Todd’s Minty Peas

When we have families over for dinner, we like to have the usual spread of above-average cheeses -- La Tur, Humboldt Fog, Trader Joe's twisted bi-color cheddar sticks. But the starter that inevitably manages to stop guests mid-bite is a relatively recent discovery: Todd's Minty Pea Dip. It's technically a Jamie Oliver recipe, but the first place we ever had it was at our friends Todd & Anne's house and have not been able to refer to it as anything else since. Todd, a master trawler of farmer's markets whipped up the dip for us during peak produce months, and I was shocked to discover that it was made from frozen peas. Served with some crusty bread slices, the humble little dip can easily hold its own alongside market behemoths like corn and tomatoes. It also happens to be versatile (we've had it as a dip, spread on a sandwich for dinner, mixed with ricotta and sealed inside ravioli) and, unlike corn and tomatoes, can be enjoyed year round.

Todd's Minty Pea Dip

In a food processor, whirl the following until it is the consistency of guacamole.

-1 cup frozen peas, thawed

-handful fresh mint leaves

-2 tablespoons-ish fresh Parm

-juice from 1/2 lemon

-1/3 cup olive oil

-salt

Garnish with some more shredded Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with baguette slices or spread across a piece of crusty bread.