Shellin' peas

16 years ago

It's been a few years since I have shelled peas. My mother loved peas and it seems to me that they were nearly always available in the store even if they were done in the garden.

It was my job to shell the peas, even though I didn't like to eat them. My mother "romanced" the task and I was opening the zipper and popping the little baby peas out of their bed.

Yesterday I found a guy on the corner with a card table selling fresh peas out of the trunk of his car....so I bought a box.

I had in mind to make creamed peas and new potatoes....but somehow with the home made chicken broth, it morphed into a creamed pea and potato soup with chopped chives, dill and bacon crumbles.

It took me a few tries to get into the zen of shelling peas....I had forgotten about the zipper and how to hold my thumb to pop the peas out of the pod, but soon got into it, and the soup was wonderful!!

Do you love fresh peas? Did you sit on the back step and shell them as a child? And what's your favorite thing to do with fresh garden peas?

Linda C

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Comments (13)

wizardnm
16 years ago
I remember helping my DM shell peas. Good memories and they tasted so good, I'd eat the little bitty ones raw. Still do!

We have 20 pounds of fresh peas on order, picking up next week.

Most will get blanched and put into the freezer. Some will become Creamed New Peas and Potatoes if I can buy some new baby potatoes at the same time. My favorite.

Nancy
plllog
16 years ago
I LOVE peas! We get some huge English peas sometimes. The pods tend to be thin at that point, so rather than pulling the zipper, I just tear them in half and let the peas roll out. These big peas are great stirred into a melange or a sauce at the last minute so they blanch, and they're great raw out of the pod, or scattered in a salad.

I remember shelling petit pois as a child, and thinking pulling the string was fun, but our back step wasn't good for sitting. I think I sat in the breakfast room with a big pink Rubbermaid batter bowl.
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I grow several varieties, but they mostly look all a like except a few varieties that have a bigger sized pea. Last year, I had some giant peas and they were twice the diameter as comapred to the others. The pods were much larger too, but you still only got a few per pod. I blanch mine and wipe dry. Then spread on a big sheet pan in the freezer. After an hour or som I bag them, Two years ago I filled nearly two gallon bags. This year it will be less this time as many didn't even sprout even after a second planting. We had really wet weather and I think many died before they sprouted on the surface. I will plant another batch in mid August, as on Labor day things get quite cool here, which peas seem to like better. Last year, one variety had many tendrils and very few leaves, and the pods were tiny. Tjs strain was supplosed to grow better in warmer weather, but I didn't see any indication that they were worth growing again. I simply blanch and freeze like I do lima beans. They last up to two years in my freezer. When I want to cook some, they go in a covered corningware dish in the microwave for about 3-4 minutes, with NO water added. They cook in their own moisture and I only add a bit of margerine to them when they are cooked. I don't dry any as it seems that you can find these fairly cheaply, already dried. Limas are hard to find in supermarkets, so they get their own area for growing. I am also growing yellow wax beans again this year. I like their taste moreso as opposed to green beans. Peas do not grow well in the heat of summer, so very early, or very late plantings are recommended.
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annie1992
16 years ago
Oh yeah, I love fresh peas. I never manage to have enough to cook, though, I just shell 'em and eat 'em.

Grandma used to make creamed peas and new potatoes and I liked that too, but my very favorite is just shelled and eaten raw, as a snack.

Annie
centralcacyclist
16 years ago
The farmer's market had a vendor with fresh peas the other day but I already had a big sack of snap peas. But his were far better. He let us taste some. Next time...
caliloo
16 years ago
I hate to admit this...... I've never had fresh peas. I will have to look for them.

Alexa
moosemac
16 years ago
Shelling peas are a staple in our house. I plant a spring and fall crop and freeze the excess. I spend hours shelling peas but they are worth it. When I was a child on 4th of July we always had peas and baby potatoes from Dad's garden and fresh Atlantic Salmon Dad had caught.

Favorite way to prepare fresh shelled peas is to gently saute them in a little butter until just cooked so they pop when you bite into them .
lpinkmountain
16 years ago
Peas are sort of like homegrown tomatoes and corn on the cob. The longer the peas sit around after being picked, the more their sugars convert to starch. The best are homegrown and next best is at a farm market where the peas are growing out back.

I think I am going to get some this weekend if I can find them. I'm not sure what to make. My favorites for frozen peas are risi e bisi, and peas and pancetta with pasta. I haven't had creamed peas and potatoes, just pea and potato salad. How do you "cream" them, steam them and then add cream?
annie1992
16 years ago
Laurie, Grandma always steamed the potatoes and peas, and added a cream sauce, like this (I'm at work and don't have my own recipe, but this is very close).

CREAMED PEAS & NEW POTATOES
1 lb. whole tiny new potatoes
1 1/2 c. shelled peas or loose-pack frozen peas
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 c. milk

Scrub potatoes; cut any large potatoes in half. If desired, remove a narrow strip of peel from around the center of each potato. In a medium saucepan cook potatoes in a small amount of boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Add peas and cook 5 to 10 minutes more or until tender. Drain.
In a medium saucepan cook onion in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Stir in potatoes and peas; heat through. Season to taste.

Serves 4.

I suppose you could use leftover potatoes or peas, or even cook them in the microwave...

Annie
ruthanna_gw
16 years ago
I like fresh peas too. I agree with lpink about the freshness factor and wouldn't bother buying fresh peas from a grocery store.

Our co-op bought 25 lbs. last week from a local farmer so we got about 3 lbs. I shell them by pulling the bottom of the pods apart instead doing it from the top.

My favorite way to eat them is cooked for just a few minutes and served with chopped mint. We like risi e bisi and fresh pea soup made with chicken broth and part of the peas pureed and part whole. I used to make them creamed with new potatoes but somehow got tired of that over the years.

I also make pea pesto with parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and mint and olive oil. It still retains an intensely pea-ish flavon when frozen and we use it as a sauce for pasta, a spread for pita bread, or stuffing for cherry tomatoes.
annie1992
16 years ago
ruthanna, I saw your "pea pesto" on the WFD thread and meant to ask for the recipe, I don't care for traditional pesto very much, but I love peas, so I'll bet I'd like your version with the peas.

Annie
plllog
16 years ago
I dunno...the peas I got from the store are awfully good... I'm not saying that they're better than y'all's homegrown, but I think we have better stores than a lot of you folks. I know when I've travelled I've been shocked at some of the poor quality produce I've seen in some grocery stores along the way. One advantage of buying produce at the store is that one can choose only the pods one likes, and leave behind any that don't suit. :)
lpinkmountain
16 years ago
Remember Pllog, you live in CA. If I buy fresh peas out of season here in the PA store, they have likely come from CA on a two day truck trip. Even in season, depends on the quality of the supermarket produce section, and most aren't that particular in their sourcing. I'm not saying supermarket peas aren't good, but there is just no comparison to farm or garden fresh.
Y'all are so lucky in CA! Don't get me started on your DOUBLE strawberry season!
wizardnm
16 years ago
Ipink, you are so right. I know that at my local grocery store the produce is only basic and poor quality.
I've never even seen fresh shell peas offered. The closest store to me that might have decent fresh produce is a 45 minute drive. I go there when I can...

Plllog, you are lucky!

Nancy

Shellin' peas

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wizardnm

plllog

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