Earlier this week I wrote about having Mushy Peas for Saint George’s Day, and I decided to take my own advice and whip some up for dinner. B.O.B. Bob and I have been eating Easter leftovers for the majority of the week, as well as snacking on some wonderful food that my “Second Husband” Joey dropped by on Easter Sunday. (Joey became my “Second Husband” when he stayed with us one summer off and on, and I ended up spending so much time hanging out with him in the evenings.) Joey goes to Pennsylvania almost every weekend, and stops by DeLallo Italian Marketplace to stock up on groceries before coming back to Virginia. This time he picked up some bacon, pepperoni rolls, wild cherry gummy bears, and roasted red pepper bread for us. He also gave us two pounds of garlic bacon, which is pretty darn amazing.
By the time Wednesday came around, I was looking for something different to have for dinner. I decided to cook up all of the garlic bacon, which I store in the freezer for quick-fix meals. Cooking two pounds of bacon in the oven takes quite a bit of time. It takes even more time when you accidentally pour the rendered bacon fat all over the stove, oven, and kitchen floor. Thank God Brenna was nowhere around, although now that spot on the floor is one of her favorite places in the house. I’m pretty sure I cleaned everything up as well as possible, but there must still be a hint of bacon that is attracting her, because she can’t stop rolling around on the floor like a pig in mud, or should I say a cat in bacon?
Thanks to Saint George’s Day and Joey, I made these amazing Mushy Peas. I’m just starting to get back into peas after many years of avoiding them, and I can’t think of a better recipe to enjoy them in. I’d be more than happy to sit down and eat these alone, with absolutely nothing else at all, but they also taste amazing served up on top of some toasted roasted red pepper bread, and topped with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan. There’s just one problem; Brenna won’t quit staring at me while I’m enjoying them, as she rolls from side to side around the kitchen floor.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Small Shallot, Finely Minced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
- 1 (16-oz.) Bag Frozen Sweet Peas
- 1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Mint, Finely Chopped
- 4 Slices Bacon, Cooked
Directions:
- Sauté the butter and minced shallot in a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and then cook for 1 minute.
- Add the frozen peas and vinegar, and then cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cream, salt, and pepper, and then cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the entire mixture from the heat, and place in a large mixing bowl with the fresh mint.
- Mash the peas with a potato masher or using a large fork.
- Crumble the bacon, and then fold it into the pea mixture.
Suggestions:
- If you prefer your peas even mushier, put them in boiling water for three minutes before using them in this recipe. You can also place the cooked pea mixture into a food processor, before adding the crumbled bacon, for a creamier texture.
- Try using fresh peas in this recipe if they are in season.
- Serve as a side dish with fried fish or on top of garlic bread.
Improvements:
- Add a bit of freshly grated nutmeg when adding the cream to the peas.
- Grate some fresh Parmesan over the peas before serving.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Small Shallot, Finely Minced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
- 1 (16-oz.) Bag Frozen Sweet Peas
- 1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Mint, Finely Chopped
- 4 Slices Bacon, Cooked
Directions:
- Sauté the butter and minced shallot in a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and then cook for 1 minute.
- Add the frozen peas and vinegar, and then cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cream, salt, and pepper, and then cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the entire mixture from the heat, and place in a large mixing bowl with the fresh mint.
- Mash the peas with a potato masher or using a large fork.
- Crumble the bacon, and then fold it into the pea mixture.
ORIGINALLY POSTED 04/25/2014
