Latest news with #peas
Telegraph
23-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Six ways to transform frozen peas into easy feasts – and even a cake
The emeralds of the vegetable world are easily the most useful frozen vegetable. What's more, because peas are frozen so quickly after picking, they retain their flavour, texture, colour and nutritional value. In my humble opinion, frozen is best. Unless, of course, you're able to pick them straight from the garden immediately before cooking, while they're still tender and sweet. The fresh peas that grace supermarket shelves are usually too old to compare favourably to their frozen counterparts. There are generally two types of frozen pea that you'll find in the shops: garden peas and petit pois. Garden peas are the classic choice, picked at their peak to give a delightfully sweet, green, tender sphere. They're podded and graded, with the best ones being selected for freezing. They then travel through a tunnel and are cryogenically frozen using liquid nitrogen to freeze them individually and quickly. Petits pois can be a separate cultivar or they can be the same variety of pea as those sold as garden peas but, as the name suggests to those who have studied a little French, they are smaller. This is because they're picked earlier, before full maturity, which gives a sweeter flavour and a more tender skin. They're frozen in the same way as garden peas. It's easy to relegate peas to simply a veg spooned on the side of a main meal, but they really are incredibly versatile. They also don't have to be merely stirred through a dish as an afterthought. Easy to whizz into a smooth purée, they can make a simple sauce more animated; or blitz them briefly to incorporate into cakes and other bakes. Mashing also works nicely (you can crush them with your fingers, which I find super-satisfying) as an alternative to finely chopping or to break them down a little – this isn't always necessary but I find they sometimes combine better with other ingredients this way. That said, when in their full spherical form, there's something satisfying about biting through them; the texture and the flavour really make the pea one of the best vegetables out there. While peas aren't always the lead ingredient in a recipe, much like Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love, Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada and Octavia Spencer in The Help, they do have the ability to steal the show even though they're supporting a bigger star. It's why I love them; you know they'll always bring something to the party.
Telegraph
18-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Ricotta, pea and pesto tart
One of the recipes from my first book, The Tinned Tomatoes Cookbook, that drew people in was the tomato, cheddar and pesto tart – it's incredibly simple to make and such a crowd-pleaser. This is a similar dish, though a completely different flavour and a much fresher vibe thanks to the peas and lemon. Overview Prep time 15 mins Cook time 35 mins Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 1 x 320g packet ready-rolled puff pastry 150-200g frozen peas 250g ricotta 1 egg Zest and juice of ½ lemon 4 tbsp Genovese basil pesto Method Step Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Step Unroll 1 x 320g packet ready-rolled puff pastry and lay it on a non-stick baking tray. Score along each side of the pastry, around 3cm in from the edges, to create a border – take care not to cut all the way through the pastry. Prick inside the border all over with a fork. Step Bake in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown and puffed up. Step While the pastry cooks, tip 150g peas into a heatproof bowl – if you'd like to scatter some whole peas over the top for decoration, use 200g. Pour freshly boiled water over the peas and leave for 2 minutes to defrost, and then drain. Step Put 150g of the peas, 175g of the ricotta, 1 egg, and the zest and juice of ½ lemon into a blender with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Step Pulse until combined and the peas have broken down a little – you can go as chunky as you like here. Step Remove the pastry from the oven and, using a spoon or fork, push down the puffed pastry inside the border to create a pastry case. Step Spread the pea and ricotta mixture over the centre of the pastry case – it's easier to start from the outside and work your way in. Return the tart to the hot oven for 8 minutes.
Arab News
12-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Ukrainian pea prices may rise amid expected exports to China, producers say
KYIV: Prices for Ukrainian peas may rise significantly by mid-summer on the back of expected significant supplies to China, which opened its market to Ukrainian peas this spring, Ukrainian producers union UAC said on Thursday. Farmers sowed 250,000 hectares of peas in 2025 compared with 212,000 hectares in 2024, farm ministry data shows. 'China has opened its market, and a significant part of the peas will probably go there,' UAC said in a statement. UAC said an increase in demand could push pea prices up to as much as 16,000 hryvnias ($385.33) per metric ton ex works (EXW) in late summer against the current 14,000 hryvnias. The farm ministry has said pea production in Ukraine could increase to 476,000 metric tons in the 2025/26 July-June season from 409,000 tons in 2024/25. Ukraine exports its peas mostly to Turkiye, India, Italy, Malaysia, the ministry said.
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Peas with onions and lettuce
This dish is similar to the French classic petits pois à la française, in which peas are gently cooked with baby onions – or shallots – and lettuce. If you're used to plain, boiled peas, preparing them in this way gives them a whole new lease of life. It's also a fantastic use for frozen peas. I've served this alongside a mixed grill, but it pairs beautifully with almost any meat or fish and makes a wonderful accompaniment to a Sunday roast. Overview Prep time 10 mins Cook time 15 mins Serves 5 Ingredients 300-350g fresh or frozen peas (podded weight) 75g butter 2 tsp sugar 200g silverskin onions, or bulbous spring onions (the green tops removed and saved for another recipe) 2 little gem lettuces, leaves separated Method Step Put 300-350g fresh or frozen peas into a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Step Add 25g butter, season well and add 2 tsp sugar. Bring back to the boil and cook on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes (2 minutes only for frozen peas), or until tender. Step Strain the peas over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid, then refresh the peas under cold running water and set aside in a separate bowl. Step Put 200g silverskin onions or spring onions in the pan and pour just enough of the pea cooking liquid back into the pan to cover them. Step Boil rapidly until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add 50g butter and 2 little gem lettuces. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes, until it just starts to wilt, before mixing in the peas. Season again, if necessary.
