Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's summer recipes with pea shoots

Here are some fantastic recipes from early summer by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, published last May.  The article in the Guardian also has details how to grow them.  There is also, I've dicovered, an entire website dedicated to Pea Shoots, with far more information there if you're interested.

Pea flowers, courtesy of Wiki commons

 

Pea Shoot Ricotta and Lemon Salad

1 small lemon
140g ricotta
A few handfuls fresh pea shoots, about 45g, washed
1-2 tbsp fruity extra-virgin olive oil

First, prepare the lemon. Cut off each end and then stand it on one end on a chopping board, holding it firmly with one hand while you cut away strips of the peel with a small, sharp knife - you need to cut away all of the pith and membrane, until you get down to the fruity flesh. Now lie the lemon on its side and, working your way around it, cut the slim fruit segments away from the membrane.

Combine the lemon segments with dollops of ricotta and some of the pea shoots on four plates, and trickle a little oil over each one. Serve immediately.

Pea shoot pesto

Serve this vibrant pesto stirred into hot pasta or boiled new potatoes. If you have any left over, spoon it into a glass jar, top with a film of rapeseed oil, seal and refrigerate for up to a week. Serves four.

70g pine nuts
3 good handfuls fresh pea shoots, about 60g, washed
½ small garlic clove, peeled and chopped
25g hard goat's cheese or Parmesan, finely grated
Juice of ½ a small lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
120-150ml rapeseed oil

First, toast the pine nuts. Warm them in a frying pan, without oil and shaking frequently, over a medium-low heat until very lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool completely.

Put the pea shoots and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (or roughly chop them, then pound in a pestle and mortar). Add the pine nuts, cheese, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Process briefly and then, with the blade still whirring (or stirring all of the time if you're using a pestle and mortar), slowly pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream until the pesto has reached the texture you like - you may not need all of the oil.

Scrape the pesto into a bowl and taste - adjust the seasoning, adding a little more sea salt, pepper and lemon juice as necessary.

Broad bean and pea top tart

For the shortcrust pastry

125g plain flour
A pinch of salt
75g cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg, separated
About 50ml cold milk

For the filling

1 knob butter
2 onions, or a large bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
350g broad bean tops, or a mixture of pea shoots and bean tops
Salt and freshly ground pepper
150g cheddar, coarsely grated
200ml whole milk
200ml double cream
2 whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Start with the pastry. Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor, and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk, then, with the motor running, pour in the milk in a thin stream. Watch carefully and stop adding milk as soon as the dough comes together. Tip out on to a lightly floured board, knead a couple of times to make a smooth ball of dough, then wrap in clingfilm and chill for half an hour.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the onions. Fry very gently until soft and golden brown - a good 10-15 minutes. Add the broad bean tops (or pea shoots and broad bean tops) and cook for just a couple of minutes, until wilted. Season well.

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Roll out the pastry thinly, and use it to line a 25cm, loose-bottomed tart tin. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge. Prick the base all over with a fork, put the tin on a baking sheet, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans or uncooked rice, and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, and bake for 10 minutes more. Lightly beat the egg white, brush some of it over the hot pastry, return it to the oven and bake for a further five minutes - this will help to seal the pastry and prevent any of the filling from leaking out later on. Trim off the excess pastry with a small knife.

Turn up the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Arrange the bean top and onion mixture over the pastry case. Scatter on the grated cheese. In a bowl, combine the milk, cream, eggs and yolks, season and pour into the tart. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until lightly set and golden brown. Serve warm or cold.