Peas Please!
From the desk of Chef Todd Heberlein
Growing up surrounded by farms in rural New Jersey, you can bet I had an opinion about peas…
I hated them.
But hear me out loyal reader- for some reason we only ate frozen peas, and they were always overcooked (sorry Mom). We never had the little beauties even though they were growing just a stone’s throw away.
Luckily, I have changed my ways. Fresh picked peas are amazing, raw or cooked. And just like our asparagus, Al Volante would walk around and have everyone try some, still warm from the sun. Nowadays, Teri has taken on this rite of spring. She went around the farm the other day, beaming from ear to ear, making sure we all tried the first pick of these little prizes in pods. It’s this enthusiasm that got so many of us to bring home a bag that evening and eat them like popcorn. (I’m sure Al is beaming as well).
So what to do with them? Well, just put them in EVERYTHING!!! They really don’t require much fuss. Simply steamed, they are perfect in salads, soups, stews, and sauteed. Better yet, just a bit of butter with salt and pepper. Another tip: shuck and freeze them. Then enjoy during the long winter months.
I’m always excited to get each new crop and treat it like an adventure. These days, my favorite way to enjoy them is in a pesto. Lightly blanched and just added to a basic pesto recipe is easy and satisfying. When we can, we use our garlic scapes or green garlic instead of regular garlic. You can find this on page 32 in the VF Cookbook. Just the other night I mixed pea pesto, Sweet Basil pasta, and some torn pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto. Simple and good.
So VFF’s (Volante Farms Friends), grab a bag of fresh peas, sit on the porch with the family, and enjoy a moment stopped in time.
-VF Chef
For more of Chef Todd’s musings, follow him on social media @vf_chef. While you’re at it, follow @volantefarms for new products, updates, and farm happenings!
Sweet Pea and Garlic Scape Pesto, The Volante Farms Cookbook: A Century of Growing, page 32
