MUSHY PEAS AU FROMAGE
I was first introduced to mushy peas many moons ago at a bar in Merseyside, England; served as a condiment with my fish and chips. I adored them and have since tried, and made, many variants of this emerald delicacy. The traditional way, of course, is marrowfat peas soaked in bicarb, rinsed and simmered in water with sugar and salt till a thick, frothy, mash forms. This recipe, however, strays from English convention using ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano and crème fraiche—then topped with a trickling of garlic-infused oil from my Rapid Roasted Garlic Confit.
PREP/COOK TIME: 30 Minutes
Makes 1 – 2 Servings
INGREDIENTS
12 Oz – Frozen Green Peas
3 Tbs – Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1 Tbs – Pecorino Romano Cheese, Grated; ½ Cup Shaved for Garnish
1 Tbs – Crème Fraiche
1 Tsp, and a Pinch – Kosher Salt
½ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper
3 Tbs – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 – 5 Large Cloves of Garlic, Peeled and Halved
THE NITTY GRITTY
RAPID ROASTED GARLIC CONFIT/GARLIC-INFUSED OIL – In a small pot, warm oil at high heat. Add garlic; reduce heat to medium low and simmer till garlic is fragrant and golden. Set aside till serving.
MUSHY PEAS – In a medium pot, bring to a boil 1 cup of water, with a pinch of salt, at high heat. Add peas and cook, covered, for about 2 – 3 minutes. Drain peas using a sieve; returning peas back to pot. Add ricotta cheese and mash peas with a potato masher, or the back of a fork, till desired texture. Add Pecorino Romano, crème fraiche and 1 tsp of salt; stir to combine.
Garnish peas with roasted garlic halves, black pepper, a drizzling of garlic-infused oil and shavings of more Pecorino Romano.
I love serving alongside pan-seared scallops or broiled salmon, even buttery-garlicky sautéed shrimp, but, nothing ap-PEAS-es me more than a heaping bowl of this verdant scrumptiousness accompanied with some fried slices of day-old baguette; seasoned with sea salt and herbs.
NOVEMBER 9, 2018
