How do you put the essence of spring on a plate?
Tucked away in their bright green pods, English peas arrive each spring with a sense of urgency. Their quality largely depends on how quickly you can get them from vine to plate. The sweet sugars start breaking down into starch as soon as they’re picked.
Making the most of the most of this tender green vegetable requires some time and patience to shell, but it’s worth the investment if you happen upon some fresh ones. Frozen peas, however, are a sure thing.
Frozen quickly after picked, they lose none of their pea essence and retain a tender sweetness long after the season is over. Fresh peas are a wonderful thing if you have them, but I’m not going to snub their frozen counterparts. A bag of frozen peas sits in my freezer year-round.
That being said, either frozen or fresh, they benefit from a short bath in some boiling water. Blanching the peas brings out their sweet bright flavor while retaining their snap.
I paired my peas with a delicate almond flour crust and creamy herbed goat cheese filling. Peas have a natural affinity for tangy goat cheese and Greek yogurt which further showcases their sweet side.
The tart features a creamy filling laced with fresh herbs, balanced with a layer of blanched peas and a handful of colorful micro greens. The herbed goat cheese is soft and unctuous and the peas still slightly firm yet yielding as you bite into this tart bursting with spring flavors.