Pea Almond And Ricotta Spread Food

SWEET PEA SALAD AND RICOTTA CHEESE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium.
• In a large bowl, add peas, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, mint, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Brush focaccia squares with remaining oil. Grill on each side for 2 to 3 minutes until well marked. Remove from the grill to a serving platter. Spread ricotta cheese on each square and top with sweet pea salad.

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2/3 of the black-eyed peas and mash all the ingredients together with a potato masher. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Add the flour, egg, green onion, oregano, lemon zest, cayenne, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to the pea mixture. Fold in the cheese and remaining black-eyed peas. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Divide the batter into 12 portions using a 1 1/2-ounce portion scoop. Press into flat 1/2-inch-thick discs and coat in the remaining breadcrumbs.
• Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining oil and, in batches, sear the fritters until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Place on a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Top with the onion jam and garnish with the green onions.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, lemon zest, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes
• Add the coriander, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and half the lemon juice and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to cook down and the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water every 10 minutes and continue to cook until the onions are thick and golden brown, about 55 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and the lemon juice and cook until the brown sugar melts, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season to taste.

PEA AND RICOTTA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat a grill over medium-low. Add the baguette slices and grill on both sides until toasted. Remove from the grill and rub the toasts with the garlic clove (discard clove). Drizzle lightly with the chili oil. Set the toasts aside.
• If using fresh peas, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the peas and blanch, about 1 minute. Then pour onto a sheet tray lined with a clean kitchen towel and allow to cool. If using frozen peas, add to a strainer and rinse under warm water to thaw, then set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, coarsely grated Parmesan, minced garlic, lemon zest and a pinch sea salt. Stir to combine. Add the peas and stir with a wooden spoon, lightly mashing the peas with the back of the spoon.
• To assemble, spoon the cheese and pea mixture onto the toasts, top with extra Parmesan to garnish, and serve.

LEMON RICOTTA PASTA WITH FRESH PEAS

Steps:

• In a large, high sided skillet, toast the pine nuts over medium heat. Watch them carefully! Stir them constantly! These will burn in a hot minute and then you will be out 5 bucks worth of expensive nuts. Not that I'm speaking from experience...
• Once the pine nuts are toasty and golden and fragrant, remove to a plate and set aside.
• Fill the high sided skillet with water and add 1 tablespoon of salt (it should taste like seawater.) Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. It should only take about 10 minutes, but check the package. Don't overcook it. Nobody likes limp noodles.
• When the pasta is al dente, drain in a colander and return to the same pot. Drizzle with olive oil and stir.
• Meanwhile, make the ricotta pea sauce. In a food processor or blender, add garlic and a bunch of parsley*. I didn't measure this, just throw in what looks like it will be 1/3 cup. Add oregano and thyme, and pulse or blend until the parsley and garlic are finely chopped.
• Add 1 and 1/2 cups peas, the ricotta, the lemon zest and juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt (see note), and black pepper. Pulse until the mixture comes together but still has some texture to it, it shouldn't be completely smooth.
• Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta and stir it up. Add the remaining cup of peas.
• Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and a few drizzles of olive oil. You can add this to the pot or over each individual serving.
• If you are serving adults, add a few shakes of crushed red pepper, or if you are serving kids leave it out (or just add a little).
• Top each serving with some toasted pine nuts.

POACHED CHICKEN SANDWICHES WITH PEAS AND RADISHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 6 cups water, zest, and 2 teaspoons salt in a saucepan. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; simmer until chicken is just cooked through and a thermometer inserted in thickest parts registers 155 degrees, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool in liquid 1 hour. Remove and pat dry. Thinly slice against the grain.
• Meanwhile. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil; add English peas. Return to a boil; cook 1 minute. Drain; run under cold water. Pat dry.
• Brush bread with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until crisp and golden brown on edges but still soft inside, 10 to 12 minutes. Whisk together mustard and lemon juice. Whisk in oil in a slow, stead stream; season with salt and pepper. Toss 2 tablespoons dressing with English peas, snap peas, radishes, and mint.
• Spread each toast with 1 tablespoon Pea, Almond, and Ricotta Spread; top with chicken. Spread 1 tablespoon hummus over chicken on each. Top with some radish-and-pea salad, pressing down lightly to adhere, and serve alongside remaining salad, drizzled with more dressing.

PEAS WITH BAKED RICOTTA AND BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a small baking dish; a round Spanish earthenware dish about 6 inches across is perfect for this amount.
• If your ricotta is wet and milky, drain it first by putting it in a colander and pressing out the excess liquid. Pack the ricotta into the dish, drizzle a little olive oil over the surface, and bake 20 minutes or until the cheese has begun to set and brown on top. Cover the surface with the bread crumbs and continue to bake until the bread crumbs are browned and crisp, another 10 minutes. (The amount of time it takes for ricotta cheese to bake until set can vary tremendously, so it may well take longer than the times given here, especially if it wasn't drained.)
• When the cheese is finished baking, heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When the butter foams, add the shallots and sage and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas, 1/2 cup water, and the lemon zest. Simmer until the peas are bright green and tender; the time will vary, but it should be 3 to 5 minutes. Whatever you do, don't let them turn gray. Season with salt and a little freshly ground pepper, not too much.
• Divide the ricotta between 2 plates. Spoon the peas over the cheese. Grate some Parmesan over all and enjoy while warm.