Chef Curtis Gamble dazzled our palate with these English peas with soffritto, yogurt and lemon. They’re shown here with a gorgeous asparagus platter with soft boiled egg, buttermilk dressing, and sourdough croutons tossed in tarragon salsa verde. Maybe pair it with a Sweet Pea cocktail...
What is Soffritto?
The name “soffritto” comes from the Italian verb soffriggere, meaning “to sauté,” referring to the process of cooking the ingredients gently in olive oil or butter. Typically, soffritto is made in Italy from a combination of three key ingredients: onions, carrots, and celery. You finely chop these vegetables and sautée them together until they become tender and aromatic. In some variations, garlic, herbs like bay leaves or thyme, and even pancetta or prosciutto enhance the flavor. Incorporating soffritto into your cooking is an excellent way to add complexity and umami to your meals. Whether you’re making a hearty pasta sauce, a flavorful soup, or this peas with soffritto dish, soffritto is the secret ingredient that can take your cooking to the next level.
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Peas with Soffritto, Yogurt and Lemon
Ingredients
For the peas:
- 4 oz of Greek yogurt
- 8 oz English peas, blanched
- 2 tbsp soffritto (recipe follows)
- 4 lemons
- EVOO
- Pea tendrils
Soffritto
- 100 g celery
- 100 g carrots
- 200 g Spanish onion
- 50 g garlic clove
- EVOO, to cover
Instructions
- In small batches, pulse celery, carrots, onions, and garlic to a fine mince in a food processor. Combine in a narrow pot and cover with olive oil and place over medium low heat.
- Gently cook until the olive oil is clean and most of the moisture has cooked off. Cool overnight in the refrigerator.
- Spoon several spoonfuls of yogurt on to a serving dish. In a mixing bowl add English peas, soffritto, zest and juice of 2 lemons and extra-virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Spoon over yogurt, top with pea tendrils, and the zest of 2 lemons. Serve.
Recipe by Curtis Gamble
Photography by Dave Bryce
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