Mushy Peas
Classically a dull-green side dish for fish and chips, mushy peas are the unsung hero of British “comfort sludge,” as the food writer Ruby Tandoh calls it. The original “mushy peas” come from dried marrowfat peas, which are peas that mature and even dry out on the plant; they’re hard to come by outside of the U.K., which is why this modern iteration calls for supermarket frozen peas. Ms. Tandoh’s proportions here mimic the delicious green gunk that tops many a crusty bread in Australia, California and beyond, as she writes in “Cook As You Are” (Knopf, 2022): “Think avocado toast, but peas.” This verdant melange of protein and carb is an excellent base recipe for all your hopes and dreams: Stir in garlic, Parmesan and crème fraîche (like Nigella Lawson); a knob of butter couldn’t hurt (as Jamie Oliver does); and if you really want to taste the peas as they are, just use a pinch of salt. Whatever you do, don’t skip the fresh mint — its cooling sweetness brings out the peas’ most elementa
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