This Carlin Pea, Minerva, has a rich history and even its own annual day. It’s an heirloom drying variety with beautiful purple and lilac bicoloured flowers, followed by distinctive brown seeds. With a lovely nutty flavour, carlin peas can be used as an alternative to chickpeas or lentils and are much easier to grow in the UK.
Traditionally they are harvested dry, cooked once in salty water, then cooked again with a dash of vinegar and served with rum and brown sugar. Carlin peas have been grown since medieval times, and probably long before those seven hundred years we can trace.
Their revival is much more recent, as people rediscover their unique, rich flavour. They can be enjoyed fresh while still green in salads, or dried and cooked, where that flavour really comes into its own.
SOW: with protection in February/March or in the open in April & May. Seed depth around 30mm and aim for a distance apart of 5cm. They can be sown in guttering to be slid into place: we find that small individual pots save space and are easy to transplant from.
GROW: pot sown plants need to be hardened off before planting out. Peas like moisture and will tolerate light shade. Water in dry summers, increasing the amount a little once they have started to flower. These can become quite heavy as the pods develop to canes and string are needed to support the crop as it grows. Pick in the green for salad use or dry pods on the plant…picking them before they split open and drop your crop! Store dried peas until needed.
ENJOY: traditionally cooked once in salty water, then cooked again with a dash of vinegar and served with rum and brown sugar or a with salt and vinegar. Use as a tasty alternative to chickpeas or lentils in all sorts of recipes.
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