Spring zing: This creative pea pesto is a versatile addition to many seasonal dishes

As a chef, I love creating innovative spins on classic recipes while layering flavors and textures. With spring pea pesto, you can enjoy this classic condiment with a fresh and seasonal spin. From the creaminess in the cheese to the herbaceous punch in the basil and, finally, the zingy tingle of the garlic, this recipe will surely add versatility to your favorite dishes.

Not only is this pesto versatile, but you can really hone in on using farm-fresh ingredients, which is always a plus for me. I love going to the farmers market and finding beautiful products to create masterpieces out of to add a flavor blast to that season’s recipes.

Making pea pesto is almost identical to that of a conventional pesto. The only difference is in the first step, cooking the peas.

We will use a classic technique called “blanching and shocking” to do this. These terms refer to properly boiling the vegetable. First, you need to boil salted water. While the water is heating up, set up a container of ice water next to your stovetop. We refer to this ice water as an “ice bath” in the culinary world.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the veggies and cook until it reaches the desired texture. Once the vegetable is cooked, we shock it, meaning we strain the vegetable from the hot water and immediately immerse it in the cold water. This instantly stops the vegetable from cooking, ensuring it is not overcooked. Finally, strain the peas out of the ice bath and make sure they are completely dry. Who knew there was a proper way to boil something?

I use this spring pea pesto in so many dishes at home, mainly because it is so quick and easy to make. To make it even more convenient, I store the pesto in my fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. As for saving the pesto for later use, I freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, I put the pesto cubes into a freezer bag or container. When I want to use the pesto, I pop a cube out and can quickly utilize it in a dish.

My Peach Panzanella Toast is one of my favorite things to use with this pesto. The toast is layered with prosciutto, fresh peaches, and, of course, the pea pesto. This succulent dish is perfect for brunch or as an appetizer for summer barbecues. You can find the full toast recipe on my website at gracegoudie.com. Aside from the toast, I love using the pesto in summer pasta salad, on top of chicken as a sauce, on grilled oysters, or layered in an Italian sub; the options are endless.

• Grace Goudie can be found making composed but not complicated recipes on her website gracegoudie.com or @chefgracegoudie on Instagram and TikTok. Dine on Chef Grace’s creative dishes at Scratchboard Kitchen in Arlington Heights.

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Peach Panzanella Toast

1 cup peas

1 clove garlic

2 cups basil leaves

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas to the boiling water and cook until tender. The peas should easily mush between your fingers.

Once cooked, drain the peas and immediately put the peas into an ice bath. Once completely cool, drain the peas from the ice water. Make sure there is no residual water or it will affect the texture of the pesto.

In a food processor, blend the peas, garlic and basil until smooth. Next, add the Parmesan cheese and blend to a thick paste. Finally, add the lemon juice and olive oil while the food processor is running.

Season the pesto with salt and enjoy.

Makes about 1½ cups

— Grace Goudie