WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Most cooks boil peas until tender in salted water. However, this method doesn’t really add anything in the way of flavor to the peas. When developing this recipe, we wanted to find a method for cooking and flavoring the peas at the same time, and we found that simply simmering the peas right in a sauce allowed them to quickly absorb the sauce’s flavor. To intensify the sweetness of the peas, we added a small amount of sugar. Pulsing the cooked peas, lettuce, and mint in a food processor until coarsely mashed produced a delicious dish with a pleasing texture. Do not thaw the peas before adding them to the saucepan. Be careful not to overprocess the peas; they can quickly go from smashed to pureed.
SERVES:4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound frozen peas
- 2 cups chopped Boston or Bibb lettuce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring peas, lettuce, broth, mint, butter, and sugar to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Cover and cook until peas are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to food processor and pulse until coarsely mashed, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
