To all my followers

Hey all
I thought I'd take a moment today to thank all of my loyal viewers. Without you, my blog would be a waste of time. You guys make it possible for me to pass on my knowledge. Of course, I enjoy telling you all the exciting stories about my farm to :)
Well, busy busy! Best get back to work!
Thanks again!
More soon
Jack

Pea and Carrot Stirfry

Positively the BEST soup ever!

Oh my god I made this snow peas soup last night and it is absolutely amazing!!  Don't be fooled by the colour though..  It has the perfect texture and an a taste to die for!  Here goes

500g trimmed snow peas 30g butter extra virgin olive oil for frying and drizzling 3 eschalots, peeled and chopped 1.2 litres chicken stock Blanch snow peas in salted boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and plunge into cold water. Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add a dash of oil and fry eschalot until soft, but not browned. Add stock and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Reserve a few drained snow peas for serving. Working in batches, place remaining snow peas in a food processor with fried eschalot and stock mixture, and process until smooth. When ready to serve, reheat soup in a large saucepan over a medium heat, taste and add sea salt and ground black pepper if desired; do not allow soup to boil. Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil, reserved snow peas and ground black pepper. Serves 4. 

You can also add bits of fried bacon if you simply can't resist that meaty flavour.  Enjoy!  I know you will

Jack

Green Shepherds pie

i remembered this recipe that was once made for a St Pattys day meal.. At my daughter's boarding school they had a green theme for dinner.  This consisted of:

- lime icecream

- runner beans

and....

- GREEN shepherds pie!!

How did they get it green you ask?  Well.. I have the solution... Peas!  Simple mash up some fresh cooked peas and mix them in with the potatoe and there you have it... Green shepherds pie!

A great way to get some extra nutrients into your meal and to get your young kids to eat their vege, they will never know the difference!

Enjoy, Jack

Fun pea facts!

Wow! Long time no chat guys! Sorry about the delay in my blogging.  The pea harvesting has been keeping me sooo busy i simply don't have the energy when i get home!  So I'll make this a nice long one to make up for it :)

So I was just searching the net and I came across some random facts..

Peas have been used in the dry form since ancient times, and archaeologists found them in Egyptian tombs. It was not until the sixteenth century that more tender varieties were developed and eaten fresh. Today only about 5 % of all peas grown are sold fresh. More than half of all peas sold are canned and most of the rest are frozen.

5%!! Oh my god!  I'm struggling to believe that!  What a waste of these amazing healthy peas to freeze and can them!  Talk about kill the nutrients!  Don't worry guys, I will continue to sell my peas for as long as I am fit enough to plant and harvest them.. Many years to come guys, don't stress!

So an update on the weekend sales.. We reached a record high of selling 70 bags of peas and had an amazing 52 customers visit our stall!  This is huge!  If business keeps up, We're going to have to buy some more land!  Exciting stuff!!!

Hope you all had a fabulous fun filled weekend!  Be sure to stop by the stall next weekend to buy some peas :) Free samples!!

To end, here are a few simple ways to enjoy your regular snow peas.. 

Jack

Make Peas a Part of Your 5 A Day Plan
* Season cooked peas with fresh or dried mint, chopped fresh parsley, curry powder, or with lemon. 
* Add shelled green peas, snow and sugar snap peas to tossed green or pasta salads or to stir-fried dishes. 
* Snow and sugar snap peas can be eaten raw as a snack or with your favorite low-fat dip. 

How the French cook Green Peas

So I was surfing the net last night looking for a new way to cook the peas for dinner.. I came across a French technique... We tested it out and they were absolutely amazing!  Hence why I felt the need to share it with you all, so here goes..

Melt one ounce of fresh butter in a saucepan.

When it is dissolved without being the least colored, throw in a quart of peas.

Shake them over the fire for a minute or two, then pour over them as much boiling water or weak stock as will barely cover them; add half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper, the heart of a lettuce finely shred, 3 young onions, and a small sprig of parsley.

Simmer gently until the peas are tender.

Take the saucepan from the fire for a minute, and in order to thicken the sauce stir in the well-beaten yolks of 3 eggs.

The peas must not boil up after the eggs are added.

Serve the peas on a hot dish with the sauce poured over them.

Time, half an hour.

Sufficient for four or five persons.

Enjoy!

P.S.  Here's the link

http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Category:Pea_Recipes

Photo

Oops! sorry guys, forgot to post this pic of my kids harvesting the peas :)