Shell, scald, and dry them: put them on tins or earthen dishes, in a cool oven, once or twice, to harden. Keep them in paper bags hung up in the kitchen. When they are to be used, let them lie an hour in water; then set them on with cold water and a bit of butter, and boil them till ready. Put a sprig of dried mint to boil with them.

Apperts Method

Have the peas gathered when ripe, for if too young they will be watery and not fit to keep. The peas, when shelled, should be put into strong jars or open-mouthed bottles, and shaken, so as to make them sit closely together. This done, the jars must be very tightly corked and tied down. The jars are then placed upright in a bain-marie, or any iron pot large enough to contain them, with hay placed between each, to prevent collision and breakage; the pot is filled with cold water up to the neck of the jars, placed upon the fire, and allowed to boil for an hour and a half if in cool moist weather, but for two hours if it be hot and dry. The jars should not be taken out of the pot until the water becomes cold.

French beans and asparagus may be preserved in the same manner; they maintain their color, but lose much of their flavor, and require a little sugar to improve it.