Pea Puree 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.

MINTED PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Add the water to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add the peas, fresh mint, and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the peas and mint in a colander.
• Using an immersion blender , quickly purée the peas and mint to create a smooth paste. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a food processor instead or mash the peas well with a potato masher or fork. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
• You can use the peas in rough purée form, but if you want a very fine, smooth purée, push the mixture through a fine sieve.
• Stir in the butter and chopped mint leaves (if using) until all the butter has melted and is incorporated into the purée.
• Serve minted pea purée warm alongside your favorite meat or fish dish.

PEA PUREE

Steps:

• Throw all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Done!

GREEK YELLOW SPLIT PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to six minutes. Add the split peas and enough water to cover by an inch, and bring to a boil. Skim foam off the top, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour until the beans fall apart and sink to the bottom of the pot. Stir often to prevent them from sticking. The water should cloud, and some of the split peas will be intact while others will disintegrate. Continue to simmer until they have mostly disintegrated.
• When the beans have fallen apart and are soft and fragrant, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Replace the lid and let sit for 20 minutes. If the mixture looks more like a soup than a purée, with most of the liquid on the top, place a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture into the strainer. Let sit for 10 minutes while the liquid runs through the strainer, then return the split peas to the pot. Taste and adjust salt. Moisten as desired with the broth. Add a generous amount of pepper, and whisk in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Whisking helps break down the split peas and contributes to a smooth texture. Transfer to a bowl or plate, top with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

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.