Nigel Slater's recipe for pea and wasabi fritters

Cook 500g of peas for 4-5 minutes in lightly salted boiling water. Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water. Pour the peas into a food processor, add 40g of butter and process into a thick, smooth paste. Do not over process. Transfer to a bowl and chill.

Once the mixture is cold, lightly beat 2 egg yolks and mix well, then stir in 5 tablespoons of fine breadcrumbs and breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon of wasabi paste.

Place a few large handfuls of dried breadcrumbs – about 70g – in a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat 2 eggs – just enough to combine the whites and yolks. Shape the pea mixture into six small round cakes (easiest to do with lightly floured hands), then press them, one at a time, first into the beaten egg, then into the breadcrumbs and place on a tray or baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Make a herb sauce by mixing 1 heaped tablespoon of chopped mint, parsley and basil with 200ml of unfiltered plain yoghurt. Add a small clove of finely crushed garlic and a zest of black pepper.

Heat a thin layer of olive or peanut oil in a shallow pan that isn't sticky, then lower into the pea patties and cook for 4 or 5 minutes over medium heat, until the crumbs on the outside are crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately, still hot, with the herb sauce. Yields 6 to 9, depending on their size. Serves 2-3

You really don't need a lot of wasabi paste here. The goal is to give the peas a bit of heat, so I start with no more than a teaspoon. Used with care, wasabi is a mild and welcome seasoning, but can easily overpower the sweet peas, so I proceed with caution.

You can omit the wasabi and incorporate a handful of chopped mint, parsley and basil instead.

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