Peas Kitchen Basics

Can you eat the shell of shelling peas?
What can I do with home grown peas?
What is inside of a pea?
Can I eat pea pods raw?
Why are my peas hard?
How do you eat garden peas?
How do you store garden peas?
Are English peas the same as sugar snap peas?
Do I have to shell English peas?
What is the difference between English peas and regular peas?

Can you eat the shell of shelling peas?

SHELLING PEAS

Often called garden peas, sweet peas or English peas, these peas have shells that are firm and rounded, protecting the big, sweet, juicy peas inside. The shells must be removed and aren't edible.

What can I do with home grown peas?

You can make them the star of a side dish, as in my quick-braised peas, purée them into a soup, add them to a stew, or briefly blanch them and toss them in risottos or pastas. And when they're small and tender, they're also great raw in salads.

What is inside of a pea?

The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower.

Can I eat pea pods raw?

Sugar snap and snow peas can be enjoyed raw as a nutritious and healthy snack — simply remove their hard outer string. Both can also be added to stir-fries or salads for an extra boost of sweetness.

Why are my peas hard?

The truth is that peas are beans, but, because they're picked so young, they're tender and full of sugar when right off the plant. ... After a couple of days, though, those sugars will be all starchy, turning the pea mealy and hard.

How do you eat garden peas?

Garden peas are also sometimes called sweet peas or English peas. The pods are firm and rounded, and the round peas inside need to removed, or shelled, before eating (the pods are discarded). The peas are sweet and may be eaten raw or cooked; these are the common peas that are sold shelled and frozen.

How do you store garden peas?

Place peas in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator to keep them moist. Peas will keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Peas that can't be used in a week should be frozen.

Are English peas the same as sugar snap peas?

Sugar snap peas are a cross between English peas and snow peas. As with English peas, the seeds are allowed to plump up a bit. However, the pods are crisp and edible, so they do not need to be shelled and are used in recipes in the same way as snow peas.

Do I have to shell English peas?

Unlike sugar snap peas or snow peas, the fibrous pods of English peas cannot be eaten (although they can be used to enhance the flavor of vegetable stock). Shell English peas immediately before they're to be cooked: Break off the stem and pull the fibrous string down the length of the pod.

What is the difference between English peas and regular peas?

English Peas

Also known as shelling peas or garden peas, these are the same peas that are frozen. The pod isn't eaten, just the peas inside. One pound of pods yields about a cup of peas. When buying English peas, look for firm, round pods about three to four inches long that are a smooth green color and unblemished.