This side dish is a great accompaniment to lamb. As a child of New Zealand, I feel it is my patriotic duty to eat as much lamb as possible. Just as well I love it so much. If you’re not quite such a lamb fanatic, this is also wonderful with roast chicken or chicken thighs baked in the oven with a few handfuls of herbs. I really enjoy cooking with pea shoots. Not only do they look pretty, they are also very intensely flavoured. I find them a little greener and less sweet than the peas.
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Ingredients
- fresh or frozen peas 450g
- Extra virgin olive oil 1tbsp
- Spring onions 3, cut into 5mm slices
- unsalted butter 40g
- tender pea shoots (or small watercress sprigs, or a mix of both) 250g
- mint leaves (a small bunch) 20g, coarsely chopped if large
- Salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Bring a large heavy pan of salted water to the boil. Add the peas and cook until they are just tender – about 3 minutes. (If using frozen peas, they will only need 1 minute.) Drain and rinse under cold water.
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Step 2
Return the pan to the heat and add the oil. Add the spring onions and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the peas, cover and cook for 1 minute, or until heated through. Stir in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, then add the pea shoots and stir until wilted.
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Step 3
Remove from the heat, stir in the mint and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pan-fried or grilled lamb chops or roast chicken.