Wednesday, August 29, 2012

My version of french peas.

I began reading american blogs 4 years ago.
And I discovered that there were a lot of culinary expressions with "french" : french toast, french fries, french dip sandwich (I discovered it very recently - 1 day ago !) ... and french peas.

French toast, in french, is called "pain perdu", that we could literally translate by "lost bread". It doesn't mean that we loose the bread, didn't know where it was ... ;)
At the origin, it was just a way to use the yesterdays' bread, instead of throwing it in basket.

French fries is funnier : In reality, they should be called "Belgian fries".
During the second war world, when americans came to save french people, disembarking in Normandy, they had to go to Germany. So they crossed Belgium. As in Belgium, people speak french too, american young boys didn't know it was not the same country.
When they discovered fried potatoes (created by Belgians), naturally, they called them French fries ;)
Sorry for our belgians friends, I'm trying to restore their creation !

French Dip sandwich ... I totally ignore why american people call it like that ;)
I discovered this in the the girl who ate everything' blog, yesterday !
If someone can explain to me, I'll be happy to impress people, the next time I'll have a dinner... :-D

So, french peas ... We call it "petits pois à la française".

I say "it is my version", because, normally, you have to use lettuce with. But, to say the truth, cooked lettuce don't make my mouth water ...

So, I do almost the same, without the green salad. If you want to taste, you can do it ! Just add some lettuce slides crude, when you'll add peas.

You'll need :

  • 500 or 600 grammes of frozen garden peas
  • 1 slide of bacon
  • 4 white small onions (if you don't have, you can use regular onion)
  • 1 cup of chicken stock
  • Butter and olive oil.


Step 1 :
In a large pan, let melt a knob of butter with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Oil will avoid butter to get burned.



Step 2 :
Cut the onions in small slides and make them cook until they become golden.
If you don't want to see your onions burn, 2 things to remember :

  1. You have to salt them. 
  2. And most important : low fire ... It's a little bit longer for them to gold, but you won't make them burn.




Step 3 :
In the meantime, cut the bacon.



Step 4 :
When your onion is golden, add the bacon. Make it cook a little while (5 minutes), except if you like it a little bit more grilled.



Step 5 :
Pour the chicken stock cup. I use powder chicken stock. But take the one you use to cook. Even if you prefer vegetable stock, no problem.
Better organic one, of course. I don't have it ...
Don't forget : the important is to have pleasure and to cook what you like.




Step 6 :
Pour it in the pan, with frozen peas. Let it cook for 15 minutes, with a lid, on a low fire.



After 15 minutes, take off the lid and let the peas cook 5 minutes more, to make the water evaporated.


It's done !
Here's my daughter's plate.




6 comments:

  1. I love to read your posts. Your descriptions always make me smile... bits of quirky English grammar and bits of humor. It's just perfect! :-)
    Do you live in those condos in the header picture?

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    1. Hi Pam ! My dictionary is becoming my best friend !!! ... I don't even close it anymore !! ;D
      Thank you very much for your words.
      Yes, I live here. What you see in this picture, is the view I've got from my kitchen's window. My "building" is the same that the one you see.

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  2. I thought I'd never like cooked lettuce leaves but I tried once, in a "green risotto" and I loved it (http://moussu.net/lulus-life-in-cornland/2006/02/17/tout-le-monde-dit-i-love-you/) :) Right now, I'd love a big bowl of your peas, they look amazing!!

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    1. I hope they'll be ;)
      Ok, I trust you, Dr CaSo, if you say it's good ... I can't promise it, but maybe, one day, later, when I'll be big and wise ... I'll taste cooked lettuce ;)
      I'm teasing you ! A friend of mine told me the same as you. I suppose I have to taste it once.
      Un sincère remerciement pour t'arrêter ici, ça me fait vraiment plaisir de retrouver des "têtes connues".
      Et les gentils mots sont toujours les bienvenus.
      Friendly ;)

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  3. peas with bacon! now this one way i may actually be able to eat peas.

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    Replies
    1. Hé ! Hé ! Hé ! ;)
      That's the only thing that my children don't eat in this plate ... So, as I'm a good mother, I sacrifice myself and eat their bacon ... lol !

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