Herbed Peas and Carrots

Herbed Peas and Carrots
Sharon via Chow.com

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
7 medium carrots, peeled and small dice (about 3 cups)
2 medium shallots, peeled and finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup water (i used chicken broth)
1 pound frozen baby peas, thawed (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once butter foams, add carrots and shallots, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Add water and continue to cook until liquid evaporates and carrots are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add peas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and serve.

SHARON's NOTES: I didn't have shallots so I used finely minced onions and garlic. I also substituted chicken broth for water because I thought it would be better flavor

Green Pea Soup

Green Pea Soup

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, well chopped
10 sm-med cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 serrano chiles, stemmed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to serve
3 tablespoons ghee or sunflower oil
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
4 1/2 cups good-tasting vegetable stock or water
3 1/2 cups / 500 g / 18 oz shelled fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
8 fresh mint leaves, slivered
pan-fried paneed, queso fresco, or haloumi, cut into tiny cubes - optional

Use a food processor or hand blender {in a deep bowl) to puree the ginger, garlic, chiles, cumin and three tablespoons of water into a paste. You could also use a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the ghee. When hot, add the bay leaves and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the onion and cook for a few minutes, until it begins to take on a bit of color. At this point, stir in the garlic-ginger paste, and cook for another minute. Carefully add the stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Then add the peas. Simmer just until the peas are bright, and cooked through - just a couple minutes.
Remove from heat, fish out the bay leaves, add the salt, and puree well with a hand blender. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Also, if you need to thin out the soup at all, you can add more stock at this point. Serve hot topped with a bit of lemon juice, a pinch of cumin, mint leaves, and pan-fried paneer or cheese.
Serves 4 - 6.
Prep time: 7 min - Cook time: 10 min

From here. 

Peas Au Gratin

Peas Au Gratin

Ingredients

    •    1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons butter
    •    1 cup minced onions
    •    Salt
    •    Freshly ground white pepper
    •    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    •    2 cups whole milk
    •    4 cups sweet green peas, blanched
    •    1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs
    •    Essence, recipe follows
    •    4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8 cup oval gratin dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the peas and mix thoroughly.

Pour into the prepared pan. Season the bread crumbs with Essence. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the peas. Top with the grated cheese.

Place in the oven and cook until the peas are bubbly and the top is golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Spoon onto serving plates and serve.

For Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
    •    2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
    •    2 tablespoons salt
    •    2 tablespoons garlic powder
    •    1 tablespoon black pepper
    •    1 tablespoon onion powder
    •    1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
    •    1 tablespoon dried oregano
    •    1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

From here.

Peas and Prosciutto

Peas and Prosciutto
Adapted from Italian Easy: Recipes from the London River Café, by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers

The original version of this recipe calls for fresh peas, but I used frozen instead. If you choose to use frozen, I recommend buying the kind labeled “petite peas,” which tend to be smaller and sweeter. If you think of it, try to defrost them slightly before using them here. But if not, just bang the bag around on the counter to break up any big clumps.

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 spring onion or 2 scallions, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 lb. fresh or frozen peas
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
About 2 ½ ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces

Melt about half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook slowly to soften. Do not allow to brown. Add the peas, stir to combine, and then add the remaining butter. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender and sweet, about 10 minutes. Add the prosciutto, and stir to mix. Then turn off the heat, cover the skillet, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Taste, and season as needed.

Serve warm.

Yield: about 4 side-dish servings

From here.