- Amanda
How do we create recipes? Here's how: Merrill reads The Dirty Life, in which the author, Kristin Kimball, mentions a dish of peas, milk, butter, salt and pepper. She tells me about the dish. I am desperate to come up with a recipe for my weekly blog post. I'd been wanting to recreate wasabi peas; nothing would deter me. Well, except for a little self-doubt. Merrill convinces me to make the milk peas as back-up. She's very sensible, that Merrill.
I attempt the wasabi peas. Turns out that when you deep-fry peas, they turn into jet-propelled firebombs. Sarah, our photographer, climbs up onto the counter to escape the shelling. I creep along the floor to turn off the burner. The wasabi peas are a miserable failure. (Although my wood floor does get a nice oiling out of it.)
Milk peas it will be! I consult with Merrill about the amount of milk (just enough to barely cover the peas, we decide), about the butter (do a pat, don't measure!), whether or not to add lemon zest (yes). I scribble down a few notes. The peas are simmered in the milk, spooned into a bowl, topped with enough milk to pool around the base, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon zest, and crowned with a sliver of butter.
Thus, milk peas, a dish evocative of the days when a pat of butter solved everything, are born.
Milk Peas
Serves 4
- 2 1/2 cups fresh peas
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Salt
- 4 pats unsalted butter
- Freshly grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper
See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
-
amanda
Before starting FOOD52 with Merrill, I was a food writer and editor at the New York Times. I've written several books, including "Cooking for Mr. Latte" and "The Essential New York Times Cookbook." I played myself in "Julie & Julia" -- hope you didn't blink, or you may have missed the scene! I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Tad, and twins, Walker and Addie.
Some past articles from this author you'll love:
Amanda's Beat Up Baking Sheet
Friday Night Dinner Party I
Advice for Future Food Writers
8 Comments on Milk Peas:
Except my mother would have used Milkman instant milk and margarine.
This sounds similar to something I once read too. Forget where. I love peas - fresh or frozen. right now I have a big bag of snap peas in my refrigerator - we've been eating them every day or so. So good. I am going to try this. Normally I either steam them and then top with butter, salt and pepper OR I stir-fry with garlic and ginger. This sounds good. Thanks Amanda. Sorry the Wasabi Peas didn't work out. I would love to figure that out myself.
Yum! Never thought about doing this with peas. This is how my family always made lima beans.
Lovely steps to follow to 'attempt' a bowl of wasabi peas but 'nothng ventured, nothing ......'
I remember reading a story by Maya Angelou or Terry Macmillan where the author recounted a hot summer's day and mentioned mushy peas simmered with a touch of brown sugar and a drop of vinegar or something along those lines. I've been making it that way since....even if I've forgotten the source.
I do like Milk peas.
If only someone had snapped the winning photos: the photographer cowering on the counter, the cook on hands and knees advancing towards the stove.
Thank you for making me laugh about your pea firebombs, had I been sampling the other pea dish when reading your blog, i bet milk would have shot out of my nose I guffawed so hard! Of course I am only laughing WITH you, because i have had my share of culinary disasters. But really, we want to see the evidence--we laugh with our eyes first (and hearts next!) ;)
Fabulous image, lorigoldsby! I'm with you.
I want to see a slideshow of the wasabi pea attempt ...
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