Peas are simply perfect

IS there anything to compare to the delicate, delectable and innocently sweet taste of fresh peas popped straight from the pod?

These bursts of green, garden-tasting goodness are at their best the moment they are picked and are moreishly good when munched straight from the plant.

Being easy to sow and grow, peas are the ultimate crop for getting children interested in the veggie garden and their sugary taste makes them a perfect, nutrient-rich ‘snack’ veggie for kids of all ages to chomp.

From plain podded to edible podded, mangetout to sugar snap, dwarf (requiring little or no support) to enormously tall, there is surely a pea variety to satisfy just about everyone. They are a fantastic addition to any plot as it is nigh impossible to source fresh peas in a shop and bountiful harvests can be frozen for maximum enjoyment throughout the winter.

All parts of the pea plant are edible. Pea shoots (top growth including one set of leaves) are tender, crisp and tasty and can be harvested every 3 – 4 weeks once the plant is established.

The curling tendrils that the pea plant uses to hold on to supports make a delightful garnish and often appear on plates in Asian restaurants and trendy establishments. Pea flowers are also tasty but I wouldn’t go too mad picking these as remember, they will eventually form your peas. Pea shoots and tendrils may sound and look exotic or sophisticated, but even gardeners who can’t grow peas to maturity can grow these so it might be worth sowing a small patch of peas for shoots and tendrils alone.

The other great news is that peas not only nourish you, but will feed your garden as well by enriching the soil with nitrogen. Once you’ve chomped through your crop, don’t dig up the plants, but cut them off leaving the roots in the ground and as these rot down, they will release stored nitrogen in the soil for following crops. In short, it’s a win-win situation as peas are easy to devour and packed full of important nutrients for you and your garden. All fresh peas are a treasure and since they are only in season for the summer, if not munched raw, they should be cooked simply and savoured for their sweet freshness.

If you have more peas than you can munch fresh, it’s worth freezing them. To do this, harvest and process picked pods as quickly as possible to retain the sweetest flavour. Shell peas and sort by size. Discard any over mature and immature seeds and those damaged or injured by insects.

I don’t wash the peas first unless they are visibly dirty. Boil enough water to liberally cover the amount of peas in a pot. Have a slotted spoon to hand. When the water is at a full boil, add the peas and cook them for one and a half minutes. You do not need to wait until the water returns to a boil. Start your timer as soon as your peas go into the water. While they are blanching, fill a bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes. When your timer goes off, remove your blanched peas and place them in the cold water to stop the cooking process. Let them sit for a few minutes, drain well, bag and freeze.