English reminder of Spanish Peas and Potatoes

Back when I was 17 and staying in Spain with my wonderful Basque sister, Jone, we would make this dish due to lack of spare change for food(I believe all of it was spent on train tickets and surfboard rentals at the beach and, well yes, red wine and Coke-a-Cola cocktails). Really though this is a healthy and comforting dish. Simple:peas, potatoes, bit of olive oil and onion. I have reinvented this back home for Jay as a comfort food by adding thinly sliced leaks and rosemary. The dish shown here is the English version! I'm in the ol' Queens England for a few weeks and the first thing I had was this adorable cozy dish. Served here as a side, and with boiled potatoes and peas with butter instead of the Spanish recipe, its still a warming bowl of real food.

Spanish Peas and Potatoes:(English style-substitute butter for oil and boil everything-not recommended):

2 cups fresh shelled or frozen peas

2 small yukon gold or waxy potatoes

half a small onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

generous salt and pepper to taste-sea and fresh cracked much preferred.

*some add Spanish ham, jamon, prosciutto or bacon-render the fat in a pan and then add onion and continue with the rest of the recipe if you like a little pig with your peas.

On med. heat in a frying pan-preferably non-stick, add diced onion to one tablespoon of oil. Clarify and add potatoes and 1/2 cup water. Cover. Once the potatoes have softened add the peas and stir to heat through-don't boil them or they will go gray on you-the water should be mostly evaporated and soaked up by the potatoes. Once fully cooked but still bright green, transfer to serving dish and drizzle with table spoon of oil and salt and pepper. Ahhhh....cozy!

-For other varieties:

Leaks: add 1- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leaks and 2 sprigs fresh chopped rosemary.

Dill: throw some in-what more can I say? Exchange the onion for red onion.

Turkish style: make same as above, add a dash of cayenne pepper and drizzle with the juice of half a lemon. Let cool in the fridge and serve cold.