Take the frozen peas and carrots out of the freezer and keep them at room temperature until needed in a couple of minutes. In the meantime peel the garlic cloves and chop them finely. Add the garlic together with the bay leaves and a good splash of olive oil to a large non-stick pan or casserole.

Place the pan over medium heat and let the garlic fry gently for about 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant. Don’t burn it. In the meantime separate the frozen peas from the carrots. We will divide them because the peas need less time to cook than the carrots do. Keep both peas and carrots at room temperature, don’t put them back in the freezer. Once the garlic is soft, add the frozen carrots to the pan.

Stir, add half a glass of water and put a lid on the pan. Cook and thaw the carrots at the same time for about 5 minutes. After that, add the frozen peas.

Stir well again. Season with a little pinch of pepper and salt.

Then add the lemon zest.

Put the lid back on the pan and cook the vegetables for another 4 to 5 minutes. In the end check if the peas and carrots are soft. Then add the grated parmesan cheese.

Take the pan off the heat and stir well. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Transfer the parmesan carrots and peas to a serving dish and serve.