Petits Pois a la Francaise

Translation: Young Peas in the French Style.

It's a side dish for the ladies, basically. But is it really? You start nom-nomming on this and you'll forget all about that roast, or the chicken in the oven, or anything else for that matter. It's filling and it tastes a hell of a lot better than any French wordage you care to add. Make it for the missus... and then be amazed as you eat the whole thing while she's watching TV (or hunting and gathering for nuts and berries--depending on whether or not the apocalypse has happened and you're reading this from a dot matrix printout that you swapped for an irradiated pre-war can of kidney beans).

The perfect accompaniment to a baked whole fish.

Oh! If you don't want to add meat, just substitute the chicken stock for a dry white wine. No need to punish yourself every day for being vegan. I mean, you basically ARE anyway...

Ingredients

• 250gm Speck or Pancetta, cut into lardons (cubes)
• 2 Shallots, finely diced
• 80gm Unsalted Butter, coarsely chopped
• 500gm Frozen Peas, defrosted
• 60ml Chicken Stock (Recipe HERE)
• 0.25 Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
• Mint or Thyme or Basil leaves, fresh
• Handful of pickled White Baby Onions, optional
• 100mg Pecorino or Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, shaved or grated

Method

1. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add speck/pancetta and fry until golden (3-4 mins).
2. Add onion and butter and stir occasionally until onion is tender (3-4 mins).
3. Add peas and stock/wine, bring to the simmer.
4. Reduce heat to lowest possible heat and add lettuce. Continue to cook until lettuce is tender and liquid is reduced to coating consistency (20 mins).
5. Season to taste, optionally add the baby onions, sprinkle with grated Pecorino or Parmigiana Reggiano cheese and serve warm.