Peas (Petits Pois)

A guide to peas in France. Petits pois are high in protein, but discover more facts, a popular French expression using them, and links to easy French pea recipes.

Random Facts About Petits Pois in France

Brief History: the pea is one of the most ancient of vegetables consumed in Asia and Europe - but as a dried vegetable: chickpea and split pea.

It wasn't until the 17th century that fresh peas were consumed, especially in Europe. King Louis XIV adored them, and ensured his botanist, La Quintinie grew them at the Potager du Roi in Versailles;

In France under Louis XVI, war minister, the Count Saint Germain adored fresh peas from Poissy (Yvelines, west of Paris). So French recipes called 'Saint Germain' contain fresh peas - see recipe for the classic Potage Saint Germain.

What Vegetable Has the Highest Protein?

Peas are one of the vegetables with the highest protein. According to Aprifel, fresh peas are also rich in fibre, vitamin B9, manganese and phosphorus.

To cook them best to retain their vitamins, steam for just a couple of minutes. Add to sauces, rice, pasta, salads and soups for a healthy last-minute touch. Frozen peas are just as nutritious as fresh.

Storage: fresh pods are best kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours in order to keep their vitamins.

Do Peas Count as Vegetables?

Although categorised under vegetables, like the tomato, according to the King's Kitchen Gardeners at Versailles (the school at the potager du roi), the pea is botanically a fruit as it contains seeds and is grown from a flower (pisum sativum).

However, we know fresh green peas more commonly as a vegetable and they're best eaten fresh from the pods (3-8 per typical pod), frozen or canned/tinned. Split peas are dried and shelled from the matured pods.

French Pea Season

Petits Pois are in season in France between May to July.
As they appear around the same time as asparagus, are often associated together as ideal flavour partners.

French Expression Using 'Petits Pois'

"Il a un petit pois dans la tête"

Familiar/colloquial French expression meaning he's a bit of an idiot (literally translated as having a pea in the head). Although please don't use in good company!

French Recipes with Peas

Slightly sweet tasting. Delicious served raw, straight from the pod and in salads.

Although not noted as a main ingredient in many recipes here, add them to stews such as Blanquette de Veau or Corsican Veal stew in the last few minutes of cooking. It's a great way to make the most of them fresh when in season.

Pea soup (Potage Saint-Germain) is a classic French soup made with freshly shelled peas. However, I also give the recipe using frozen and dried split peas when fresh are out of season.

Add fresh or frozen peas to this classic French monkfish stew. Known as lotte à l'Armoricaine or l'Américaine, this is also delicious with Mahi-Mahi or any meaty fish.

Add them at the last minute to sauces such as beurre blanc and to oven-roasted asparagus. Also delicious associated with cooked carrots. Add them to glazed carrots, Vichy style.

Add them to this Corsican Mint Omelette. Pea and mint are so fresh and delicous to welcome spring and summer.

Add in the last 5 minutes of cooking to this creamy chorizo risotto. Delicious topped with seared scallops, fish, prawns or shrimp.

Add them freshly shelled to this pure vegetable soup. It's so delicious made with extra fresh produce.

Shelled fresh from their pods, raw peas are a fabulous, healthy way to celebrate spring in this simple green salad.