recipe in The Times this week.
Good portion of Broad Beans – I think I had picked about 20 pods, each one contains 3-5 beans
Similar quantity of peas – I used frozen as my fresh ones have some way to go yet
100g feta cheese
black pepper
finely chopped mint – about a tablespoon
French bread
Boil the beans and peas for 3 minutes, drain then rinse under cold water to prevent them overcooking. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork or do as I did and get your hands in a knead well until everything mushy and well combined.
Cut some french bread or ciabatta into thin slices, toast then spread the bean mixture on top. Serve with some lemon wedges.
Delicious with pizza, or just with warmed pitta bread and feta cheese. It’s a little early in the year, but later this summer I should be able to make the whole dish with crops from the allotment. The mint and lemon juice make this particularly refreshing on a hot summer’s day. The quantities here would serve two people as a side dish.
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion (or 1 finely sliced salad onion)
handful of broad beans
handful of peas
2 medium courgettes
handful of chopped mint
juice from half a lemon
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
Get a pan of water on the boil, then add the beans and peas and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop them from overcooking.
Take a potato peeler and cut the courgettes lengthwise into thin ribbons. Place everything in a bowl, mix and leave to marinade for at least half an hour.
Serve.
There’s something about risotto. I think it is the smug feeling of eating something wonderfully creamy that doesn’t actually contain cream. Adding lots of green bits can make one feel even smugger as you feel you are eating a healthy, low fat, balanced meal – which you probably are. This one is alcohol free too but you could use a glass of white wine to replace the equivalent amount of stock.
I found a pack of frozen edamame at the back of the freezer. they work well in a risotto, either on their own or as I did here partnered by tender peas and young broad beans. As spring turns to summer so can you ditch the frozen packs of peas and beans for the real thing.
1 clove garlic – finely chopped
1 stick celery – finely chopped
2 teacups full of risotto rice – Arborio is good
1 teacup each of peas, broad beans and edamame (shelled of course)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
large knob of butter
a generous handful of fresh oregano – chopped
as much grated Parmesan as your conscience will allow – you do need a lot to give it flavour
good quality vegetable stock – Marigold Bouillon works well here – about ½ a litre
Start by placing the beans and peas in boiling water and boiling rapidly for about 3-5 minutes until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop them overcooking.
Now heat the oil in a large pan and at the same time put the stock in another pan and get it up to a simmer. Fry off the celery, garlic and herbs in the oil until soft then add the rice. Stir to coat the rice in the oil then add a ladle of stock. Keep stirring gently to massage the rice, releasing the starch. When absorbed, add another ladle full and continue this way as the rice absorbs the stock. When the rice is al dente (just soft, but with a little bite to it still) add one more ladle of hot stock, then add the beans and peas, stir, then turn off the heat. Throw in a knob of butter and a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese. Stir again then cover and leave to rest for about 5-7 minutes. This is the important part as this is what makes the risotto deliciously creamy.
Simple, quick and summery, but probably didn’t really need the mushrooms as they made it a little heavy.
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
250g asparagus – chopped into chunks
about a teacup full of frozen peas
8 mushrooms – chopped
1 dried red chili – crushed
1 clove garlic – finely chopped
Parmesan cheese
Spaghetti
Bring a pan of water to the boil then throw in the peas and asparagus and boill briefly until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them overcooking.
Cook the spaghetti as per the instructions on the pack. I haven’t put the quantity here as it depends how many you are cooking for and how hungry they are!
While the spaghetti it cooking, heat a large frying pan. Add the oil, garlic, chili and mushrooms. Fry until mushrooms tender, then add the peas and asparagus. Fry on a high heat for a couple of minutes.
Drain the spaghetti, return to the warm pan then add the vegetables from the frying pan. Stir and serve with grated Parmesan.
I haven’t made a decent curry since my friends came over back in early April so tonight I made two – Cauliflower, Potato and Cashew Nut (like an Aloo Gobi but with cashews – Aloo Cashoo Gobi perhaps) and a Pea and Paneer dish (Matar Paneer, but different to the one I made the other night). I also used half cream to make it feel healthier. Keep it simple and serve with a cucumber raita (just chop cucumber into small dice and add to a tub of natural yogurt – low fat of course and a little salt), and some warm buttery nan bread.
Cauliflower with Potatoes and Cashews
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 small cauliflower – cut into florets
2 medium potatoes – peeled and diced (the cauliflower and potatoes should be approximately the same size)
100g packet of unsalted cashew nuts
5cm piece of ginger root – finely chopped
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
Handful fresh coriander – chopped
Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan. When hot add the cauliflower and potato and cook until slightly browned. Remove from the pan, leaving the oil in there and the heat on medium. Now add the ginger and fry for 5-10 seconds, then add the cashews and fry until they start to brown. Add the cooked cauliflower and potato to the pan then the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, salt and cayenne and stir well. Pour in a little water and cover with a lid or foil if you don’t have a lid large enough. Let the curry steam for a while until the potatoes are cooked through. Sprinkle the garam masala and fresh coriander over and serve.
Peas and Paneer
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 packet paneer (about 200-250g) – cut into cubes
Frozen peas – about 500g
3cm piece of ginger – finely chopped
3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 green chilis – seeded and finely chopped
salt
150ml single or half cream
1 teaspoon garam masala
Fresh coriander – chopped
Heat the oil in a large pan. When hot add then add the cubed paneer and fry until golden on as many sides as possible. Be careful as the paneer spits when frying. Remove the paneer with a slotted spoon then fry the ginger, garlic and chili briefly before adding the peas. Fry until the peas go a nice bright green colour and have defrosted completely then lower the heat add about a teaspoon of salt, the garam masala and the paneer. Stir in a small pot of single cream and heat gently. Sprinkle the coriander over the dish just before serving.
I planted the first lot of peas a couple of weeks ago. Started them in guttering in lovely peat free compost. They are coming on a treat. Plan to transplant them to the allotment this weekend.
Here is the recipe for Matar Paneer (Peas with Indian cheese) I made a few weeks ago on my curry night.
1 medium onion – roughly chopped
2½cm piece of ginger – peeled and chopped
2 green chilis – chopped (leave the seeds in if you want some heat)
6 tablespoons oil
1 pack of paneer – about 250g – cut into cubes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 medium tomatoes – peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
About 500g shelled or frozen peas
200ml single cream
Bunch of fresh coriander
Place the onion, ginger and chili in a blender or food processor and whiz with a little water into a smooth paste.
Heat the oil in a large pot or frying pan. When hot fry the paneer on each side until browned. Take care as the paneer will spit hot oil in random directions so cover your clothes and keep your face well back.
Once browned, remove the paneer cubes from the oil with a slotted spoon and leave to one side.
In the same oil add the onion, ginger, chili mix and fry until it starts to brown (about 10 minutes). Now add the ground coriander and turmeric, the tomatoes and peas and cook for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes darken and the peas start to soften.
Now add the cream and salt then cover and simmer very gently for about 10 minutes. Lift the cover and add the paneer, cover and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Add the chopped fresh coriander just before serving.
