Sweet peas, please

Spring and peas go together like, well, late summer and corn.

For gardeners, the sweet crunchy legumes are one of the first bountiful bits of produce that make themselves available (following the early spinach and lettuces).

For cooks, spring peas are the main ingredient in any number of creamy and vibrantly hued dishes.

Mark Niedhammer, who is the classified ads manager here at The Lakeville Journal Co., suggests shelling fresh peas and then steaming them until they’re just warm enough to melt butter. Although, he confesses, at this time of the year the peas are so snappy and enticing that very few of them make it into the steamer basket; most of them get eaten as he shells them.

Marsden Epworth, editor of the Compass arts and entertainment section, suggests trying a recipe she saw Jacques Pépin make once, on television. He steamed the shelled peas over a little water, then whirled them in a food processor with a whisper of sugar and a little olive oil (butter is good, too), and then mashed them through  a sieve (or a chinoise, if one is at hand).

In addition to being seasonal and looking as cute as, well, peas in a pod, these summery legumes are also a good source of all sorts of odd vitamins and minerals. Of course, they have a bunch of cancer-fighting vitamin C. But they are also loaded with vitamin K, which helps your blood clot properly, and manganese, which protects your bones and nerves and helps keep your blood sugar at a healthy level.

Peas provide about a third of your daily dose of folic acid (which, in addition to being essential for pregnant women, is also extremely good for your cardio vascular system). And they have, of course, lots of fiber, which helps regulate your digestion in addition to also keeping blood sugar at a healthy level.

If mashed peas don’t appeal to your palate, consider this recipe from the website finecooking.com. (But keep in mind that popular bumper sticker: Imagine Whirled Peas.)

Pea and mint soup

Adapted from Annie Wayte, Fine Food

Serves four to six

2 tablespoons unsalted butter;  1/2 cup coarsely chopped shallots;  1 teaspoon mincedgarlic;  4 cups fresh shelled peas (3-1/2 to 4 pounds unshelled);   2 cups chicken broth;  1/2 cup chopped fresh mint;  Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper;  1/2 cup heavy cream;   Finely grated zest of half of a medium lemon

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until both are very soft. Don’t let them brown. Add the peas, broth, half of the mint and two cups of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper (chances are that you’ll need a lot). You might need to add some sugar, too, if the peas don’t seem sweet.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer vigorously until the peas are very tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

In batches, purée the soup in a food processor until smooth.  Whip the heavy cream until it holds a soft peak. Fold in the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup hot or cold, in bowls, topped with the lemon cream and some chopped mint.

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