Cook and Drink

Field Peas (Pisum sativum subsp. Arvense, Austrian winter pea, Kapucijner in Dutch or Blaue Speiseerbse in German) are well known as dried or canned peas. Typical winter-food. The season for fresh Field Peas is relatively short (6 weeks in June and July) so we were happy to buy them earlier this week, for a reasonable price. Last year they were incredibly expensive because of a very poor harvest. Ask your greengrocer for Field Peas and explore another forgotten vegetable. One that has been around for over 7000 years!

Fresh Field Peas are tasty, sometimes a bit dry and should be eaten young. Best is to combine them with rich flavours and butter or oil. We could imagine adding Satureja to a dish with Field Peas. We combined the peas with bacon and served them with Boudin Blanc and mustard.

Wine Pairing

A not too complex red wine will be great with the rich flavours of this dish. We enjoyed a glass of Rioja made by Campo Viejo. The wine is made with tempranillo grapes. It’s an aromatic, fairly bold, dry red wine with pleasant tannins. 

What You Need

• 500 grams of fresh Field Peas
• Olive Oil
• 100 grams of Bacon
• Black Pepper
• (optional) Boudin Blanc and French mustard

What You Do

1. Shell the peas
2. Cook or steam the peas 5 minutes or until al dente
3. Drain and let cool
4. Add olive oil to a warm heavy iron skillet
5. Add peas and bacon to the pan and fry on medium heat for 10 minutes
6. Stir to combine the flavours
7. In parallel fry the boudin blanc
8. Add black pepper and serve with French mustard