~ Herbs on Saturday ~
Petits Pois à la Française
with Mint
Saturday 13th August 2011
Samedi 13 Août 2011 ~ St. Hippolyte
Mint
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| Mint ~ Photo from Herb Expert co uk |
One of my favourite herbs and the most versatile in the old fashioned herb garden is MINT ~ and not just for mint sauce with roast lamb either……
I love fresh mint leaves in Pimms and iced tea ~ it is also delicious when added to peas and broad beans (Lima beans) as well as teas, tisanes, salads, dips and rubs, and it adds a shaft of freshness to any recipe. I remember my mum asking me to pop outside when I was little and pick bunches of mint on Sunday, so she could then make the ubiquitous accompaniment to roast lamb ~ mint sauce; and to this day when I smell the combination of freshly chopped mint, sugar and vinegar it is redolent of happy family lunches with mum watching her Yorkshire puddings warily, just to make sure they rose high enough, after all she had the whole family at the table including her mother whose Yorkshire’s were legendary!
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| Mint Tisane with Lemon Verbena |
I harvest my mint every year and hang it up to dry ~ as soon as it is dry, I crumble it and store it in airtight jars and pots for the winter months as my mint plants get a little straggly throughout the cold months ~ dried mint is great when chucked into a pot of boiling potatoes or carrots, it’s a really useful dried herb to have in the kitchen, especially when used in Mediterranean and North African dishes, as well as British of course. I could have picked from a plethora of mint recipes to share today, but this is a firm favourite of ours ~ a classic French dish and one that is easy to make but with excellent results on the taste and looks front.
A little more info’ about Mint……from Herb Expert co uk
Mint is a delicious tasting herb that is used for a variety of dishes. It is traditionally made into a mint sauce to be used as an accompaniment to roast lamb. Its leaves may also be used fresh and mixed into all sorts of vegetable, fish and meat dishes and also used to flavour drinks, such as a delicious mint tea or the Cuban Mojito cocktail. Mint can also be chopped and added to sweet dishes, such as fruit salad.
Mint is said to stimulate stomach bile and therefore aid digestion. So an after-dinner mint will help you digest your meal as well as freshen your breath after eating.
Spearmint:
Spearmint has traditional uses as a medicinal herb. It was commonly used to whiten teeth and soothe bites and stings. It is the most common variety of mint used in cooking and brings a sweet, refreshing taste to savoury dishes such as lamb and peas and also fruit salads and chocolate.
Peppermint:
Peppermint provides the most widely used essential oil in medicines. It is more often used to enhance the flavour of sweet dishes and is the most popular variety of mint to be chopped and used to make a refreshing cup of tea.
Japanese Mint:
Japanese mint is used in Asian cooking, such as Thai and Chinese dishes.
Mint is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking such as kebabs, sprinkled over flat-breads, even in juices and teas.
Mint is a delicious herb that has many and varied uses in the kitchen. It is regularly used in British cooking, for example as an accompaniment to roast lamb or mixed with freshly podded peas and broad beans. Mint is a great herb for use in sweet dishes and can be added to fruit salads, ice cream or whipped into a sweet pesto to serve with chocolate. It has roots in Middle Eastern cooking and is often blended into juices, used as an accompaniment to kebabs and flat-breads as well as being chopped and infused in water to make a refreshing tea.
Mint is a fantastic herb to grow in the garden. It is easy to grow and emits a wonderful scent when you brush past it. It can be used in a variety of dishes including roast lamb and salads and goes well with freshly podded peas.
Mint is a hardy perennial and a voracious grower. It will do well in both sunny and shady parts of the garden. It will also thrive in pots; in fact if you have a small garden it is recommended that you grow mint in a pot to prevent it from spreading and taking over the other herbs.
Varieties of Mint:
There are three main varieties of mint that people grow in their gardens: Pennyroyal mint – the most common type of mint.
There are three main varieties of mint that people grow in their gardens: Pennyroyal mint – the most common type of mint.
