Description
A quick and colorful Thanksgiving side dish featuring tender peas, crispy pancetta, sweet pear, fresh lemon, Dijon mustard, shallots, and parsley. Ready in 30 minutes and serves 6.
Ingredients
1/2 pound pancetta, diced small
3 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced, about 1 cup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 ounces frozen peas
1 pear
1 lemon, zested and juiced, about 3 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon zest
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Peel and finely dice the pear, then toss it with the lemon juice and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the pancetta until crisp and golden. Transfer it to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving about 3 tablespoons of rendered fat in the skillet.
3. Add the shallots and cook for about 1 minute, until softened. Stir in the Dijon mustard.
4. Add the frozen peas and lemon coated pear. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the peas are heated through.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Mix in half of the pancetta, the parsley, and black pepper.
6. Transfer to a serving bowl, scatter the remaining pancetta over the top, and finish with lemon zest.
Notes
Frozen peas can be cooked directly from frozen. Fresh peas can also be used.
Pre diced pancetta can reduce preparation time.
Leave about 3 tablespoons of pancetta fat in the skillet for flavor rather than using all of the rendered fat.
Pancetta can be replaced with bacon or pieces of prosciutto.
For a meat free version, use finely diced sautéed mushrooms.
Pear can be replaced with diced apple.
Yellow onion can substitute for shallots.
Parsley can be replaced with tender fresh herbs such as basil, tarragon, or oregano.
Leftovers keep for 4 to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
Reheat briefly in the microwave or in a skillet. Add a small drizzle of olive oil when reheating on the stovetop if needed.
The recipe can be prepared ahead and reheated, although the peas may lose some of their bright color.
The recipe can be doubled in a sufficiently large skillet for a larger gathering.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Thanksgiving Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 252
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 268 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.05 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg