Mushy Peas by Linda Reilly
Thank you for the invitation to Mystery
Lovers’ Kitchen! When Peg Cochran first asked me if I would like to do a guest
post, my immediate thought was: achh . . . I’ve got to start thinking about
recipes for my first Deep Fried mystery!
Since the culinary focus of book one (as yet unnamed) will be fish and
chips, I’ve chosen to post the recipe for a side dish typically served in the
UK with fish and chips—mushy peas.
I began seeking out the perfect
recipe—something flavorsome and yet uncomplicated. I learned that in the UK
mushy peas are traditionally made from dried marrowfat peas that are soaked
overnight with baking soda, then rinsed and drained and simmered for another 30
minutes or so. Interestingly, dried marrowfat peas are nearly impossible to
find in the USA. After a little more internet research, I discovered a
wonderful recipe published by Irish American Mom (www.irishamericanmom.com) that didn’t require overnight soaking, and could be
prepared using conventional peas. For my needs, it was perfect.
For ease of preparation, and since
fresh peas are not always readily available, I tweaked her recipe by
substituting frozen peas for fresh ones. Instead of melting the butter I
softened it for about 15 seconds in the microwave. (I love the creamy
consistency of softened butter.) The result was a delicious side dish that is
sure to please everyone, even the pickiest of eaters. And while it makes the
perfect accompaniment to crispy fried fish and chips, I can easily picture this
tasty side served with roast chicken or turkey.
Ingredients:
·
14 ounces frozen peas (not the petite
kind – you want more pulp than skins)
·
4 to 5 tablespoons softened unsalted
butter
·
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
·
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
·
Boil or microwave the peas according to
the package directions.
·
Drain and place in a bowl.
·
Add the softened butter, heavy cream,
and salt and pepper to taste (about ¼ teaspoon of each works nicely).
·
With a potato masher, “mush” the peas
until you have the perfect texture.
Gather your ingredients |
Add butter |
"Mush" your peas |
Ah, another Massachusetts sleuth! I'll have to send my heroine Meg Corey over for lunch some day.
ReplyDeleteI've seen tins of mushy peas in Irish markets, but the name is a bit unappealing. You certainly make it sound easy to do it yourself. And yours comes out such a pretty color!
Sheila, Talia would love to have Meg join her for lunch one day! While plain old peas are unappealing to some, this recipe is both fun and easy, and might be a good way to persuade kids to eat their veggies.
DeleteJust finished Golden Malicious . . . loved it! What a great ending.
Welcome to the Kitchen, Linda, and I hope you'll cook for us again. My husband did a double-take when he saw your recipe. Turns out his mother made it all the time. She called it "mashed peas" and often added a scrambled egg topping. Think I will have to make this recipe for him in the near future. Congratulations on your new contract, and I wish you every success.
ReplyDelete~ Cleo
Cleo, thanks so much for the warm welcome and kind wishes. I think that a topping of scrambled eggs would make this a quick and nutritious meal in itself! Hope your hubby enjoys the recipe . . . perhaps on Thanksgiving?
DeleteLinda, thanks so much for joining us today! I have an English friend who waxes poetic about Mushy Peas so I plan to try this! We love peas no matter what, and I think this will be a fun change of pace.
ReplyDeletePeg, thank you again for the invitation to guest blog. I'm learning that the English truly do love their mushy peas. Some recipes call for lemon and mint, but I like this one better. What's not to love about butter and heavy cream? Now if only they could figure out a way to remove the calories . . .
DeleteWelcome, Linda! We'll be looking forward to some of your fried recipes in the future. I have to agree with Sheila that the name mushy peas isn't exactly appealing. They look delicious in your photos, though. Obviously, I've been missing out on something yummy!
ReplyDeleteKrista
Thanks for the welcome, Krista. I'm excited about the prospect of conjuring up some creative things to "deep fry," especially desserts. Right now I'm thinking about deep fried marble cake with raspberry sauce. Looking forward to reading Murder, She Barked!
DeleteGlad to have you here with us at MLK, Linda. What a nifty recipe. I've read about mushy peas for years, but didn't think they would be this appealing. How nice to have something new to try!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your new series. Sounds like great fun!
MJ
Thank you, MJ! I'm thrilled to be guest blogging on MLK today. I think the beauty of the mushy peas recipe is its simplicity -- it can be whipped up at the last minute with very little effort. I'm glad you enjoyed the post, MJ!
ReplyDelete