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| Pennyroyal |
Peppermint – with a distinct cool peppermint flavour.
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| Peppermint |
Spearmint – traditionally used in mint sauces. As it happens those are the three types if mint that I grow in my garden!
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| Spearmint |
This recipe is wonderful with lamb of course, but also with chicken, duck, game and pork…..it makes an attractive and elegant accompaniment and is a bit of change from the usual plain old boiled or steamed peas.
Petits Pois à la Française
(French Style Peas)
A delicious combination of peas, onions and lettuce which are gently poached in a buttery sauce with crème fraîche and vegetable stock; this classic French recipe is a wonderful way to serve tender little peas, petits pois. This recipe makes a delightful accompaniment to any type of main meal, and adds a real splash of colour. I have stated fresh OR frozen peas in the recipe – frozen peas can be used to great effect out of season. In the absence of small silver-skin onions, spring onions (green onions) can be used, making this a very versatile recipe to serve throughout the year. Cut back on the butter if you are on a low fat diet – the taste will be less rich, but just as delicious.
INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces (50g) butter
16 small white pearl onions (green onions) or 4 spring onions, chopped ( green onions)
1 small iceberg lettuce, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1/4 pint (150ml) vegetable stock
1 lb (450g) fresh peas, weight after being podded or 1 lb (450g) frozen peas
2 tablespoons of crème fraîche
small bunch of fresh mint
METHOD:
- Gently heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions and lettuce. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onions and lettuce soft but not coloured. If the pan gets too hot just add a little vegetable stock.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and add the caster sugar, bring to the boil and continue to cook on a fast boil for a further 3 minutes. Taste and season with a salt and black pepper.
- Add the fresh or frozen peas to the stock with the onions and lettuce. Cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes for the fresh peas or 5 minutes for the frozen peas – or until they are cooked through, but NOT mushy or too soft; they should still retain their vibrant green colour and have a “bite” to them.
- Just before the end of the cooking time – add the crème fraîche and gently mix; allow to heat through for about 1 to 2 minutes. Check the seasoning once more and adjust to taste.
- Serve immediately with the sprigs of fresh mint on top.
See you later and have a great weekend!
Karen
This recipe has been entered into Ren’s August Simple and in Season event!
Karen S Booth says
Testing, testing………….my comments were not working before!
Karen
La Table De Nana says
I must admit..I find myself admiring your dishes also:) This must be delicious.
Bon Weekend~
Karen S Booth says
Thanks La Table De Nana ~ I do love to use all my old dishes, it is a shame to have them in a cupboard!
Bon Week-end aussi…
Karen
Choclette says
You're so right, mint is a wonderful herb and so easy to grow too. I particularly like it in yogurt with a bit of garlic and lemon juice for an excellent accompaniment to many dishes. Your braised lettuce and peas sound really delicious and I must remember to try it.
A Trifle Rushed says
Hi Karen
Glad your comment button is working,
We've just had petite pois with garden mint to accompany duck confit! Yes, it is still autumnal in Brittany!
Karen S Booth says
Thanks Choclette ~ I also love mint with yoghurt, and added to cream cheese for a sarnie filling too!
Karen
Karen S Booth says
Thanks Trifle! And thanks for the message this morning about my comment button. OOOOH ~ confit d'canard, I LOVE that, I could inhale it! Sounds like a delicious meal.
Karen
createwithmom says
beautiful aromatic use of mint delicious looking drink
My Farmhouse Kitchen says
hi karen…what pretty summery pictures… everything looks beautiful….
happy to stop by today, my friend
kary
xx
Karen S Booth says
Thanks Kary and createwithmom! I hope you are both having a great weekend.
Karen
Tina says
Another one to try for me! I think that’s going to be a great combination for me, petits pois avec de la menthe.
Fabulicious Food says
Yummy! I love using fresh mint so this recipe is a must-try for me. Thank you for sharing with Simple and in Season!