A sweet pea dish even your kids will love!
Here’s a wonderful way to enjoy sweet peas. First, fresh mint leaves are pan-fried until crisp. While they cook, the leaves release their flavor right into the butter, which is then used to sauté the baby potatoes and the sweet peas – thus infusing the whole dish with a subtle minty aroma. As a last touch, the pan-fried leaves are scattered on top of the veggies just before serving, adding a delicate, crisp bite to the dish.
All in all, this is an extremely versatile and easy-to-make side dish that the whole family can enjoy!
Baby red potatoes with sweet peas and pan-fried mint
serves 4
active time: 20 min
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (to blanch the peas)
- 10 oz (285 g) shelled fresh (or frozen) peas (2 cups)
- 1 1/4 lbs (565 g) baby red potatoes – left whole, unpeeled and boiled until tender (see Viviane’s tip)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves (1 oz) (30 g)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Step 1:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes. Set aside. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and peas (if using frozen peas, do not thaw) and blanch for 3 minutes until tender but still a bit crunchy. Drain and transfer to the ice-water bath until cool, then drain on paper towels. - Step 2: Cut the boiled potatoes in quarters and set aside. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the mint. Sauté until the leaves are crisp and dark green, about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Return pan to stove over medium-high heat and add the potatoes. Toss well, spread in a single layer and sauté undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until golden-brown. Toss the potatoes and continue sautéing for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until golden-brown on all sides, tossing only a couple of times. Add the peas, salt and pepper. Toss well and sauté for 1 minute until the peas are warmed through. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the pan-fried mint leaves and serve.
Viviane’s tips
- I love to use baby red potatoes for this dish, because they have a wonderful creamy texture and they contribute a bit of color. But you can use any baby potatoes or fingerling potatoes here. In fact, this side dish is marvelous with the heirloom fingerlings you might find at your farmers’ market.
- And I like to use butter to make this recipe, because it tastes so good with peas! But you can use olive oil instead, as suggested in the ingredient list.
You have me at crisp mint leaves! I did some fried celery leaves before, but didn’t know you can do the same with mint too. This is a wonderful recipe to use red potatoes and peas.
Angie, you’ll absolutely love pan-fried mint leaves. They become crisp and mild – so delicious! As always thank you for stopping by!