Green Peas With Crispy Bacon

Side Dish

Serves 10 to 12

Recipe courtesy of Farmers Market Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 cups shelled fresh sweet green peas
4 bacon slices
2 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon butter

Note: 2 (16 oz) bags of frozen sweet green peas, thawed may be substituted.

Green Peas With Crispy Bacon

Click image to enlarge

Method:

Put peas in saucepan, cover with water and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and crumble; reserve 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings in skillet.

Saute shallots in the hot bacon drippings over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until tender. Stir in orange zest, orange juice, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes until reduced by half. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes; stir in mint and butter.

Transfer peas to a serving dish and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.