Here they are then, posed by the food-processor to give you an idea of scale.
It's interesting to note that not all the peas germinated. I think in retrospect that I sowed them too thickly, and some of them didn't get enough moisture. Even so, there are enough in this little tub to make a very respectable addition to a salad - and they taste fantastic.
I couldn't resist doing an arty shot, with the peas glowing in the weak Winter afternoon sunshine...
Here they are after snipping:
In close-up they look even more appetising.
Finally, the peashoots are added to our salad. This one is made with Radishes and Parsley - and topped with the peashoots, of course.
I had been intending to dress the salad with a tiny drop of Sesame oil, but I forgot!
I know that a handful of peashoots is not much of a harvest to brag about, but as the saying goes "if you pick it, you can count it!", so I'm submitting this post to Harvest Monday, hosted by Daphne at Daphne's Dandelions.
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P.S. An announcement.
I am happy to announce that Liz from Suburban Tomato has become the latest winner of the Mark's Veg Plot Chilli Award.
Liz's blog is informative, interesting, often amusing, and always beautifully illustrated. Furthermore it is reliable, and looks to me as if it will be around for a fair while. If you haven't yet discovered this blog, you really should pay it a visit.
I've never been successful with growing peas and there always seem to be a field's worth in a packet. Maybe I should use the seed this way.
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether soaking them in tepid water first would make for more germination
ReplyDeletegood idea Mark I fancy some pea shoots in a salad
ReplyDeleteAre they really the ones you got for a bargain price in a previous post? They've done really well haven't they. I never think to grow peas for anything other than the peas themselves but these are more efficient and look far more robust than growing salads! I think I will give this a go!
ReplyDeletep.s. I checked out Suburban Tomato : ) Isn't it awesome seeing that amazing harvest!! Roll on spring and summer!!
ReplyDeleteThat was quick. I think I'll have to give pea shoots a try.
ReplyDeleteOh yummy. I think if I was growing pea shoots, they would become part of a sandwich.
ReplyDeleteYour shoots look absolutely delicious! I really need to get some going...
ReplyDeleteBTW-Love Liz's blog and so happy to see it being recognized!
Our shoots are all eaten now..but looking back though photos, I know the first type I grew a few years ago, had much larger leaves. Think I will order that seed variety next year.
ReplyDeleteThey are delicious though aren't they Mark and Jane. A little sauté is good for them also.. sauté first, two fillets of halibut..remove and decrease the pan with a citrus vinegar (I have been using grapefruit white balsamic). You would like that I think. It is simple, crisp and good for a diabetic diet.
Beautiful photos as always...thinking spring over here..you too I expect!!
There's a delicious Burmese dish involving lightly cooked pea shoots. I really should track down a recipe, because I imagine it's very simple to prepare. Yours certainly look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of eating pea shoots, but now I want to try! Question though, do they grow back after your first cutting or are they done at that point and you have to plant/germinate new ones?
ReplyDeleteHi Rachael; If you cut the shoots just above a leaf-joint (and preferably leaving at least one leaf) they will grow back again. I find that I can get 2 or 3 cuts from each sowing.
DeleteAmazing what you can grow in the kitchen.........and tasty too !
ReplyDeleteAwww thanks Mark I really appreciate it. Fun harvest, we always used to grow mustard and cress on cotton wool when we were kids - equally successful.
ReplyDeleteThe pea shoots seemed to grow really quickly. What a good idea. Will you be growing more?
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear: these are not the Marrowfat peas from Morrisons which I wrote about as being a bargain. They are the ones I sowed on 24 Feb. So time from sowing to maturity was 14 days. It may obviously be a bit more or less according to variable factors like the variety of pea and the temperature in which you keep them. I'll definitely be growing more though!
DeleteThis is such a good idea Mark! Would it work on beans too do you think?
ReplyDeleteCaroline; it probably would work with beans, but would you want to eat them though? I imagine they wouldn't be very nice.
Deletethis i a great idea! great for a mini winter harvest
ReplyDeleteYes. I have seen that done years ago, then I forgot about it for I have no trouble with peas. I read this season that all (I think) seeds should be soaked a bit before planting. Softens the seed covering.
ReplyDelete