I was buying a few tinned vegs recently when I saw the item below. A can of Sainsbury's 'British chip-shop-style Mushy Peas'.
I had never before eaten 'Mushy Peas'. I was always told that they were illegal south of Watford; so I was intrigued. What is this northern delicacy, I wondered?
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Fridays are the one day of the week when I take a rest from gourmet cooking. We usually eat from the freezer. Fish (usually fingers), chips, and peas. It's easy, cheap, and we both pretend to enjoy it.
So, taking the example from the can illustration (above), last Friday we ate fish-n-chips, but with Mushy Peas.
Actually they were quite nice; in fact very nice. We were both somewhat surprised. They did have a rather strange luminous colour, but it didn't seem to affect the flavour. I simply re-heated them with a splash of white wine, and S & P.
I shall definitely buy these again, I have an idea that they might also make an interesting Dhal. I shall experiment.
I'm always prepared to try something once, and often once is enough; but not in this case. I have already added 2 tins to my next week's shopping list.
Have you eaten Mushy Peas?
I ate mushy peas just last night. It was our wedding anniversary and for a special treat we drove out to a superb fish and chips restaurant on the eastern edge of the city called "Whitby's".
ReplyDeleteTo become a real northerner, you will also need a mucky flat cap and a whippet, wear braces and mutter "Eee by gum!" at pretty much everything you see and hear.
My oldest and I often greet each other with the northern patios 'Aye up'. Thank you for adding to our knowledge of 'northern-speak', we shall be delighted to use your 'Eee by gum' in the near future.
DeleteMushy peas are a staple in our house up north. However not the tinned versions! Like you say, tinned ones are a very bright green! I buy the dried ones in boxes, soak overnight, then cook. Proper peas!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know they came dried. I shall have a look to see if they've come south too.
DeleteI've eaten them in northern England and while I wouldn't seek them out, I like them well enough. You may be right about them being ok to be in dahl.
ReplyDeleteI thought their texture (and the fact that they are a pulse) would mean that they'd lend themselves to dahl. I shall see quite soon.
DeleteMushy peas are a regular add on to Fish 'n Chips bought out, but new to me here in Lancashire are Parched Peas.
ReplyDeleteI had to look these up, and see that if cooked from scratch they take 15 hrs. If they too came in tins, I think they'd make a very good Dahl too.
DeleteThere is a village in Sussex called pease pottage. It got its name from serving mushy peas made into a thick postage or soup, to prisoners on their way to London gaols.
ReplyDeleteI love mushy peas. Husband prefers garden peas.
Being a Sussex lad I know Pease Pottage well. I suppose Pease Pudding must be quite similar to Mushy Peas, but I've never seen it on offer anywhere.
DeleteHow did you manage to get to your great age without eating mushy peas! - they are available in all chip shops around here - East rather than North.
ReplyDeleteThe simple answer must be because I've lived in S W France for the past 50 years. I've always known the name, but it was never in chip shops when I were a lad!
DeleteMarrowfat peas - like Mrs LH we cook our own and avoid the off putting artificial colour (and yes they do make an acceptable dahl). One fast food shop we bought from in Shields used to set theirs solid and put slices of the stuff into rolls served with gravy. That was truly weird.
ReplyDeleteA Pea Sandwich? I agree that does sound a bit strange.
DeleteI don't dislike mushy peas but prefer frozen peas so would choose frozen petit pois over mushy ones !!! XXXX
ReplyDeleteLike most folk I always have a bag of frozen Petit Pois handy, but I think I shall alternate from now on.
DeleteI quite like them but He Who Must Be Obeyed can't stand them so I don't buy them. Perhaps I should start buying some just for me.
ReplyDeleteWhisk an egg into them and fry them like a Burger; he might like them then.
DeleteI see mushy peas here on fish shop menus now but way back the southern equivalent was peas pudding - which I believe is made with chickpeas. Mum used to get it with her saveloy and chips.
ReplyDeleteI've never has Pease Pudding but I know the name from the song, and the village.
DeleteI loath them and baked beans.
ReplyDeleteHow can you loathe Baked Beans, they're the food of the minor gods!
DeleteOoo yes, chip shop chips, mushy peas and mayo!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd only 4000 Calories a go!
DeleteWell that is a special treat....generally enjoyed on the prom car park at Girvan...in the car of course , because of the seagulls...watching the sun set over Ailsa Craig
DeleteLovely.
DeleteNo wine but a good splash of malt vinegar
ReplyDeleteI saw somewhere that people put vinegar on them, I'll try that next time.
