The Sandpoint Eater: Peas be with you

By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist

I just returned from a holiday to Ireland. I was traveling with a couple of favorite cousins and — like I once did — they assumed that potatoes are the national vegetable. Oh, on the contrary! For quite some time, I’ve been convinced it’s peas; and, before the trip was over, they agreed.

Yes: peas.

This ubiquitous green vegetable was nearly as plentiful as pints of Guinness, and those unassuming little spheres seemed to roll onto our plates at nearly every meal. By the third day, I began to suspect I was part of some grand agricultural marketing campaign. By the fifth day, I had accepted my fate: Wherever I went in Ireland, peas would follow.

On our last night, my cousin Blake remarked that it was his first meal without the omnipresent side of peas. Or so he thought. There they were — mashed and nestled alongside the creamy coleslaw on his generous platter of fish and chips.

Creamed, steamed, mashed or mushed, they appeared in every possible form. Folded into soups or artfully smeared on a plate to cradle delicate seafood, we welcomed them at every meal. No matter how they showed up, they were always there — dependable as Irish rain and as green as the hillsides.

Somewhere between Galway and Dublin, it struck me that peas might actually be Ireland’s most accurate culinary symbol. Slightly mysterious in their consistency (depending on preparation), yet unmistakably tied to the land — it felt as though we were consuming the countryside itself, one spoonful at a time.

In an era when menus often strive for novelty and reinvention, Ireland has quietly leaned into peas for as long as I can remember. Whether paired with fresh seafood along the coast or accompanying hearty meat dishes inland, peas somehow manage to fit on every plate and satisfy every palate.

Of course, there’s the famous mushy pea. Years ago, on my first visit, I approached them cautiously. As a child raised on canned peas, “mushy” wasn’t exactly a culinary selling point, conjuring images of overcooked vegetables. But Irish mushy peas are something else entirely. They’re soft, yes, but also rich, slightly sweet and — honestly — delicious when spread across a forkful of fish.

It’s easy to see how they’ve endured as a staple. Traditionally, mushy peas are made by soaking dried peas (often with a bit of baking soda) and cooking them until tender.

Then there are the fresh peas — bright, crisp and tasting as though they were plucked from the gardens of Ballymaloe moments before landing on your plate. And just when you think peas have done all they can, along come pea shoots and sprouts — their elegant cousins. These delicate greens often appear as garnishes, adding a fresh, slightly sweet flavor and a touch of flair. They’re the culinary equivalent of setting out the silver and dressing up for dinner.

By the end of my trip, I found myself looking forward to peas. I began rating them: comparing textures and noting subtle differences in preparation. I had, without realizing it, become a pea enthusiast. Ireland had worked its quiet magic on me once again.

Back home, I noticed something missing from my meals — not just the scenery, the music or the warmth of Irish hospitality, but the peas. My plates looked oddly incomplete without that pop of green. So, in an effort to bring a bit of Ireland into my own kitchen, I’ve been on a pea kick.

While I haven’t yet mastered the perfect mushy pea, I’ve tried my hand at puréeing fresh peas with a bit of butter or cream and a pinch of Atlantic sea salt. The result is a delicious alternative to hummus or other dips on a cheese board, especially alongside Irish cheddar and Cashel Blue cheese. 

I also enjoyed a fair amount of pea salad on my most recent visit. I mentioned to my Irish friend Ann that it’s a dish we make at home as well (knowing it’s my favorite, friend Mary in Sandpoint prepares it every time I visit). A fresh pea salad — simple, flavorful and just indulgent enough to stand on its own. Ann serves hers with gorgeous Dublin prawns. We’re a long way from Dublin, so I settled for shrimp, and it was pretty darn tasty.

No matter where you are, I hope you’ll enjoy it, too.

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Pea salad with bacon, cheddar and red onion

This is a simple, but tasty, little spring salad. A great side to fish and seafood dishes. Serves 4.