Once the name of this dish is translated – “young peas in the French style” – it has a rather starchy sound to it, when, in fact, it ought to be the opposite. It’s a joyous celebration of spring produce, rendered luxuriant with plenty of butter in a method described as distinctively French by Mrs Acton way back in 1845. Prepared this way, peas, which have become a year-round freezer staple that are tipped from bag to pan to plate without a second thought, are allowed once again to take centre stage; Elizabeth David considers petits pois à la française “a dish, of course, to be served on its own”, though Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham suggest eating it with triangles of fried bread. I also think it goes rather well with a simply cooked piece of fish, or plain rice.
