Cooking Spring: Fresh Peas with Ibérico Ham and Fried Egg Recipe
This week, I present you with a recipe that encapsulates the essence of spring flavours: a traditional dish in Spanish households that exquisitely combines flavours and nutrients. It is also the perfect meal for any daytime: kickstarting the day with energy at breakfast, enjoying a comforting lunch, or concluding the day with a healthy and delicious dinner.
This easy-to-make and healthy recipe mixes the smoky touch of Ibérico ham with the softness and sweetness of seasonal peas, creating an amazing combination of flavours. And I believe there is no better way to crown it than with a fried egg, with its golden and creamy yolk and egg white with a crispy edge.
Five things you may not know about Peas
- Peas have a long history of cultivation dating back 10 thousand years ago. They are believed to have originated in the area that is now the Middle East and Central Asia.
- They are a true nutritional gem, delighting us with their richness in proteins, fibre, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. They not only please our palate but also provide us with energy and vitality.
- Peas can be enjoyed in various cooking ways, whether raw in salads, steamed as a side dish, or as a main ingredient in soups, stews, pies, and stir-fries, as in today's recipe.
- There are several varieties of peas, including green peas, sweet peas, snow peas, split peas, and black-eyed peas. You can also find them dried, which is the traditional way of preserving them longer, as we do with the other legumes.
- Peas are sustainable crops as they can fix nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for nitrogenous fertilizers.
