Fourth of July Peas
Down East, in New England, it used to be a matter of pride to have
enough fresh green peas from the garden ready to serve on the Fourth of
July, along with poached fresh salmon. Peas go very well with fish, and
with almost everything else as well.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
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3 pounds young peas in the pod, shelled
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1 bunch (6 to 8) green onions (scallions), white and as much dark green
as is crisp, thinly sliced
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1 tablespoon butter
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4 large lettuce leaves, halved or shredded
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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1/4 cup heavy cream
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, or more to taste
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In a large saucepan, combine the peas, green onions, butter, and
lettuce. Add enough water to just begin to show through the top layer
of peas.
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Season well with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low
heat until tender but not mushy, 10 to 12 minutes. Uncover.
-
Stir in the
cream, increase the heat to medium, and boil until the liquid reduces
to a few tablespoons, about 2 minutes.
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Serve this Simple Fourth of July
Peas Cooking Recipes very hot garnished with
the mint.
Note: Old-fashioned cooks used to toss several well-washed empty pea
pods into the saucepan with the peas. They were removed before serving
the dish. I have tried this and find it does emphasize the pea flavor
slightly, and they are very pretty in the pot.
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