Mangetout are young, tender garden peas. Find out when mangetout are in season, how to buy the best, and tips for storing and cooking this green vegetable by reading this article.
What is mangetout?
The French name tells you everything; it means ‘eat it all’. Mangetout properly means a type of garden pea picked very young, so young that the pod is still flat and the peas have barely developed. *Also known as snow pea or sugar pea. A sugar snap pea is more fully developed and rounder, but the pod can still be eaten.
How to cook mangetout
Ideally, mangetouts can be cooked just as they are and great care must be taken to serve them crisp and brightly coloured.
Unfortunately, the variety sold and the time of the year means you always have to check for strings. Pull back the stalk end to see if the string is developed and if so, you must string every one, both sides. If the strings are minor, you may eat them as they are.
They are an excellent ingredient to use in stir-fries when they can be cut in half diagonally, both for looks and for faster cooking. Otherwise, the microwave is by far the best way to enhance and enjoy their green, garden flavour. Cook covered with no added water other than any left after rinsing and shaking dry. Steaming quickly reduces their flavour and colour; boiling does the same, faster.
The sweetness of lightly cooked mangetout peas is especially good with all seafood (even in cocktails) and with fish, hot or cold. They make an interesting ingredient in salads, too. Find more mangetout cooking ideas here
How to store mangetout
Best eaten quickly. The ideal way to keep them crisp and fresh is to store them in the refrigerator in a roomy bag or box into which you have sprinkled a little water, which will then keep them in very good condition for days.
When is mangetout in season?
The UK season is June to September, but supplies from other countries appear throughout much of the year. Frozen mangetout can be found but, like all such vegetables, they will have been blanched and so need less cooking than fresh ones.
Choose the best mangetout
Being so young, the pods deteriorate very quickly. They should be green, rather than yellow, and not in the least flabby – they should break crisply and look moist. Also check for strings on either side; if these are prominent or seem tough, the pods have dried out.
Words above taken from article here
*In the US and elsewhere mangetout peas are typically described as ‘snow peas’ and ‘snap peas’. Sugar snap peas are usually those with a rounder pod and crunchier texture.Â
You may like to try this recipe
Lamb chops with courgette, mangetout and feta cheese salad
Ingredients
Serves Two
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
4 lamb chops
2 small courgettes (zucchini), sliced into 1cm-thick rounds
200g mangetout
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
small handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
25g feta, crumbled
Nutrition Per Serving
Fat 31g Protein 47g Carbs 6g
Recipe Instructions
You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.
All the best Jan
