Sweet peas in Mallorca

It’s probably true to say that the taste and texture of fresh peas has almost been forgotten in these times of convenience and frozen foods. Most people can’t even remember the last time they tasted sweet, fresh peas straight from the pod and most of us rely solely on the frozen or, worse still, the tinned ones that sit in a fowl-smelling, awful tasting, cloudy liquid. I’m a big fan of fresh peas and early spring is the best time to enjoy them. OK, I know it’s a fiddly, time consuming job to shell and peel them, but the difference is enormous, and they are definitely worth all the extra effort. They are high vitamin C and are a good source of fibre and phosphorus making them really good energy foods.

When you are buying peas in the pod, bear in mind that the sugar that makes them so exquisite begins to turn into starch as soon as they're picked. So only choose pods that look plump and eat them the day you buy them. In an ideal world, peas would barely leave the garden - they should be picked there and eaten there, with as little time away from the kitchen as possible. Lightly blanched, they retain their bright green hue and develop a more tender bite, perfect for pasta dishes, risottos, and stir-fries.

Fresh peas are also wonderful when braised with lettuce, stirred into pasta carbonara or mixed with couscous or quinoa. They make perfect partners for both fish and meat and you can cook them with almonds, artichokes, fennel, mushrooms or baby onions and flavour them with anything from mint, rosemary, and sage to savoury or thyme. I love fresh peas in a risotto with smoked bacon, Serrano ham or chorizo. Peas also make for a great soup, and it can also be served hot or cold. You can flavour the soup with mint or rosemary and fresh lemongrass that adds a little lift and an amazing aroma to the finished soup. This week I’m cooking a simple recipe of peas with fresh scallops…absolutely delicious and a marriage made in heaven!

My fish fingers & chips with mushy peas

Ingredients: serves 4

• 4 fillets of white fish (such as cod or hake)
• 100g flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 150ml cold beer (lager works well)
• Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Mushy Peas:

• 250g peas (fresh or frozen)
• 3 mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1tbsp crème fraiche
• 25g butter
• Salt flakes & pepper

For the chips:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chips
• Salt, to taste
• Malt vinegar, for serving

Prepare the Chips:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Place the potato chips in a large bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. This helps remove excess starch and ensures crispier chips.
3. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 160°C (325°F).
5. Fry the potato chips in batches until they are just starting to turn golden brown, about 5-6 minutes per batch.
6. Remove the chips from the oil and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
7. Increase the oil temperature to 190°C (375°F).
8. Return the partially fried chips to the hot oil in batches and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
9. Once done, remove the chips from the oil and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
10. Season the chips with salt while they're still hot and keep them warm in the preheated oven until ready to serve.

Prepare the Fish:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper.
2. Slowly pour in the cold beer while whisking continuously until you have a smooth batter. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 180°C (350°F).
4. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and cut into strips. Lightly season them with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, for the mushy peas, cook the peas in a pan of boiling, salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until just tender. Strain the peas over a bowl to catch the liquid, then transfer them to a blender. Add the crème fraîche and fresh mint and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a little cooking if the puree is too thick.
6. Dip each fillet into the batter, coating it completely.
7. Carefully place the battered fish fillets into the hot oil, cooking in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
8. Fry the fish for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.
9. Once cooked, remove the fish from the oil and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
10. Serve the hot, crispy fish fingers and chips with malt vinegar, mushy peas and tartare sauce on the side for dipping.

Pan-fried scallops with fresh pea, lime & mint soup

Ingredients:​ serves 4

• 12 ​large scallops
• 1 bunch of spring onions (finely chopped)
• 50g ​butter
• 2​ small potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 litre​ vegetable stock
• 2 ​lemongrass sticks (finely chopped)
• 900g ​fresh peas, shelled
• 150ml crème fraiche
• Juice of 2 limes
• 4 tbsp chopped mint
• Seasoning

Method

1. Cook the spring onions in the butter in a heavy saucepan over a gentle heat until tender. Do not allow to colour. Add the diced potatoes and stir to mix. Pour in the stock; bring to the boil and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes.
2. Add the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the crème fraiche, lime juice and mint leaves.
3. Season to taste and liquidise the soup in a food processor until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve.
4. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and fry the scallops until golden brown. Turnover and finish cooking on the other side. Season the scallops and divide them between four warm soup bowls. Garnish with some fresh pea shoots and serve with the fresh pea, lime & mint soup.

Fresh pea and smoked bacon risotto

Ingredients:​ Serves 4

• 300g​ risotto rice (arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano)
• 1.5 litres ​chicken stock
• 250g​ frozen peas
• 2 Medium onions (finely chopped)
• 2 Garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1tspn ​Fresh thyme
• 100g​ smoked bacon lardons
• 100g​ butter
• 75g​ freshly grated Parmesan
• 1tbsp ​Mascarpone cheese
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 200g ​fresh peas (cooked and shelled)
• ​Seasoning

Method

1. Bring the chicken stock and frozen peas to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place in a liquidizer and blend to a puree. Pass through a fine sieve and season to taste.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the smoked bacon, chopped onion, crushed garlic and fresh thyme. Cook gently and allow the onion to soften without colouring. Add the rice and stir to coat well. Increase the heat and add a large ladleful of pea stock. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the liquid has been absorbed.
3. Add more stock and continue to stir until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice has softened.
4. Add the fresh peas, mascarpone and season to taste. Stir in the olive oil, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and your risotto is ready to serve.