Mankind has been eating peas for centuries. In fact, peas are thought to have been among the first crops to be cultivated. As they could be preserved by drying they proved a cheap way for the working classes to obtain vegetables in earlier times.

When they were preserved by freezing in the 1920s it was discovered that they kept their colour and their taste, providing they were processed within hours of being harvested, as their sugars were frozen before they could turn into starch.

Because frozen peas taste so good and are often superior to fresh peas, top chefs usually use them to make mushy peas when serving traditional fish and chips.

YOU WILL NEED: One lb (450g) frozen peas 2oz (50g) butter One stalk of fresh mint Salt and freshly ground black peppercorns to season.

METHOD Defrost the peas and set a quarter of them to one side.

Place the rest of the peas in a pan, with the butter and 50ml of bottled water, which helps the peas retain their colour in areas such as Oxfordshire where the water is very hard.

Cook without a lid over a medium heat until all the peas are cooked through and the liquid has evaporated.

Place the cooked peas into a liquidiser, along with the mint leaves and salt and pepper to taste, adding more mint leaves half way through if needed for extra flavour.

Return to a clean pan, folding in the reserved peas. Heat gently and serve with fish and chips.