THERE’S LOTS OF... PEAS

Peas suffer two great setbacks: first, their good looks overshadow their quiet intelligence; second, their ability to pair well with other foods often makes them the supporting actor and not the star of the show. Let’s fix this and make them the brilliant star they are.

ROASTED PEA POD SUMMER BROTH, MIXED PEAS, SOBA NOODLES & YUZU OIL

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 40 MINUTES / COOKING 30 MINUTES

This simple soup has all the peas you could ever need. It can be served hot, warm or even cold on super-hot days.

600g fresh green peas in the pod 30ml neutral oil

120g green tea soba noodles

(available at Pak'nsave) 1.2 litres vegetable stock

(I use Foundation Food brand) 2 cloves garlic, bruised 3cm-piece ginger, sliced 1 tablespoon white miso 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 fresh bay leaves

100g blue pea shoots 16 snow pea pods 50g pea tendrils

30g mustard cress 50ml Lot Eight Yuzu Olive Oil

Pod the green peas and keep to one side. Toss the empty pea pods in oil and roast at 150℃ for 16-20 minutes until they appear light brown in colour.

While pea pods are roasting, bring 3 litres water to the boil and cook soba noodles for 6 minutes, then refresh under cold running water.

Put the roasted pea pods into a large pot with vegetable stock, garlic, ginger, miso, chilli flakes and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to a bare simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Strain broth into a clean pot, bring to a simmer and immerse the podded peas, blue pea shoots and snow peas and simmer for 1 minute. Season to taste with salt if desired and remove from heat.

Arrange noodles into spirals in four bowls and use a slotted spoon to scatter the barely cooked peas over the noodles. Divide the hot broth evenly between bowls, garnish with pea tendrils and mustard cress, drizzle with yuzu oil and serve immediately.

GIVE THESE A GO…

Green pea ice cream Simmer 250g fresh green peas for 4 minutes until tender. Strain and blitz in a food processor until smooth. Put 500ml cream into a steel bowl with 235ml evaporated milk and 150g sugar. Place bowl over a tub of ice cubes and insert as deep as possible to chill. Beat for 7-8 minutes with an electric beater. Fold through the green pea purée. Put the bowl into the freezer for 90 minutes. Remove from the freezer and beat again for 2-3 minutes. Return to the freezer for at least 4 hours.

Snow pea tempura Put one cup each of flour and cornflour into a bowl. Add 2 egg yolks and stir with a chopstick to form a clumpy mass. Add 2½ cups ice-cold water and continue to stir until almost all the lumps are gone. Toss 300g snow peas in 1 tablespoon flour and dip into the batter. Heat oil to 170℃ then fry peas in batches for 2 minutes and drain on absorbent paper. Season with flaky salt and serve with mayonnaise and fresh lemon.

Pea tendril & green tea oil Place 75g each of pea tendrils and flat-leafed parsley into a tall blender with 1 tablespoon green tea leaves. Add 300ml neutral oil and blend on high for 5 minutes. Pour into a small saucepan and place over moderate heat for 3-4 minutes until it begins to bubble or reaches 100℃. Remove from heat immediately and strain through a coffee filter into a clean bowl. Store in a small jar in the fridge and use in a dressing or as a drizzle in soups.

Pea shoot, chicken & preserved lemon salad Slice 200g cooked chicken breast and place into a large bowl. Add the finely sliced peel from 1 preserved lemon. Add 300g cooked, sliced baby potatoes. Add 200g pea tendrils and 100g watercress sprigs. Add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons sour cream. Gently toss all ingredients together and season to taste with salt. Garnish with fresh seasonal herbs.