The Guardian
07-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Pasta and pesto, broth and dumplings, pancakes and chutney: Ravinder Bhogal's pea recipes
My earliest memory of kitchen duties is sitting on a stool in our courtyard in Kenya with a sack of peas that was bigger than me. I spent hours coaxing them from their pods, munching as I went; the result was a red plastic bucket brimming with peas like gleaming green marbles. As with asparagus, they have a short season, so grab them while you can: throw them whole into salads, broths and curries, or grind them down and use their starchy goodness to make pestos, pancakes and fritters. Peas, broth and bread dumplings (pictured above) These herbal dumplings are made from the sturdiness of stale bread, cheese and sweet peas. I've used pecorino, but you could use parmesan or a hard goat's cheese instead. Prep 20 min Cook 35 min Serves 4 For the dumplings 30g butter 1 leek, white part only, washed and very finely chopped 1 large egg, beaten 250g stale sourdough, torn into small pieces Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 50g pecorino 1 heaped tbsp plain flour 125g podded fresh peas, or defrosted frozen peas, coarsely ground 2 tbsp chopped tarragon 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, plus extra to serve Sea salt and black pepper 1-2 tbsp milk For the broth 1 litre chicken stock, or vegetable stock 200g peas, fresh or frozen 1 tbsp olive oil (optional) 100g guanciale or pancetta, cubed (optional) Juice of ½ lemon Melt the butter in a frying pan, then gently saute the leek until soft but not coloured, then take off the heat and leave to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all the remaining dumpling ingredients apart from the milk, then add the cooled leek and season. Add enough of the milk to make a soft dough, then, with wet hands, form the mix into ping-pong ball-sized dumplings and refrigerate. Pour the stock into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the dumplings, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, adding the peas for the last minute of cooking. If you're using the guanciale, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, fry the cubed meat for five to six minutes, until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Season the broth to taste and squeeze in the lemon juice. Divide the dumplings and peas between four soup bowls, ladle the broth over the top, add the guanciale, if using, and serve with extra parsley. Pea and mung bean cheelas with fried eggs and coriander chutney Ravinder Bhogal's pea and mung bean cheelas. I regularly make these for breakfast or lunch; you could use spinach or any other greens instead, or cooked beetroot for vibrant purple pancakes. Prep 15 min Soak 6 hr+ Cook 35 min Makes 8 100g whole mung beans 200g podded fresh peas, or frozen and defrosted peas 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 green chilli, finely chopped 1 handful coriander, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds Sea salt, to taste Coconut oil, or avocado oil Fried eggs, to serve For the coriander coconut chutney 100g coriander, stalks and all, roughly chopped 100g grated coconut (you can buy this frozen) 1 green chilli, roughly chopped Juice of 1 juicy lime ½ tsp caster sugar 2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped Rinse the mung beans well, cover with double the amount of water and leave to soak for at least six hours, or overnight. To make the chutney, put the coriander, coconut, green chilli, lime juice, sugar, salt to taste, ginger and 100ml ice-cold water in a blender, and blitz smooth. To make the cheelas, put the peas, ginger, chilli, coriander and a splash of water in a food processor and blitz smooth. Drain the mung beans, add them to the pea mix with the cumin seeds and sea salt to taste, and blend again. Add roughly 100ml water and blend until the mix has the pouring consistency of crepe batter. To cook, lightly oil a cast-iron or nonstick frying pan and put it on a low-medium heat. Pour a ladleful of batter into the centre of the pan and, using the back of the ladle, circle and spread the batter to make a thin pancake. Drizzle a little oil around the sides and in the centre of the cheela, then cook on both sides for two to three minutes, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate, and repeat with the remaining batter, cooling the pan with a splash of cold water before making the next cheela. Serve with fried eggs and the chutney. Trofie with pea and lemon pesto Ravinder Bhogal's trofie with pea and lemon pesto. This makes a wonderfully bright pesto that is also excellent with grilled fish such as trout. Prep 10 min Cook 20 min Serves 4 Sea salt and black pepper 100g basil 25g mint, picked 250g podded fresh peas, or frozen and defrosted 1 fat garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 30g pine nuts, toasted 30g pecorino or parmesan, grated, plus extra for sprinkling Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 60ml extra-virgin olive oil 250g trofie , or other pasta shape of your choice 1 handful pea shoots (optional) Bring a large pan of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, put the basil, mint, half the peas, the garlic, pine nuts, cheese, lemon juice and zest into a blender, season and whizz to a puree. With the motor still running, slowly drizzle in the oil until it's all incorporated and you have a vibrant pea paste. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, adding the remaining peas for the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Stir the pesto and a little pasta cooking water through the hot pasta and peas, then add the pea shoots, if using. Divide between four bowls and serve sprinkled with more grated pecorino or parmesan.
