Petit Pois Vert

Fresh peas in the shell — petit pois vert — from Groupe Polène in Provence. Whole pods, unshelled. Fresh peas straight from the pod taste nothing like frozen: they are sweeter, more vegetal, with a brightness and a snap that disappears within hours of picking and is lost entirely by the time a pea has been blanched, frozen and bagged. The trade-off is that they take work — shelling peas is slow — and the yield is roughly half the weight you buy, sometimes less.

Polène is based in Mollégès in the Bouches-du-Rhône, in the agricultural heartland of Provence. They work with artisan growers across the region and supply seasonal vegetables to professional kitchens and specialist retailers. The peas are a spring product — expect availability from roughly April through June, depending on the season.

The pods should be bright green, firm and tightly closed. The peas inside should be round, glossy and sweet. As they age, the sugars convert to starch and the peas become mealy and dull — so use them quickly.

Origin: Mollégès, Provence, France (Groupe Polène)

Ingredients: Fresh peas (Pisum sativum), in the shell.