Recipe: Sauteed English Peas

The poor lowly pea. Usually served boiled or steamed to a mushy, flavorless state; sentenced to being pushed around the plate by miserable children who have been told they must eat their vegetables before they can leave the table. It took me several decades to realize that peas didn’t have to taste like aluminum. In fact, if you shell freshly-picked peas yourself and don’t overcook them, they can be quite delightful.

Ingredients

• 3 thin slices prosciutto or bacon
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cups of shelled English peas
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Quickly fry the prosciutto or bacon until the fat has been rendered and the meat is crisp — one to two minutes per side for prosciutto, longer for bacon.

2. Remove the pan from heat, and use tongs to remove the prosciutto from the pan. Set the prosciutto on a paper towel-lined plate and return the pan to medium heat.

3. Add the red pepper flakes to the bacon grease in the pan, then saute the peas for 3 to 4 minutes, until some of the skin begins to crisp up.

4. Crumble the prosciutto and toss together with the peas in a medium-sized serving bowl. Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

This recipe was written by Jessica Webster and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Sept. 21, 2011.