Buttered Peas with Crunchy Bacon

6/23/2008

4 big handfuls of fresh or frozen peas

5 slices of bacon, finely diced

1 knob (1 tablespoon) of butter

1 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place peas into boiling water and cook 3 minutes, until tender. Fry bacon slices until golden and crisp. Remove to a dish and keep pan with juices left in. Drain your peas, reserving a little cup of cooking water, and add the peas to the pan with the bacon fat. Don t put the pan back on the heat as you don t want to fry them. Add a knob of butter, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, and a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add a little splash of cooking water to delicately coat and glaze the peas. Serve them in a bowl mixed them with the bacon bits on top.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Cook with Jamie, by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion, $37.50)