Last week, I had the pleasure of trying out a range of Cole & Mason products in a test kitchen with Chef Rachel Green. Hosted by John Lewis, the occasion served as an fun way to experiment with flavours and seasoning with a range of herbs and spices and awesome kitchen gear – I loved Cole & Mason’s pestle and mortars and spice racks!
Rachel, a “woman for all seasons” who’s “cooking for Britain” was an absolute delight to cook alongside and to learn from. Observing her in the kitchen (not to mention getting to sample here her excellent food) was the highlight of the week. Nothing fancy but big on yum, Rachel’s recipe’s were down to earth, easy to follow and (most importantly) delicious.
Here’s the recipe for a basic but really inspired dish, peas on toast. Read more of Rachel’s recipes from our day with John Lewis and Cole & Mason.
Pestle and Mortar Practical: Make Your Own Peas on Toast
Ingredients
- 8 slices French bread;
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed slightly;
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
- Sea salt;
- 2 tablespoons of basil pesto;
- 250g frozen peas, thawed and drained;
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil;
- 1 tablespoon of half fat crème fraiche;
- 100g feta cheese;
- A handful crushed mint leaves.
Instruction
- Brush the bread with the olive oil, and then rub with the garlic;
- Preheat a griddle or frying pan until very hot and then add the slices of bread in batches and toast well on both sides;
- Spread a little pesto on each bruschetta;
- Using either a pestle and mortar or a food processor (crush or pulse) the peas, mint, crème fraiche, add a squeeze of lemon juice and stir in half of the feta cheese and season with sea salt and black pepper;
- The pea mixture does not want to be completely smooth, it should have some texture;
- Spoon the mixture onto the bruschetta, top with the remaining crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with a little paprika or cayenne pepper.
- This mixture is also lovely spooned over BBQ chicken or used as a dip for crudities.
