Pureed Peas

This is an easy thing to do with peas, especially ones that are fresh and tasty but perhaps a tad overmature. It's amazing; skip one day of picking and the peas go from miniscule to musclebound in just 48 hours. Also, even though they are available all summer, they really don't love hot, dry weather and the quality may suffer a bit as a result. You'll never notice if you use this recipe. And of course it also works just fine with tiny, perfect peas.

2 servings
10 minutes prep time - plus time to shell the peas


2 cups shelled peas
1 or 2 clove of garlic
a little mild vegetable oil
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon butter

Shell the peas, and put them in a pot with water to barely cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the garlic. Slice the garlic and sauté it in a little oil until lightly browned and fragrant. Put the garlic, salt and butter into a blender or food processor.

When the peas are ready, lift them into the blender or food processor using a slotted spoon (i.e. drain them, but save the cooking water.) Purée until very smooth. Add a little of the cooking water if necessary to loosen the mixture. Scrape out and serve at once.





Last year at this time I made Pattypan Squash Stuffed with Corn & Cheese.