Fresh field peas a light green when hulled--are they ripe?

I just bought some fresh field peas from the farmer's market, and am hulling them. The pods are a range of colors, from streaked purple-greenish to yellowish to full purple to almost brown. I assume this refers to a range of ripe-ness, with the darker ones (full purple to brown) having been thoroughly dried, with whiter peas and the green ones (harder to hull, more fibrous pod) being unripened and having light green peas.

I'm wondering if a.) the green ones are ripe enough to be hulled and cooked and b.) if I would really have to take the extra step to cook the dried, white ones longer than the younger green ones. I'm planning on just boiling them in stock with some herbs, and then sautéing with okra, bacon, whatever else that I feel like in the moment. Thanks!

rachel
  • Posted by: rachel
  • October 3, 2017
  • 1619 views
  • 2 Comments

2 Comments

Valhalla
Valhalla October 3, 2017
I cooked and froze several batches of field peas this summer, and I find when they are that fresh, there really is not a big difference. I shelled them all and cooked them all the same, and noticed no lack of quality. When I came across some really thin, pliable pods, I just snapped them instead of prying the little peas out.
 
rachel
rachel October 3, 2017
Thanks so much!
 
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