DeleteLove mushy peas. Good news, the larger Sainsbury's stores and Waitrose stock large and small tins of Pease Pudding which is utterly delicious. Hardly worth making your own with such good quality available in tins. It's in a blue can made by Foresight's, usually in the same area as the mushy peas. Why not give it a try? Wonderful with pork chops.
ReplyDeleteGosh; I will. All these new products at one time. I was at Waitrose this morning, I wish I'd seen this before I went. Thanks for the tip.
DeletePut a small piece of butter in the pan when you heat it up. Hope you enjoy it.
DeleteI've just had a thought that my mother probably made this, although it was never given a name. She would boil yellow split peas, the drain them through muslin until they formed quite a firm lump. I suppose this was Pease pudding. I loved it.
DeleteYes, that's it. My grandmother did the same in her pressure cooker. On one famous occasion whilst straining the water out, the whole lump dropped into the kitchen sink. Aged about 9 years, I persuaded her to serve it with the rest of the boiled ham lunch as if nothing had happened. We all survived the lunch.
DeleteBy the way, I've now ordered a 6 pack of Foresight's Pease Puddings (410 gms) from Amazon. I can't wait; they arrive Friday!
DeleteCro, when we were in London back in 1996, we had mushy peas for the first time in a pub. They were 'different', but OK. They were kind of a joke with us... mushy peas and jacket potatoes.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know they'd come as far south as London. We're nothing but multi-cultural here in the UK.
DeleteSeeing mention of pease pudding reminds me that my mother used to make it and it would always accompany boiled ham. At the convent I attended it was also made in the kitchen where our school dinners were prepared on site. I haven't thought about it for years. I am not a fan of mushy peas. I like my fish and chips with tomato ketchup and bread and butter and no peas, mushy or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's ham always came with Butter Beans and carrots; I still do exactly the same today. I was actually quite surprised that I liked Mushy Peas, I'm now looking forward to trying Pease Pudding.
DeleteThe salt content and preservative in anything canned is more than I like. I've not come across Mushey Peas nor Pease Pudding in my travels. Making this from scratch might be the right option for me. Then again, I'm no cook. Your Dhal sounds good.
ReplyDeleteAs the Pease Pudding is made from yellow split peas, I think it might be the best one for a dahl. I shall certainly try it (if I can find the cans); making it from scratch is too lengthy for me.
DeleteI've seen the term mushy peas in books and always wondered if they're peas that have been smooshed or if something is added to them. I'm afraid mush peas is even less appealing to me than plain old peas.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
It's made from a big variety of Pea called Marrowfat (I think). They are probably inedible in any other form than mashed.
DeleteI've never had mushy peas but it sounds a lot like leftover split pea soup refrigerated over night. Instead of thinning it for soup again, you are tossing a spoonful into a buttered frypan. I have never tried this, but you can believe that I will.
ReplyDeleteYour left-over soup would be much smoother. Mushy Peas are lumpy; a combination of mush and peas (at least mine was).
DeleteI have never eaten mushy peas and don't plan to. I always thought they were just mashed peas, like you'd feed to a baby, but now I know they aren't.
ReplyDeleteGreen baby food with lumps.
DeleteMushy peas with mint sauce !
ReplyDeletePease pudding hails originally from the north east of England and is always made with yellow split peas, never chickpeas!
ReplyDeleteMy maternal grandmother was a Geordie, and made the best pease pudding on earth.
One of the great joys of life is a mouth stretching sandwich made with thickly cut home made white bread, best butter, lots of sliced, home boiled gammon, a small scraping of English mustard (freshly made from Colman's mustard powder obviously), and a big thick slice of delicious home made pease pudding!
I make a very good yellow split pea and ham hock soup, perfect for cold winter evenings.
On the subject of mushy peas, home made are always best, but rather than buy the boxes of peas and 'soaking tablets', I buy bags of marrowfat peas and soak them overnight with boiling water and bicarb of soda. Just remember to rinse them very, very well before boiling them up! Foamy, bicarb-y peas....not good!
When having fish and chips, a 'chip butty' is great, but a 'chip and mushy pea butty, is a lot better!
A butcher/baker local to us makes minced beef pies, with a layer of mushy peas above the mince, below the pastry topping, they're truly wondrous!
You sound like an expert; I think you could write the definitive book!
DeleteI'm a Sussex girl by birth, but I can't ever recall having them as part of any meal. Since then, however, I like them very much and will use them (canned) now and again.
ReplyDeleteI too am Sussex/Surrey. I must have eaten them when my mother made them, but I didn't know what they were called. I remember well the filled muslin bag hanging over a bowl.
DeleteI'm a Mancunian, born and bred so they are pretty much compulsory!
ReplyDeleteEee ba gum. You're spoiled up north!
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