River Cottage

This pea puree provides the ideal snack or starter and is delicious spread on toast

Hugh: "This is another one of those highly seasoned, blitzed vegetable purées that I am so fond of. They are great as a side dish, or as part of a mezze spread, or they can be eaten as a snack or starter with some toast soldiers or flatbread wedges."

Serves 4

• 20g butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3–4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g fresh or frozen peas
• A good handful of mint, finely chopped, plus a sprig
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A few chives

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and sauté for 15–20 minutes, until very soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes, then set aside.

2. In a separate saucepan, cook the peas with a sprig of mint in enough lightly salted boiling water to cover them by 2–3cm, until tender. Drain, add to the onion mix and set aside.

3. Using a food processor, blender or a stick bender, blitz the peas with the onion mixture, chopped mint and a twist of pepper, adding just a little water, to obtain a coarse purée.

4. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve scattered with chopped chives, if you like.