Sweet peas are gently cooked with spring onion and a little stock, then folded with soft lettuce and fresh mint for a classic warm side.
Ingredients
- 400g, fresh or frozen Peas
- 1 large, about 200g Little Gem lettuce
- 3, thinly sliced Spring onions
- 25g Butter
- 100ml Vegetable stock
- 12 leaves, finely sliced Fresh mint
- 1/4 tsp, plus to taste Fine salt
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper
Method
- Trim the spring onions and slice them thinly. Separate the lettuce leaves, wash and dry them, then slice crossways into broad ribbons.
- Melt the butter in a lidded saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Add the peas, vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the peas are tender but still bright green.
- Uncover and fold in the lettuce ribbons. Cook for 1–2 minutes, turning gently, just until wilted; do not simmer them until grey or limp.
- Remove from the heat, stir through the sliced mint and taste for seasoning. Serve warm with a little of the buttery cooking liquid.
Allotment tip
Add the lettuce at the end and cook it only until just wilted; this keeps its colour and leaves the peas as the focus.