Past, Present, Future
MFK Fisher, Mother Of Modern Food Writing
When Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher began writing her first collection of culinary essays, she had just returned from France to the Southern California of h...
One of the most beautiful essays Fisher wrote about sharing food with friends and family was "P Is For Peas" in An Alphabet for Gourmets. She chronicles picking the first garden peas of spring, shelling and cooking them with plenty of butter over an open fire in her garden in Vevey, Switzerland. She says, "I can compare bliss with near bliss, for I have often, blessed me, eaten superlative green peas." This recipe was created by Chef Teryi Youngblood of Passerelle Bistro, inspired by the bounty of the makeshift table they gathered around.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
- 1 teaspoon minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups English peas, shelled (or 4 cups frozen and thawed)
- 2 cups water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 lemon
- 2 small heads butter lettuce
- 4 ounces shaved prosciutto
- 4-5 ounces Emmental cheese
Preparation
Make vinaigrette. Place shallot, mustard, honey and vinegar in blender on medium speed until smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil until all is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the water in a saucepan with a lid. When it begins to simmer, add peas and cover. Steam for 3-5 minutes, or just tender. Remove lid and strain, then add butter, salt, pepper and a little lemon juice. Dress lettuce in sherry vinaigrette, salt and pepper and arrange on serving plate. Stir peas and divide onto each salad. Top with prosciutto and cheese.
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