Peas Two Ways

Going purely on feeling, as I discussed here, peas are clearly something I was made to eat. There may be no other vegetable that so fills me with energy, clarity, hope and resolve. After just a few spoonfuls I can feel my body enjoying their high protein content as well as all of the other great stuff that nutritionists may never fully catalog.

To cook peas I simply follow the "don't screw it up" model. If I have pure ingredients, which I generally define as local, seasonal, and organic, I like to prepare them as simply as possible to best showcase the raw talent of that particular food. I can't for the life of me remember where I read this, but someone once said something like "20 strokes in the garden for every one in the kitchen." With that in mind I shelled these peas, very briefly steamed them, then tossed them in butter with a pinch of salt. The shells are in the freezer, awaiting Clotilde's preparation for pea pod soup.



Pea greens are equally satisfying to me and perhaps my favorite "green," though I guess that's kind of cheating. For these I snap off the tougher tendrils then quickly sauté in butter. Cooking fresh veggies in butter follows my "one thing good for you, one thing bad" doctrine, which I consider the foundation of a satisfying, well-balanced meal.

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Recipe: Fresh Peas in Butter

Peas
Butter

Shell the peas. Steam the peas. Toss in butter.