I’ve written many, many, many stories about the influence my grandmother had on my love of cooking and love of eating and love of life. Granddaddy didn’t cook. That was Granny’s job. Plus, he may have been a little intimidated to try to follow after her in the kitchen.
After Granny’s health started failing, Granddaddy found himself fiddling around the kitchen a little. The last time we visited her before she died, he talked about Creamed Potatoes and English Peas he’d learned to cook. I don’t know the back story of how he became interested in this dish and who taught him to make it. It’s not anything Granny cooked. But, he was ever more proud of himself for successfully executing this dish.
He cooked up a “boiler full” (their name for a sauce pan) for us to try. He did a fine job and had the seasoning just right. I suppose Granny oversaw the operation as much as she could without being in the kitchen. She taught me how important it was to taste your food as you cook it to get the seasonings right. She told me,
“If it don’t taste good in yo’ mouth, it ain’t a-gonna taste good in nobody else’s, either.”
I’m certain Granddaddy benefited from similar instruction.
I never got Granddaddy’s recipe and haven’t tried since to recreate it. But 25 years later, I feel that I’ve waited way to long to document this dish that made him so proud. I don’t know how close I am in ingredients to the ones he used, but the taste of the final dish was just as I remembered it.
My family loved it and it will certainly make its way to our table again.
Granddaddy, I’ve save a bowl for you.
Y’all come see us!
Creamed Potatoes and English Peas
yield: 6 to 8 servings
Yukon gold potatoes and English Peas in a creamy white sauce. Cook over medium low heat and stir often to keep the potatoes from sticking and sauce from scorching.
3 tablespoons bacon grease
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups half and half
6 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, one inch cubes
15 ounces English peas, canned, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Add bacon grease to a large pot. When melted, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the flour disappears. Slowly pour in half and half while constantly whisking. Bring to a low boil.
Add potatoes and English peas, butter, salt and pepper. Stir.
Cover and cook over medium low heat until potatoes are tender. Stir often.
Before serving, check for seasoning and adjust.
Serve warm.
Creamed Potatoes and English Peas
Ingredients
- Creamed Potatoes and English Peas
- yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Yukon gold potatoes and English Peas in a creamy white sauce. Cook over medium low heat and stir often to keep the potatoes from sticking and sauce from scorching.
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups half and half
- 6 cups Yukon gold potatoes peeled, one inch cubes
- 15 ounces English peas canned, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add bacon grease to a large pot. When melted, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the flour disappears. Slowly pour in half and half while constantly whisking. Bring to a low boil.
- Add potatoes and English peas, butter, salt and pepper. Stir.
- Cover and cook over medium low heat until potatoes are tender. Stir often.
- Before serving, check for seasoning and adjust.
- Serve warm.
Mary says
Mama used to make this quite often……..haven’t had it in years. Love these nostalgic recipes. The bacon grease has to take this over the top!!!! Pinned. Making this soon.
Jackie Garvin says
Mary,
The bacon grease certainly doesn’t hurt!
pumpkin061 says
Once again, I love your stories, and I really think I would have loved your Grandmother. Loved this quote from your Grandma “If it don’t taste good in yo’ mouth, it ain’t a-gonna taste good in nobody else’s, either.” Jill Van Vlack
Jackie Garvin says
Jill,
You would have loved my Granny. She was a character! You would love Granddaddy, too. He’s the sweetest, most God-like man I’ve ever known. I’m blessed beyond measure to have been born into that family.
Cindy S says
My mema had me eat peas this way as a child and I still eat them this way now. So good and comforting.
Jackie Garvin says
Cindy,
Good and comforting. A perfect description! Thank you.
Kelley Cash says
My grandma used to make something similar, but only during the summer when the new potatoes and fresh peas were coming in the garden. I never knew how she made them, but potatoes and peas were my favorite when we’d go to stay with her during the summer. I just remember new potatoes with peas in a cream sauce with lots of butter. Oh, the memories…
Jackie Garvin says
Kelley,
New potatoes and fresh peas from your Grandmother’s garden sounds heavenly. I have hard time growing garden peas here because the window to get them in the ground is short. Plus, it can get too hot for them too quickly. If this post stirred a pleasant memory for you then my job is done. 🙂
Carolyn Vigna says
Yes, you got it right, except we never heard of Yukon gold potatoes. We grew up on this dish in the spring time. English peas & creamed new potatoes. Such a good memory.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Carolyn.