British Pub Creamed Peas
True British Pub Creamed Peas, or "Mushy Peas" are mashed with a Béchamel Sauce.
It's interesting how the memory can be altered as a casualty of time and age. My family and I visited London and the surrounding countryside in the mid-’90s and we had lunch one day at a public house in Soho. I can’t remember which one. But what I remember having for lunch along with my Cottage Pie was akin to this recipe, however, what I think I actually ate was really something referred to in the UK as "Mushy Peas." The name actually sounds worse than the preparation, which really calls for Marrowfat peas rather than what we call in the US “English Peas” or more commonly referred to simply as “Green Peas.”
Marrowfat Peas and Green Peas are both the same legume. Marrowfat Peas are merely the mature version that has been allowed to dry out in the field and then reconstituted in food preparation. In the US, we tend to harvest them in an immature state, then promptly can or freeze them. I used the latter, of course.
Pubs in Great Brittan have undergone a renaissance in recent years and while the traditional "pub grub" is still available, many public houses have taken their menus more upscale as tastes and diversity have become more refined and widespread. Mushy Peas are no doubt still available, but they are little more than reconstituted Marrowfat Peas prepared in a Béchamel sauce, or in many cases, just butter and cream. And then they are mashed, of course.
Many creamed pea recipes on the Internet are inspired by the Mushy Pea/Béchamel version of the classic British dish, minus the mashing part. I wanted the recipe that I had somehow conjured in my fading memory which included mushrooms. I decided to add the pimentos at the last minute.
British Pub Creamed Peas
Ingredients
- 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced into rings (like, Vidalia or Texas 1015)
- 2 cups salted water
- 2 - 1/2 cups frozen sweet baby green peas, thawed (like Green Giant or Bird's Eye)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup beef stock (like Swanson's or Kitchen Basic's)
- 1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms, drained (like, Green Giant or Giorgio's)
- 1/2 4-oz jar pimentos (like, Goya)
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 4-5 grinds of freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Allow the green peas to thaw at room temperature over a couple of hours or zap in the microwave enough to defrost them.
- Bring the water to boil in a saucepan over medium high heat.
- Add the onion rings and allow to simmer for 7 minutes.
- Add the green peas and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Drain everything thoroughly through a colander.
- Melt the butter in the saucepan and then stir in the flour. Continue stirring over medium heat until the flour is well combined with the butter.
- Add the cream and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken.
- Add the beef stock, stirring constantly. Allow the sauce to return to a simmer and thicken.
- Add the mushrooms, pimentos, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and stir well to combine.
- Return the green peas and onions to the saucepan; stir constantly but gently to incorporate all the ingredients and heat through, being careful not to masticate the green peas.
Notes
- As an added treat, top with crumbled bacon before serving.
- To serve as a casserole, put the dish as prepared above in a casserole dish, top with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and crumbled butter crackers (like, Ritz or Town House). Then, bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
