Buttery Peas - Cooks Illustrated

Published April 5, 2007.

While it may defy common sense, we've come to depend on frozen rather than fresh peas to provide "fresh" pea flavor.

The Problem

Fresh peas are relatively delicate—they lose a substantial amount of flavor and nutrients within 24 hours of being picked.

The Goal

We wanted to develop a recipe that highlighted the pure taste of peas, without having to rely on finding truly fresh peas in the market.

The Solution

We've found that frozen peas are not only easy but have a consistent taste. Peas can be stored (if well wrapped) in the freezer almost indefinitely and can be cooked directly from a frozen state. We did find that adding two teaspoons of sugar helped to highlight their sweet, refreshing flavor.

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