Stewed pease and lettuce is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic accompaniment of green peas and lettuce served in a meat-based stock thickened with flour and flavoured with herbs. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Stewed pease and lettuce.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, the classic Georgian cookbook.
Stewed peaſe and lettuce
TAKE a quart of green peas, two nice lettuces clean waſhed and pickled, cut them ſmall acroſs, put all into a ſauce-pan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, pepper and ſalt to your palate ; cover them cloſe, and let them ſtew ſoftly, ſhaking the pan often. Let them ſtew ten minutes, then ſhake in a little flour, toſs them round, and pour in half a pint of good gravy ; put in a little bundle of ſweet-herbs and an onion, with three cloves, and a blade of mace ſtuck in it. Cover it cloſe, and let them ſtew a quarter of an hour ; then take out the onion and ſweet-herbs, and turn it all into a diſh. If you find the ſauce not thick enough, ſhake in a little more flour, and let it ſimmer, then take it up.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
400g green peas
2 lettuces, washed and finely shredded
100g butter
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp plain flour
300ml strong meat stock
1 bunch of sweet herbs, securely tied
1 onion, stuck with 3 cloves and 1 blade of mace
Method:
Melt the butter in a pan then add the peas and lettuce. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
After this time, season with salt and black pepper then scatter the flour over the top. Stir to make a roux then mix in the meat stock until smooth. Add the herbs, and onion then bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook gently for about 15 minutes, or until the ingredients are tender and the sauce is thick.
Remove the herbs and onion, turn into a dish and serve.
