Garden update: English Peas

Garden update
This past Sunday we planted:

Bell peppers - green California Wonder bell peppers, and a color mix of yellow Canary peppers, red Autumn peppers, orange peppers, and purple peppers (about 70 plants)

Tomatoes - Early Girl, Rutgers, and some Better Boy tomatoes (about 30 plants). We still have many more Big Boy and Better Boy tomatoes to plant.

Beans - Earliserve green bush beans. In another month we'll plant some more bush and pole beans

Okra - Clemson spineless variety.We're going to wait a few more days to plant the cucumber seeds. We're also prepping a place to grow Sugar Baby Watermelons on trellises.

The broccoli plants are doing well. The onions are several inches high - we'll have green onions very soon. The cabbage plant doesn't look well at all - I think its bed has just been too damp.

The herbs are really taking off - I made a tomato sauce last night with fresh basil and flat parsley... it was fantastic! The strawberry plants are doing well, too - we're already seeing green berries.

Our raspberry bushes have leafed out and are looking great. Our blueberries have also bloomed. The peach tree is full of leaves and the apple tree has a lot of buds.

And the English peas are just beginning to bloom. We'll have peas very soon. I can hardly wait.

I think I know the reason Fr. Gregor Mendel did his genetic research with Pisum sativum. Who wouldn't love these plants! They're easy to grow, they're aesthetically charming (both the vines and the blossoms), and they're delicious. I wish I'd been there along with Mendel as he worked with his over 28,000 pea plants, trying to unravel the mysteries of genetics.

There is nothing like fresh English peas. The ones from a can are just awful. Frozen ones are good if you treat them well. But peas fresh out of the garden have no equal.

There's a reason that you can't find fresh peas in the produce section of your grocery store (and rarely at your farmer's market): peas deteriorate quickly. When you pick peas out of your garden, you better be ready to either cook 'em or freeze 'em. Don't let them sit around because that flavor and quality fades fast.

If you are lucky enough to grow or otherwise get your hands on some fresh peas, here are a few ways you can enjoy them...

Piselli Alla Napoletana (Peas Braised in Tomato)

1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
1/3 cup water
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 1/2 cups green peas
1/4 tsp. salt

In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste with the water. Stir to dissolve.

In a heavy, medium, nonreactive saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat.
Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add the peas, salt and the diluted tomato paste and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook until the peas are very tender, about 15 minutes.
Uncover, increase the heat to high and boil vigorously until almost all the liquid
has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve at once.

Spring Pea Salad

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
1 small shallot or green onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
cups green peas, blanched (if fresh) or thawed (if frozen)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

In a medium bowl, combine the mint, shallot, zest, oil, salt, and pepper. Add the peas and goat cheese and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.

Sweet Pea Soup

5 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white parts only
5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
5 cups fresh or frozen peas
3/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
croutons, optional for garnish

Heat butter in Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add leeks; saute until soft, 4-5 minutes.

Add flour, stirring until dissolved. Add broth; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Stir in peas; reduce heat and simmer, 10-15 minutes.

Puree in a blender. Stir in cream; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons, if desired and serve.