English Pea Purée Recipes

PEA PUREE

Steps:

• Fill a pan with cold water and throw in the clove of garlic. Bring to the boil and then add salt and the peas. Cook until tender, drain, and put into a food processor, or blender, and add the creme fraiche, cheese, and dried mint. Puree the peas until knobbly and check the seasoning, adding salt if you need to. Tip the pureed peas into a bowl (or back in the pan is probably a better idea) and cover to keep them warm.

ENGLISH PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Heat oil, butter, chile, and mint in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Stir in peas and sugar; cook until peas are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Discard chile and mint sprig. Transfer pea mixture to processor and puree until almost smooth (some texture should remain). Season puree to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let puree stand at room temperature. Rewarm in microwave oven on high about 2 minutes.)
• *A small, bright red chile that's available at some supermarkets and specialty foods stores and at Latin markets.

PAN SEARED GROUPER WITH ENGLISH PEA PUREE, CHANTERELLES, SUNCHOKES AND RAINBOW CARROTS AND MINNEOLA BUERRE BLANC

Steps:

• For the pea puree: Blanch the peas in boiling salted water until bright green, then drain, shock in ice water, then drain again. Cook the leeks and shallots in the clarified butter until translucent, then add the peas until warmed. Put the pea mixture in the blender, add the mascarpone and blend until smooth (the amount of cheese could vary depending on desired consistency). Chill puree until ready to serve.
• For the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the carrots with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, covered, on a baking sheet until tender. Let cool, and then dice. Peel the sunchokes, placing them in water so they do not discolor. Slice, drain and saute over medium heat in clarified butter until tender, and then chill.
• For the grouper: Turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees F. Heat a saute pan until hot, then add clarified butter and heat until hot. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, then sear the pretty side of the fish until begins to brown, then transfer to the oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Do not flip or move fish. Remove the pan and add the whole butter, garlic and thyme.
• For the beurre blanc: Meanwhile, combine the wine, shallots, orange juice and thyme in a saucepan and cook until reduced by 95 percent (almost 1 tablespoon liquid remaining). Remove from the heat and whisk in the chilled butter to combine. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
• To serve: Preheat a saute pan. Saute the mushrooms in some clarified butter. Add the other vegetables and warm, adding a small amount of stock if needed to prevent the vegetables drying out.
• Baste the fish with the melted butter and pan drippings. Arrange with buerre blanc on the bottom, then vegetables, then grouper, and garnish with pea puree.

SAFFRON CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ENGLISH PEA PURéE, PEA SHOOTS, AND MINT

Steps:

• Stir saffron threads in dry skillet over medium-low heat just until brittle and slightly darkened, being careful not to burn saffron, about 20 seconds. Transfer saffron to mortar and grind with pestle to fine powder. Mix butter and half of ground saffron in small bowl to blend; cover and refrigerate. Add 2 tablespoons oil to remaining saffron in mortar, scraping sides and bottom of mortar with rubber spatula to blend well.
• Place chicken breasts in large bowl. Add saffron oil, parsley, lemon peel, and 2 teaspoons thyme leaves; toss to coat chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add 3 chicken breasts to each skillet, skin side down. Cook until skin is deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; reduce heat to medium and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to platter; cover and keep warm.
• Add white parts of green onions and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme to one skillet; sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add saffron butter, pea shoots, green parts of green onions, and 1 tablespoon water; stir until pea shoots are barely wilted, about 10 seconds. Remove from heat; stir in mint and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide English Pea Puree among 6 plates. Top with chicken. Spoon pea shoots mixture and juices over and serve.

SMASHED MINTED PEAS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat and sizzle the shallot for 5 mins until soft. Add the stock and peas, and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 mins until the peas are soft.
• Roughly mash the pea mixture with a potato masher, or, if you prefer a smoother texture, purée with a hand blender. (It's best to leave some of the peas whole or roughly crushed for texture.) Season to taste and stir through the mint leaves just before serving.