French Pea Sauce Recipe 2

French Pea Sauce Recipe

Pea Puree is a beloved choice in fine dining, appreciated for the vibrant burst of color it brings to a plate, serving both as a side and a sauce, along with its sweet flavor that complements nearly any protein!
This recipe was shared with me by Jean-Baptiste Alexandre, a classically trained French Chef and culinary partner of RecipeTin Eats.
Welcome to Day 14 of the inaugural Holiday Salad Marathon, where I am presenting 30 salads consecutively until Christmas Eve. This offers a refreshing alternative to the typical sugar-laden baking countdowns!!
I acknowledge that today’s dish may not be classified strictly as a salad, but it is indeed prepared with vegetables (peas qualify!). Furthermore, it serves as an exceptionally good side dish for the Rack of Lamb I recently published, so I assert that it meets the criteria!
I also believe this dish is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and other grand centerpieces that grace the festive table. I appreciate how it introduces a vibrant splash of color to any setting. Additionally, it provides a delightful change from the usual mashed potatoes, wouldn’t you agree? 🙂
Cooking peas for Pea Puree

What exactly is pea puree?
It consists of cooked peas that are blended until smooth. The flavor is distinctly that of peas – sweet and subtly nuanced, making it an ideal side dish for a variety of meals.
It is a favorite in fine dining establishments, often used to elegantly smear across a plate before artfully placing a piece of protein on top.

Basic recipes typically involve boiling the peas with stock or broth and then blending, which is acceptable, but it merely tastes like peas.
To prepare Pea Puree in the manner of fine dining restaurants, begin by sautéing garlic and shallots in butter before incorporating the peas and stock. This single additional step significantly enhances the flavor, resulting in a luxurious pea puree.

Ingredients for Pea Puree

Here’s what you will require:

Indeed, you are seeing frozen peas. I fully endorse the concept of snap freezing!!

If you have the opportunity to pod your own peas, I commend you. (And please extend an invitation for dinner).

Pea Puree prepared in a food processor

Optional straining – for an ultra-smooth texture

I must be honest – if you are dining at my home for a casual meal, I will present Pea Puree to you directly from the food processor. If your appliance is powerful enough, it will be sufficiently smooth.

However, if you aspire to achieve a restaurant-quality finish, pass it through a mesh colander or sieve. It is a simple task using a rubber spatula and takes less than a minute to complete.

By doing this, the pea puree will attain the silky smoothness akin to that served at upscale restaurants!

Straining Pea Puree

The remnants left in the colander consist of the skins of the peas.

A bowl of silky smooth pea puree, ready for serving.

Close-up of the ultra-smooth pea puree.

How to serve Pea Puree

Pea Puree is exceptional when paired with nearly any protein, not only for the vibrant color it contributes to any plate or dish but also for its subtle sweetness.

It serves as both a side dish and a sauce, and the reason I am sharing this recipe is that it is recommended as a side/sauce for the Rosemary Crumbed Rack of Lamb I recently shared. For an authentic British touch, you might incorporate some finely chopped mint into the puree, offering a modern and far more appealing version of the traditional mint sauce served with lamb!

Pea Puree complements virtually any protein – whether meat or seafood. Here are a few suggestions:

A simple baked Chicken Breast or a pan-fried piece of fish.

It would look magnificent beneath a Crispy Skin Salmon or any plain baked or pan-fried fish (in fact, that’s a favorite in upscale restaurants!)

It pairs excellently with Crackling Roast Pork and is a perfect match with a buttery Herb & Garlic Roast Chicken.

A great French Pea sauce recipe to try !

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup diced white onions
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 ounces fresh peas, shelled
• 1 ½ cups stock, ( vegetable or chicken )
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add the onion and garlic and sauté until cooked but not browned, add the peas and stock. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Cool and then blend/ puree with an electric blender. Season with salt and pepper as needed. For a richer French pea sauce add a spoon of sour cream.

mint-french-pea-sauce-recipe.