thefoodlessprocessed

“This isn’t quite petits pois à la française because we don’t grow the right sort of peas. But it is a very good way of using up the older peas.” (Margaret Costa from Four Seasons Cookery Book (1970).

Older peas are larger and less tender than the petits pois associated with the French ragoût. They require longer cooking and, as Margaret Costa observed, turning them into a ragoût is a very good use for them. The fresh green peas found in American supermarkets are generally these more mature ones.

The ragoût may accompany a main course. But a second option is to serve it as a first course with slices of homemade French bread browned in butter.

As given the recipe serves 2 or 3 people generously.

The less processed ingredients for this ragoût are: Fresh Peas, Onion, Butter, Flour, Parsley, Apple Juice, Apple Juice Concentrate, Lettuce, Vegetable Stock, and Homemade French Bread.

Equipment

• a Medium-Sized Pot with a Heavy Bottom and Lid
• a Flame Tamer (aka Heat Diffuser, Simmering Plate) is optional. The pot does not sit directly over the heat source. Some versions of flame tamers are compatible with a smooth-top burner,
• a Pan for frying slices of bread
• a Small Bowl or Custard Cup in which to mix the beurre manié and a Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

• 8 oz shelled peas (225 g) or about 16 oz unshelled peas (450 g)
• 1 Tablespoon of Organic Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons of European-Style Unsalted Butter for the ragoût and 4 Tablespoons of Salted Butter for frying slices of bread, plus 1 Tablespoon of European=Style Butter to make the beurre manié
• Several Whole Stems of Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley and 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley
• 1 cup (2 ounces or 55 g) of loosely packed Butterhead Lettuce Leaves, cut into strips
• 1 Tablespoon of Homemade Apple Juice Concentrate: A recipe is here on thefoodlessprocessed: Apple Juice Concentrate.
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) of Dry White Wine
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) of Homemade Vegetable Stock: Follow the link Vegetable Stock to the recipe.
• 1 teaspoon of European All-Purpose White Soft Wheat Flour or Organic All-Purpose White Hard Wheat Flour (The latter is the standard American variety of flour.)
• Slices of Homemade French Bread: This version uses 6 slices of a French bâtard, cut in half, 2 halves per person when the ragoût is served as a first course. The recipe is here on thefoodlessprocessed: Le bâtard ~ a French loaf of many uses.
• Beurre manié made by using the back of a wooden spoon to cream together in a small bowl 1 teaspoon of European All-Purpose White Soft Wheat Flour and 1 Tablespoon of Organic European-style Butter. Organic All-Purpose White Hard Wheat Flour may be substituted resulting in a little thicker sauce. Read more about beurre manié in the post: Beurre manié  ~ a French way to thicken Sauces.

Making the Ragoût

• Place the pot on the flame tamer and melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it over low heat.
• Add the onion, and cook it, stirring for a minute to soften.
• Add the apple juice concentrate, the lettuce and the stems of parsley. Stir them around to combine everthing. Then add the peas.
• Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of homemade vegetable stock and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of dry white wine. Bring the liquid to a boil.
• Cover the pot closely and simmer the ragoût over a medium low heat until the peas are tender and the liquid is reduced to a small pool. The cooking time will depend upon the maturity of the peas. Those in the photo simmered for 40 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and remove the stems of parsley. Bring the ragoût back to a simmer and stir in the beurre manié. The sauce will thicken quickly.
• Turn off the heat and closely cover the pot while browning the slices of bread in butter.
• Melt 4 Tablespoons of salted butter in a pan and brown slices of French bread on one side. Remove them to a plate briefly.

To serve the dish as a first course, turn the hot ragoût into a shallow serving dish or platter and arrange the warm slices of browned bread around it. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over all. Serve individual portions of peas and bread at the table.