If cooked lettuce sounds strange to you, stick with me. This simple French side turns a bag of frozen peas into something sweet, silky, and just a little smoky.

What Ingredients Do You Need To Make French-Style Peas with Bacon?

• Bacon
• Butter
• Scallions
• Lettuce
• Peas (Fresh or Frozen)
• Chicken Broth
• Sugar
• Parsley (Optional)

How Do You Make French-Style Peas with Bacon?

Start by cooking the chopped bacon in a wide saucepan over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is just crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Starting with bacon gives you a smoky, savory base for everything that follows, so leave the fat right in the pan.

Add half the butter and the sliced green onions, and cook for about 2 minutes, until they soften but don’t brown. You want them sweet and mellow here, not caramelized.

Next comes the lettuce. Add the ribbons with a pinch of salt, cover the pan, and let it wilt for 2 to 3 minutes. It will collapse way down and release a surprising amount of liquid, and that’s exactly what you want, because it becomes the base of your sauce. The lettuce itself turns tender and sweet, a lot like cooked cabbage.

Now add the peas straight from the freezer, along with the broth and a teaspoon of sugar. The sugar brings out the natural sweetness of the peas and makes frozen peas taste closer to fresh-picked ones. Simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the peas are bright green and tender and the liquid has cooked down to just a few spoonfuls.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining butter. Adding it off the heat lets it melt slowly into a glossy, silky sauce instead of separating. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.