Petits pois à l'anglaise

Found in a 1929 book La Cuisinière de la Campagne et de la Ville, this recipe, as my neighbor said, is very chic and English, indeed. I reread it five times in French, thinking that I might have misunderstood the complexity of the recipe, but rest assured, I did not. So here is the simplest and most English recipe: Petits pois à l'anglaise.

sea salt, to boil peas
10 sprigs of parsley, tied together
400 g peeled green peas
50 g butter


In a kettle, boil water, add salt, parsley, and peas. Boil for 2–3 minutes, until ready. Strain and place on a serving plate, topping with butter. I like to add pepper as well. Serve right away.