Recipes
Sweet Green Peas and Feta
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 cups shelled English peas (about 2 pounds peas in pod)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions, including green parts
2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 scant cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled Greek feta
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon half
Preparation
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the peas for about 1 minute, just until they lose their raw taste; they should still be firm. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. When the peas are cool but not cold, drain them again. Lay them out on a clean dishtowel and pat dry.
Put the peas in a bowl with the olive oil, scallions, dill and lemon zest. Toss gently. Add the feta and toss again gently. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Cook's and Book Notes:
Adapted from Kokkari: Contemporary Greek Flavors by Erik Cosselmon and Janet Fletcher (Chronicle Books). Janet Fletcher writes a weekly cheese newsletter Planet Cheese. Janet noted that Erik mashes the feta with the olive oil to make a creamy dressing. She tosses the peas with the oil and keeps the feta in crumbles. Try it both ways. www.planetcheese.com
