Peas a perfect pairing for Earth Day

Green is the color of spring and the awareness we should all be practicing to save our valuable natural resources.

Tomorrow (April 22) is Earth Day, and it seems we are taking more steps backward than forward when it comes to protecting our planet. Earth Day was launched in 1970 to raise awareness that we all have a role in protecting the environment.

I can remember the gas lines in the early 1970s when drivers could only buy gas on odd or even days, depending on the last number of their license plates. Volkswagen Beetles were popular back then because they were efficient and did not guzzle gas. Today they are seen as cute “retro” cars, although I imagine they get a lot more miles to the gallon than many new cars today. Why anyone needs to drive a Hummer for home use is beyond me.

I’ll get off my soapbox for now and back into the kitchen in honor of Earth Day and all things green.

Peas come to mind when I think of spring.

I recently planted four different varieties in my garden, but it will be a while before the first shoots pop up and a while still, probably mid-June, until the first peas come in.

(That’s Victor Ramirez of Tivoli picking peas for Migliorelli Farm in Red Hook in the 2004 photo to the right, taken by the Journal’s Karl Rabe.)

That’s why I always keep a bag of frozen peas in the freezer. Their bright green color and taste are great any time of year, especially when you’re waiting for the first fresh ones of the season.

I love to use peas in a pesto cream sauce with cheese tortellini. It’s a quick meal to make when I don’t want to give too much thought to “what’s for dinner” or in the case of this past weekend, when my husband and I were tired from working long hours in the garden and yard but still wanted something good and comforting for dinner.

Along with the peas, there are bags of pesto and tortellini in my freezer, ready to roll. Heavy cream and imported Parmesan and Reggiano are standard items in the fridge, so all I had to do was put a big pot of water on to boil and get those peas simmering in a little olive oil.

Here’s a quick recipe to make Cheese Tortellini with Pesto Cream Sauce and Peas.

And here is a link I posted last year to another one of my favorite ways to serve up peas: Fresh Pea Salad (you might want to wait for the harvest for this one, but frozen peas will work just fine).

I am also going to list two other recipes using peas from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park.

This gem of a resource always has delicious recipes for whatever season or special occasion it might be. Earth Day was the impetus for the Thai Fresh Pea Soup and Asparagus with Shiitakes, Bowtie Pasta and Spring Peas.

Click here for the link to a video demonstration by the CIA on how to prepare the pea soup.

So if you don’t have a bag of frozen peas in your freezer, stock up now. Don’t try to substitute canned peas, because they just don’t cut it.

And remember to take along a reusable bag when you go shopping and leave the plastic behind — one more step we can all take to be a little more “green.”

(Peas and pesto make a great sauce for tortellini)

1. 1 pound bag of good quality frozen, or fresh, cheese tortellini

Put a large pot of water on to boil

• In the meantime, drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet.
• Add a couple tablespoons of pesto to the pan (more or less to taste).
• Add 2 cups frozen peas.
• Reduce heat and let the peas thaw a bit.
• Turn the heat back up and add a pint of heavy cream.
• Let the cream come to a near boil and allow to reduce in pan.

(Let the peas simmer in olive oil a bit before adding the cream for the sauce)

• When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
• Drain and add to pesto cream sauce.
• Let the tortellini cook a bit in the sauce, then turn off the heat and add a big handful of grated Parmesan.
• Stir and serve right away.

(Toasted mustard seeds and fresh mint top the CIA’s Thai Fresh Pea Soup/Ben Fink photo)

Serves 8

1. 6 cups vegetable broth, plus as needed
2. 1 cup chopped onions
3. 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
4. 2 teaspoons green curry paste
5. 8 cups shelled peas (thawed if using frozen)
6. Salt and pepper as needed
7. 1 teaspoon lightly toasted mustard seeds
8. 1/4 cup chopped mint

• Add about 1/2 cup of the broth to a soup pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and curry paste. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the peas, cover the soup, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

• Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool for at least 10 minutes before pureeing with a handheld blender. Strain the soup through a sieve and reserve the liquid if you are using a countertop blender or food processor. Add the solids to the blender jar or food processor bowl; do not overfill. Add a little of the liquid, replace the cover (without the vent from the lid or feed tube), and puree until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary to help puree the solids. Transfer the pureed soup to a clean pot. Continue until all of the solids are pureed. Blend the soup and adjust the consistency by adding some of the remaining reserved liquid. (The soup is ready to finish now or it can be cooled and stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.)

• Return the soup to a simmer over low heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the soup in heated bowls, garnished with the toasted mustard seeds and chopped mint.

Nutrition analysis per 11-ounce serving: 140 calories, 8g protein, 26g carbohydrate, 1g fat, 860mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 8g fiber.

(Snap peas and frozen peas are used in this pasta salad recipe from the CIA/Ben Fink photo)

Serves 8

1. 3 pounds asparagus, peeled and trimmed
2. 3 tablespoons olive oil
3. Salt and pepper as needed
4. 1 cup snow peas
5. 1 cup sugar snap peas
6. 2 cups frozen green peas
7. 2 cups dried bowtie pasta
8. 1 tablespoon butter
9. 3 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
10. 3 tablespoons minced shallots
11. 3 tablespoons chopped marjoram
12. 2 bunches scallions, split lengthwise, thinly sliced
13. Parmesan, shaved, to taste

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil to blanch the peas and a large pot of salted water to boil to cook the pasta. Preheat the broiler.
• Toss the asparagus with the oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Place in a baking pan under the broiler, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Slice the asparagus on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces and reserve.
• Cook each type of pea separately in the boiling water until almost tender, about 2 minutes each. Remove them from the water using a slotted spoon or small strainer and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and reserve. (The vegetables can be prepared in advance and held in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.)
• Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender to the bite, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well, reserving some of the pasta water to adjust the consistency of the dish.
• Heat the butter in a sauté pan until it begins to turn brown. Add the shiitakes and shallots and sauté until they are light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the asparagus, green peas, snow peas, sugar snap peas, marjoram, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Sauté, stirring or tossing, until the vegetables are thoroughly heated, about 3 minutes. Add the hot pasta and toss the pasta with the cooked vegetables and scallions until evenly blended. Add a little of the pasta water to moisten the dish if necessary. Serve on heated plates and top with shaved Parmesan.

Nutrition analysis per 12-ounce serving: 370 calories, 23g protein, 52g carbohydrate, 9g fat, 430mg sodium, 5mg cholesterol, 14g fiber.

Do you have a favorite recipe using peas? If so, send it along by posting it here or e-mail me at bfarrell@poughkeepsiejournal.com.

Peas a perfect pairing for Earth Day is a post from: Dish 'n' That