Petits Pois a la Francaise, French Braised Peas with Lettuce
Petits pois a la francaise is one of the small classics of French home cooking, peas braised gently with lettuce and little onions until they are sweet, soft, and glossy. It is proof that a vegetable side does not need much: the technique is the recipe. Shredded lettuce laid over the peas melts into the pan and steams them in its own moisture, which is why the dish tastes greener and sweeter than boiled peas ever could. The usual version leans on butter and often a pinch of sugar, and neither is necessary when the peas are good and the lettuce and scallion are doing their work. Frozen peas, picked and frozen at their peak, are not a compromise here but the sensible choice most of the year. Romaine stands up to the braise better than a delicate lettuce. It cooks in the time it takes to set the table.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Frozen peas
- 4 cups Romaine, shredded
- 6 wholes Scallions, cut in short lengths
- 1 tsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 3 sprigs Thyme
- 2 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Put the scallions in a wide pan with 1/2 cup water (120 ml), the bouillon, and the thyme, cover, and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes to soften them and build a little broth. Traditionally this starts by melting the peas into butter with pearl onions; the scallions and a light broth take that place and keep the dish sweet and clean.
- Lay the shredded lettuce over the top, put the peas on the lettuce, cover, and cook 8 to 10 minutes. The lettuce is not a garnish; it wilts down into the braise and gives up its water so the peas cook in a sweet green steam rather than boiling. Romaine holds up better than a soft lettuce and keeps a little bite.
- Uncover and stir. The peas should be tender and bright and sitting in a small amount of sweet, cloudy liquid. If there is too much liquid, raise the heat for a minute to reduce it so it glazes the peas instead of pooling.
- Pull the thyme stems. Grind in the black pepper and stir through the parsley. French cooks often add a pinch of sugar here; good sweet peas, fresh or frozen, do not need it, and the wilted lettuce and scallion already read sweet.
- Serve warm as a side. It goes with almost anything, and a squeeze of lemon at the table sharpens it in place of salt.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 110 calories, 6 g protein, 6 g fiber, 40 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
