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Zöldborsófőzelék

Green pea stew

Zöldborsófőzelék: sweet green pea főzelék with parsley, a Hungarian children's favourite

Ask Hungarians about their childhood lunches and zöldborsófőzelék comes up fast: a bright green, slightly sweet pea stew that grandmothers in Budapest and the villages of the Great Plain make in late spring with fresh peas and all year with frozen ones. The peas cook briefly in butter with a pinch of sugar, then a light roux and milk turn them creamy, and a fistful of parsley finishes it. It is eaten as a meal with fried eggs, potato croquettes or fasírt. Chef's tip: stop cooking as soon as the peas are tender; long simmering turns them khaki and floury.
Total time
23 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4
  • 1 oz butter
  • 1 ½ lb green peasfresh or frozen
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 ¼ cups whole milkcold
  • 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Melt 1 oz butter in a pan over a medium heat, add 1 ½ lb green peas, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and stir for 2–3 minutes until glossy.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Add ¾ cup water, cover and simmer for 5–6 minutes (frozen peas) or 8–10 minutes (fresh) until just tender and still bright green.

    6 min
  3. Step 3: Whisk 2 tbsp plain flour into the cold 1 ¼ cups whole milk until there are no lumps.

    2 min
  4. Step 4: Pour the milk into the peas and simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

    5 min
  5. Step 5: Stir in 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, taste for salt and serve straight away.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
220 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
9 g
Fibre
8 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does zöldborsófőzelék take?
About 23 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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