What a perfect time of year for those of us who love to cook, and for those who simply love to eat delicious local food. A rainbow of fruits and vegetables are hitting the farm stands, and life feels just a bit easier. Quick stir-fry perhaps, or veggies tossed on the grill. Berries are coming in bountifully, and they are used in any number of baked goods and desserts, or just eaten out of hand.

Sometimes, you just get lucky

            I got lucky at the farmers market this week and found both a mess of English garden peas and wild foraged chanterelles, my absolute favorite mushroom. How could one not combine them into one simple but special dish? 

Glorious peas

            Starting with the peas, with all their beautiful memories attached, I bought enough to enjoy all week and not just one meal. Most farmers offer the edible pod sugar snaps these days, but some still like to grow the classic garden, also called English or shelling peas. While the pod is not edible being much too fibrous, they make a delightful stock that has a strong fresh pea flavor and can be enjoyed even as a refreshing summer drink or added to cocktails. So nothing goes to waste here.

A memorable task

When I was growing up, shucking (some folks call this shelling) those peas were not always a welcome task, wether cooking up “a mess” of them for supper, but especially if there were lots of them at canning/freezing time – the fingers get sore! But the rewards were great, and the flavor memorable. My own kids and grandkids have served their stint at shucking them, but I did try to be kind and not make the experience too drawn out.

Queen of the forest

Chanterelles were the queen of the summer foraging in New England. Wild harvested was the only time I ever saw them until I was well into adulthood. I’m sure at the time, I took them for granted the way I did most wild foods, except the berries of course, those were always a prize. My Aunt Mary made a white gravy with wild mushrooms and poured it over baking powder biscuits. A wonderful supper. I liked that a lot, and I make a similar dish once in a while with shiitake mushrooms and it brings back lots of flavor memories. My sister-in-law Brenda had a secret spot, and used to bring me chanterelles she foraged. We’d just sauté them in a little butter and perch them on toasted bread. Simple but divine. By the way, don’t bother asking a forager where their stash is, you’ll likely only get the county as an answer, and maybe not even that.

Don’t worry, there are alternatives

Chanterelles are a little harder to cultivate than other mushrooms, so they are still not always easy to find commercially. For this recipe, if you cannot find them, oyster mushrooms substitute nicely, or even shiitake mushrooms, both would be delicious here. Really, just about any favorite mushroom is fine.

Simple gifts

  Because I think of them as gifts at this stage in my life, I think they are best used simply. Sautéed and served on a slice of really good toasted sourdough bread, or used as the main ingredient to a risotto dish. Or, just sautéed with some shallots and herbs and served alongside whatever else you are eating, especially an egg dish.

A second act

One of the things I love about this recipe is that the ingredients offer a second act in the kitchen, and nothing is wasted! The shucked pea pods and all the other trimmings from the aromatics and herbs become a sturdy stock for not only this recipe, but others to come. You can use it in soups and stews, rice, and sauces, or just drink it as is. The oil in which we roast the garlic is saved to be used over the next couple of weeks, drizzled on crostini, used in a sauté, added to hummus, etc. We’ve used it here a couple of ways.

Little jobs worth doing

There’s a little bother here, although nothing is complicated and once you’ve shucked the peas and prepped the veggies, made the stock (not really any work here, just time) and simmered the garlic, the dish comes together in the time it takes for the pasta to cook. I always love that. You can prep everything in the morning, and finish off the dish for Sunday dinner. And, you have extra delights for other meals just waiting for you.

A perfect Sunday dinner in June (or July)

Recently, for Sunday dinner for four, I added a simple heirloom tomato salad over frisée lettuce, drizzled simply with the garlic oil and a splash of red wine vinegar, served with some sourdough olive bread, charred and rubbed with some of the garlic oil. Oh, that means I used the garlic oil five ways already for this one meal. There will be more to come.

Substitutions

Of course, if you cannot find the garden peas, and around here that is most of the year, just substitute some frozen peas and use a nice veggie or mushroom stock in place of the pea stock. It will still be wonderful. For the pasta, I was going to use orecchiette, the little ears pasta, because I love this with peas, but I ran out and instead used the pasta I had in the larder. It was still delicious, but you can use any favorite pasta here. Conchiglie, or sea shells, would be nice too, little nooks in which the peas can hide. Of course, you can use any gluten-free pasta you enjoy.

