The vegetables add a touch of sweetness to this delicate, fresh dish, which makes a lovely starter in spring or early summer, when the first fresh peas and mangetout appear in the market. Use an outdoor-grown lettuce if possible.
12 small mangetout (snow peas)
100g (3½oz) shelled fresh peas or frozen petits pois
½ lettuce, or 6–8 outer lettuce leaves
100g (7 tbsp) butter
8 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
Slice the mangetout on the diagonal, then cook briefly in boiling water; they should still be crunchy. Drain, refresh in cold water and set aside. Cook the peas briefly in boiling water until barely tender; drain, refresh and set aside.
Wash the lettuce leaves in cold water, drain well and snip them finely into shreds. Place in a saucepan with 20g (1½ tbsp) butter and sweat gently for 1 – 2 minutes; keep warm.
Melt the remaining butter in a heavy-based saucepan, add the beaten eggs and scramble. Add the cream at the end of cooking and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the peas and mangetout in boiling water for 20 seconds, then drain. Mix the peas and lettuce into the scrambled eggs. Divide between 4 plates and arrange the mangetout in the middle. Serve at once.