In season: PEAS
Peas in late spring are a joy, when British peas come into season, they’re sweet, bright and fresh.
This is their moment. From May through early summer, peas are at their best, picked young while the sugars are still high and the flavour hasn’t dulled. Eat them straight from the pod and they’re almost sugary, closer to a snack than a vegetable.
And it’s not just us that loves them. Peas are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, grown as far back as ancient Egypt and later across Europe in the Middle Ages. By the 17th century, they’d become something of a trend in France, with “petits pois” served at royal courts as a seasonal delicacy.
In the UK, most peas are grown in cooler regions like Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire and parts of Scotland, where the climate helps preserve that natural sweetness. Garden peas are the most common, but you’ll also come across mangetout and sugar snaps, both eaten whole and with a bit more crunch.
Like broccoli, peas don’t need much. The best way to eat them is often the simplest, lightly cooked, a bit of butter or olive oil, maybe some herbs. Overdo it and you lose that freshness that makes them worth it in the first place.
They’re also doing a lot for you. High in fibre and plant protein, packed with vitamins like C and K, and good for digestion, they’re one of those ingredients that feel light but actually keep you going.
On our menu right now, they show up in a slightly different form. Our Spring Garden Pea Hummus with wasabi takes that natural sweetness and lifts it with a bit of heat, blending peas with chickpeas, lemon and olive oil, then finishing with wasabi for a subtle kick. It’s fresh, slightly sharp, and a good reminder that peas don’t have to sit on the sidelines.
Not bad for something most of us stopped paying attention to years ago!
Quick Pea Hummus with Wasabi
Blend peas, chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and a small spoon of wasabi until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon into a bowl, top with a handful of fresh peas, a scatter of crushed wasabi peas and a few pea shoots if you have them.