Pea and artichoke broth with ricotta and olive oil toast
Worshipping frozen peas and other ingredients that are "always in season"
As I mentioned the last time I swooshed into your inbox, the next few weeks are fairly sparse in terms of seasonal fruit and vegetables. Winter crops are dwindling and the new season’s crops are yet to be harvested, meaning the “hungry gap” is just round the corner. In an attempt to bridge the gap, this newsletter is devoted to the likes of frozen peas, jarred peppers and other ingredients that are “always in season”.
These are the cupboard and freezer stalwarts that I turn to over the coming weeks more than any other time of year. If you scroll down you’ll find a recipe that puts a couple of them to use.
Frozen peas and broad beans
I could write a whole essay on my love of frozen peas but I’ll save that for another day and restrain myself by simply saying this: they are dependable, unrivalled in terms of convenience and universally adored. A big bowl of buttery peas with lots of black pepper just pips buttery marmite toast to the seemingly buttery post for the title of the most comforting thing I can eat. Frozen broad beans are similarly dependable and convenient but perhaps a less obvious choice when perusing the frozen aisle. Simply blanch until tender, toss with chives, lemon zest, lemon juice and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Jarred and tinned artichokes
In my unsolicited opinion, these are highly underrated store-cupboard ingredients. Jarred artichokes are marinated in oil (typically with garlic, herbs and chilli) and are perfect for adding to pastas, crisping up in their oil to toss through grains or - best of all - eating straight from the jar as a stove-side snackette. Unlike marinated artichokes, the tinned variety are preserved with just water and salt. They have a softer texture so I avoid cooking them for long but, by their nature, tinned have a cleaner, more “artichokey” (for want of a better word) flavour and for this reason I use them in the broth below.
Tinned tomatoes
I did briefly wonder if this was just too obvious to mention but then decided you can never be reminded too frequently or too enthusiastically about the virtues of tinned toms. Whether it’s a pot of herb-flecked meatballs bobbing in a brothy tomato sauce that I’ve tended to over the course of an afternoon, or simply a nothing-but-10-minute-tomato-pasta-will-do moment, any recipe with tinned tomatoes as its base has the ability to transport me to a warmer, sunnier place and for that I am forever grateful.
Semi-dried tomatoes
In a similar vein to the tinned variety, semi-dried tomatoes (sometimes referred to as “sun blush” or - better still - “sun drenched”) feel like someone has somehow distilled the essence of summer into a jar. I really don’t want to sound too particular or snooty here but I will say that I think it’s worth seeking out semi-dried rather than sun-dried because the latter have a tendency to be a bit leathery and over powering in flavour (or at least supermarket ones do), whereas the semi-dried ones are soft and juicy. You can use the oil they’re stored in for frying onions, roasting vegetables or, my personal favourite, making confit garlic.
Jarred roasted peppers and ajvar
Beyond the simple fact that jarred peppers are a good stand in for fresh peppers outside their season, jarred have another big thing going for them. They’re roasted and peeled which saves time, energy and the faff of cleaning your hob after flame roasting. Easy breezy. Thinly slice and add to softened onions for a shortcut to pepperonata; blitz with toasted almonds and smoked paprika for romesco; or finely chop and mix with shallots, herbs, red wine vinegar and olive oil to spoon over fish. Jarred pepper adjacent is ajvar (sometimes spelt aivar): a sweet and slightly spicy condiment made with roasted peppers and aubergine. It’s my latest store-cupboard infatuation, most frequently grabbed to dollop alongside fried eggs or to smear as the base layer of cheese on toast. I like this and this brand.
Dried mushrooms
Either put these front and centre, as in this speedy ragu which I love, or use sparingly just to give a little something-something to a sauce, stew or soup. Dried mushrooms need a brief soak in hot water and this gives you an extra ingredient in and of itself. Use the soaking liquid in place of or as a bolster for stock.
Pea and artichoke broth with ricotta and olive oil toast
A few notes here. Note one: as with all brothy soups, this hinges on the quality of your stock so seek out a good one or, better still, make your own. I often wonder whether my weekend roast chicken ritual is driven more by the desire for the roast chicken itself or the promise of filling my freezer with stock, both are equally revered in our kitchen. Note two: I love wild garlic in this and would recommend going on the hunt for it (a rewarding way to get some fresh air) but completely understand that it isn’t available to everyone. As a substitute, you can simply soften a couple of sliced garlic cloves with the shallots then wilt another leafy green (spinach, spring greens, cavolo nero etc) into the broth. Note three (the last one, I promise): if you’re thinking of skipping the step of making the olive oil toast, please don’t. The extra few minutes spent on this are categorically worth it, I promise I wouldn’t suggest it otherwise.