Non-Slip Peas

Few people these days serve peas at a dinner party, which is a great pity. They have such a wonderful flavor and the color is so deep and vibrant, that you would think they would be first choice as a vegetable.

I think the problem arises from the fact that they are not that easy to eat gracefully. They have a tendency to end up on the table, the floor and even your neighbor’s plate if your knife happens to slip tackling a stubborn piece of meat.

There is a way round this, which is to make a kind of soubise on which you present the meat itself. This works particularly well with lamb slices or chicken breast. This is what you do:

Using frozen peas, cook them for around 5 minutes in a cup of chicken stock, adding three or four chopped mint leaves. Fresh peas will take 10 minutes.

At the end of this time drain the peas but reserve the cooking liquid. Add a good knob of butter to the peas and crush them using a potato masher. Make a thorough job of this. You should have no whole peas left at the end of it.

Now, over a medium heat, whisk the cooking liquid back into the peas, a little at a time, so that the peas absorb as much as possible. You might not use it all, that doesn’t matter. You should end up with a sort of paste which still looks just like crushed peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peas to individual plates, making a bed on which you will place the meat.

This is not just a very attractive way of presenting your meat, it’s also packed with flavor and nutrition. What’s more, you can even make it the day before and reheat when you need it. It will hold its color providing the peas are not cooked for too long.

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