Make some memories of your own

It’s the flavor of a perfect summer meal to savor. And let the memories enhance every bite, or simply make new ones with your own family.

Tagliatelle with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Fresh Peas, and Confit of Garlic

• 1.5 lbs. (700 g.) English garden peas
• 2 or 3 large shallots, or ½ large purple onion, minced
• 1 large head garlic, or two if you are thinking ahead
• 1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz. (340 g.) chanterelle or oyster mushrooms, bite-sized chunks
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• Five or six large stems fresh thyme, divided
• 2 tbsp. butter or vegan butter
• 2 tbsp. garlic oil (you will make this)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup pea, vegetable, or mushroom stock
• 1 cup of the peas from above, or frozen if out of season
• 12 oz. tagliatelle, or other favorite pasta

First, the peas. Shuck (or shell if you will) the peas, placing all the pods in a large stock pot. For 1 ½ lbs. of English peas, you will get about two generous cups of peas. You’ll only need a cup for this recipe, so set this aside, but why not make a little extra for later in the week. They’re here for such a short time!

In the meantime, mince the shallots or onion, and put the trimmings in the stock pot with the pea pods. Chop the parsley, stems in the stock pot. 

Brush the chanterelles clean, trim off any hard stem ends (stock pot) and set aside.

With a firm roll on the counter under your cupped hand, separate the garlic into cloves. Carefully slice of the root end and roll gently or peel to remove the skins from each clove. My garlic head was monstrously big for some reason, so I simple cut them in two or three, lengthwise, and the skins popped right off. Since the oil we are infusing will be used beyond this meal, why not add another head of garlic cloves to it and you’ll have more of this wonderful ingredient to use in the next couple of weeks. A clove smeared on a slice of baguette needs nothing else, and a few added to mashed potatoes will please the crowd. All trimmings in the stock pot, please.

Place the garlic cloves in 1 ½ cups of extra virgin olive oil and add a few of the thyme sprigs or other favorite herb and a bit of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for about a half hour, or until brown and soft. They will taste sweet and delicious at this point, like nothing else. Drain on toweling and save that oil for uses here and elsewhere in the coming days.

Once the stock and garlic oil have simmered for a half hour or so and are where you want them to be, set them aside to cool if you are going to make the dish later in the day, or strain the stock for immediate use, and fish out the garlic cloves from the oil.

When it is time to make the dish, put the water on to boil for the pasta. Once the water is to the boil, drop the pasta. Heat the butter and olive oil over medium high heat and add the shallots and mushrooms and some salt and pepper. Sauté until the shallots or onions are quite soft and mushrooms softening. Chanterelles give off a lot of water, so you probably won’t get a lot of glaze on the pan, but add the wine, and let cook off for a few minutes for the alcohol to diminish, then add the stock, the peas, and a bit more salt. 

Once the peas are cooked, the pasta should be about ready, so add it directly to the pot along with about a teaspoon of the fresh thyme and the parsley, and another knob of butter. Let these cook together another minute or two, and if need be add a bit of pasta water to loosen it up. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Place in a pasta bowl, and add some of the roasted garlic to the top to garnish, and drizzle with more of the garlic oil. If you like, garnish with some fresh Parmesan or vegan Parmesan.

Variations:

A quicker version: Short of time or inclination? In the time it takes the pasta to cook, a make a similar dish using frozen peas and mushroom stock. For the garlic topping, just quickly sauté some sliced garlic until brown and fragrant and drain on toweling. It’s a good substitute, it won’t taste quite the same, but will be pretty delicious anyway and quick to put together.

Vegan: This is pretty much already there. Choose a pasta with no eggs, and use a vegan Parmesan, or omit, to top.

Gluten-free: Simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta!

Swap out the base: This dish would be equally as good over rice, other noodles, mashed potatoes (garlic mashed potatoes?), polenta, or grits. Each would lend their own character to the overall experience.

Remember to fully cook any wild mushrooms!

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