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Chosen from The New English Table by Rose Prince, she writes “There are various ways to prepare this slightly retro salad. If the peas are just picked – and I mean this morning – and the pods are small and juicy (the best test is to eat one raw), boil them whole for a minute and add to the salad in their natural state. If they are very fresh, pod them – but cook them according to their freshness.”

Serves 4

    450g (1lb) very fresh peas in the pod
    225g (8oz) cooked ham, cut into dice
    150ml (¼ pint) mayonnaise
    1 tbsp capers, rinsed in cold water, squeezed dry, then chopped
    2 tbsp chopped chives
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method 

Pod the peas. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a teaspoon of salt. If the peas are very fresh and sweet, rather than starchy, when tasted raw, add them to the boiling water, bring it back to the boil and drain immediately. Refresh in cold water. Allow the peas to cool, then mix gently with all the other ingredients.