Special sweet peas with garlic and bacon

I've never been a lover of the humble pea when simply boiled and shoved onto the side of a plate. However,  this simple recipe makes a lovely accompaniment to roast chicken and is perfect for a spring lunch with salmon or white fish too.

Ingredients: (2 servings, can be increased per head)2

• 2 cups of frozen peas, or fresh when in season
• Enough chicken stock (fresh or from a cube) to just cover the peas
• 1 shallot finely chopped (or a quarter of a white onion)
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 rasher of streaky bacon
• 3tbsp olive oil
• A splosh of sweet sherry or vermouth (or 1 tsp sugar dissolved in a drop of hot water my Grandma did this)
• A knob of butter
• Half a tsp of fresh thyme leaves
• S&P
• Optional, 1tsp cornflour

Method:

Start off by dry frying the streaky bacon until crisp, set aside.  Next, in the same frying pan the bacon cooked in warm the olive oil and put the onion in, let it cook for around five minutes without colouring then in with the crushed garlic, again don't let it colour or it will be bitter then add the thyme leaves when just about done.  Add the peas and stir through then immediately add the stock to only just cover them.  

Bring up to simmering point then add the sweet sherry/vermouth/sugar and let it cook for a further minute or two.  Season to taste, break the bacon up into pieces and stir through then add a knob of butter just prior to serving. If the sauce is too runny you can mix a teaspoon of flour into the soft butter or make a paste from 1tsp cornflour and cold water and mix it in.  Simple but delicious.