Green Peas

Green peas are one of the most universally liked vegetables — sweet, bright, and cheerful in colour. Technically a legume, they are treated as a vegetable in the kitchen, appearing as a side dish, stirred through pasta and risotto, blended into soups, or scattered over salads.

Fresh peas in the pod are a seasonal treat in spring and early summer, but for most of the year, frozen peas are the practical choice — and an excellent one, since they are snap-frozen within hours of harvest and retain their sweetness and colour remarkably well. Tinned peas, while convenient, tend to be softer and less vibrant.

In Australia, peas are a dinnertime staple that most people grow up eating. They are also a key ingredient in classic dishes like pea and ham soup, mushy peas alongside a meat pie, or simply tossed with butter and mint.