Spring is the season to make the most of vitamin and fibre rich peas. Widely available and bursting with sweet flavour and freshness, they can be easily incorporated into a variety of meals. Try folding them through a breakfast omelette for a pop of colour and texture; toss through spaghetti heady with garlic, chilli, olive oil and lemon rind, add to a simmering prawn risotto in the last few minutes of stirring; or scatter a handful though a big bowl of seasonal vegetable soup. So shut the door of your freezer and fill a bag from your local grocer with this versatile and vibrant green vegetable.

This evening I made the classic French side dish Petits Pois – otherwise known as peas and lettuce simmered in butter. It sounds far more appetising in French – everything does – which is how I introduced this dish to my children as I pulled the frypan off the stove. At first they were suspicious of eating warm lettuce, “Salad is supposed to be crispy and cold isn’t it?” asked Sofia, our resident food critic and child number four. The enticing aroma of butter mixed with sweet mint won them over and they wolfed this down along with the Basil, Veggie and Ricotta Pasta pictured that I had also made for dinner.

My recipe is based on one by a favourite chef of mine, Karen Martini, who prefers to use cos lettuce over iceberg, the variety traditionally used in Petits Pois. I agree with her that the robust texture and extra crunch factor of the cos lettuce lends itself especially well to this sublime side dish. I upped the butter slightly (so much flavour, you know how much I adore butter!) and I also reduced the sugar content. Since peas are in season I have included the fresh variety over the frozen sort.

Petits Pois to serve 6 people as a side dish

Ingredients
100 grams unsalted butter
1 fat clove of garlic crushed
300 grams fresh podded peas
2 baby cos lettuce
3/4 cup of torn fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon raw caster sugar or brown sugar

Take out your largest frypan and place over a medium heat. Add the knob of butter, slowly melting and heating. Once the butter starts to bubble add the garlic and fry for 1 minute taking care not to let it burn.

Add the peas, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the lettuce and mint, sea salt and sugar and simmer on a low heat for 4 – 5 minutes or until the lettuce has just wilted.

Serve immediately and enjoy the taste, textures and aroma.