It always seems sad to compost empty shell-pea pods once you’ve shucked and eaten the peas. There’s still a lot of nutrients and flavor in the pods, so with a few steps you can turn the shells into a pretty green puree to use in sauces and pasta dishes.

-Blanch the pea shells by adding them to a pot of boiling water.

-Cook for 1 minute, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking liquid.

-Transfer the peas to a blender and puree shells with a little of the cooking liquid.

-Once it’s pretty smooth, you want to strain the puree right into a bowl that’s set over another bowl full of ice water. (Chilling the puree immediately preserves the bright green color, otherwise, the puree will turn brownish.)

-Here are a few suggestions for using your pea puree:

• Fold into pasta dishes

• Combine with ricotta cheese and spread onto bread as a crostini

• Use as a sauce

• Use as a garnish

• Mix into smoothies or juices