Most underrated foods? Basic or fancy.

[Yello24]

I love reading about the history of food and recipes and how we ended up eating what we do. Along the way some foods have become commonplace and some are sought after and celebrated (mostly because expensive).

I am here to celebrate the pea. That pretty and delicate little green ball that I can’t believe comes in giant bags for £1.50. How is it so cheap? Why don’t people appreciate it? A dish of peas with butter and mint is divine. They are so delicious and delicate and pretty. Did people appreciate them properly when they had to remove them from their pods and could only eat them fresh for a couple of weeks?

Other things that absolutely punch are sesame oil, sumac, balsamic vinegar. Why are they not more expensive?!

1. custard

2. Heinz cream of tomato soup. Particularly with buttered white bread to dip in!

Especially delicious with the skins slipped off, a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil and some salt and pepper.

Chickpeas. Hummus - biryani- soups.

Came here to say this. And yet so hard to find these days, a clementine just does not cut it…

Butter. Real, salted butter. Melted on anything really, potatoes, vegetables, toast. It all works. I even add a bit to baked beans with loads of black pepper.

Raw white mushrooms, especially the M&S ones. A lot of slices don't make it to the pan when I'm cooking!

Also a huge fan of the humble egg. I eat boiled ones for breakfast on work days with a slightly runny yolk. Love a fried egg on toast for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Perfect with salt and pepper, nothing else required.

I grate cheese into the tomato soup 😅

I love cabbage, dh hates it so i just cook it for myself and freeze it, into portions.

Try roasting it under a chicken! It'll knock your socks off

There’s nothing nicer than a pea fritter though IMO ❤️

Sounds amazing. I will try that this weekend @Denimdreams000

Loving this thread.

Just share with you all that my breadmaker has just finished making a granary loaf so I'm going to add fresh bread with proper butter to the list.

Must be a local delicacy..Not a thing in Ne Scottish chippers.
I love the wide variations of UK foods.

Really oh no you’re missing out and I think they’re one of the only food items you cannot buy in a supermarket, it’s a chippy exclusive. I love them so much !!

Cheese, enough said.

I love your passion for the pea!

And I have to completely agree.
I’ve never had a pea that I didn’t like.

@Funnywonder i love the sound of boiling potatoes in mint and serving them with butter! Sounds delicious.

I’d love to know how people are cooking cabbage to make it tasty.
I think I have only ever bought cabbage once in my adulthood and never again.

We didn’t eat much fruit and veg when we were young and I really struggle with how to cook veg.

Baked potatoes - super cheap comfort food, with cheese and baked beans.

I make soup with carrots, onions, potatoes and whatever other veg are in the fridge. I chuck them in the pan with fresh ginger and some curry spices and then when it's cooked, blitz with a stick blender. Add some butter beans for more bulk. Cheese on top. Easy!

I came on to say butter as well. Transformative.

@OneHazelBird make coleslaw? Raw shredded white cabbage, onions and grated carrot. Mix with a little mustard lemon juice and mayo. Have it with meat and pretend you are keto so you can justifying the fact you will be eating masses of it 🙂.

If you cook cabbage just shred one of the pointy ones finely. It looks posh rather than school dinners. Avoid savoy until you are more hard core for the same reason.

Ooooo yes runner beans. I absolutely adore them

And peas.

For me it is a crunchy, eye watering pickled onion

Lovely crusty bread especially toasted with thick butter.

And definitely runner beans, we grow our own every year because the shop bought ones are horrible.

Hard disagree about butter and mint.

Wild bullace plums. They grow in the hedges round where my mum lives and every year I go and get a carrier bag full. They make the most amazing jam - sharp but sweet. Fishing the stones out is an absolute labour of love, though.

Agree. Potatoes for the win!
Theres barely any way of cooking potatoes that i don't like (you can add potato salad to the list too!)

One MN was appalled when I reported DS (then 15) had 15 roast potatoes at Christmas dinner!

On a separate note about runner beans, DH grows them every year but this year I dont know if we harvested a single bean. The hot weather meant a lot of our vegetables failed (I missed the beetroot more than the runner beans tbh)

Try refrigerating pickled onions the gold star chip shop style ones.
It seems to intensify that sharp vinegary goodness.

Homemade lentil soup - butter, onion, carrots, red lentils, and stock, plenty of pepper and a little salt. Served with warm crusty bread and good butter - and maybe a few slices of sharp and salty vintage cheddar. I used to give this to my kids on a cold day after school when they were little, and now as adults it’s still the thing they request when they want some comfort or warmth.

I like eating peas straight from the freezer