Böhmische Erbsen

Bohemian Pease

Notes ahead

This recipe works best served cold, so you could easily make it several days ahead to save time and preparation on the day of the feast.

Tools

  • kitchen sink
  • 1 stove burner
  • small cook pot with lid
  • colander
  • immersion blender OR potato masher OR large spoon
  • measuring spoons
  • liquid measuring cup
  • small bowl

Ingredients

  • 12 oz frozen peas
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup cream sherry (the original recipe calls for “A good wine” so you have a lot of options here. Avoid cooking wines. We tried it with a Riesling originally but did not like the flavor profile.)

How to

Place 3-4 cups of water in your cook pot and bring to a boil. (Your bag of frozen peas may specify an amount, follow that.)

Add frozen peas to boiling water, breaking up any clumps that are stuck together.

Boil for 3-4 minutes (again check the time specification on your bag in case it differs).

Remove from heat and drain in the sink with your colander. Turn off the burner.

Move the cookpot off the warm burner if using an electric stove. Return the drained peas to the cookpot.

-=-

Measure the spices into the small bowl.

Measure your cream sherry or wine.

Add spices and wine to the peas.

Blend or mash the peas with the liquid and spices until they make a mush.

-=-

Serve cold.

Notes following

This is based on this 16th century German recipe, with the addition of salt because it tasted incomplete to our audience without it. There are a variety of spiced pea mush recipes in historical cookbooks from Europe.

Return to Feast Menu