AI-generated
Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi — Latvian gray peas with bacon
Log in or create a free account to save recipes.
Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/main-dishes/pelekie-zirni-ar-speki-latvian-gray-peas-with-bacon
About this recipe
Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi is a Latvian classic of whole gray peas, browned bacon and golden onion. It is associated with festive tables but also makes a hearty everyday meal. You need dried gray or brown field peas sold as pelēkie zirņi, with their skins intact. After soaking overnight, they are cooked until soft in the center while keeping the peas whole. The bacon slowly renders its fat, in which the onion then softens. The hot peas are served with all the flavorful contents of the skillet. The flavor is simple and bold, and the key is soft, unbroken peas with well-browned toppings.
Ingredients
Peas and cooking
300 g dried whole gray or brown field peas, sold as Latvian pelēkie zirņi; not split hulled peas, chickpeas or green peas
3.5 l water as a supply — 1 l for soaking, 2 l for cooking and up to 500 ml hot reserve
5 g fine salt — 4 g near the end of cooking and up to 1 g after tasting
Bacon and onion
200 g raw, unscalded smoked bacon, weighed without rind, bones or hard cartilage
250 g onion, weighed after peeling
0.5 g ground black pepper
Steps
Pick over and rinse the peas, then put them in a bowl with 1 l cold water. Refrigerate for 8–12 hours. After soaking, drain away all the water and rinse the swollen peas. The recipe's total time includes 8 hours of soaking; if you leave the peas longer, add that extra time.
Transfer the drained peas to a pot holding about 4 l and add 2 l fresh water. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam and reduce the heat. Cook with the lid ajar for about 60–90 minutes, until the centers are soft and most skins remain intact. The peas should stay submerged throughout; add hot water from the reserve a little at a time if needed. When they begin to soften, add 4 g salt and finish cooking to the desired texture. Older peas may need another 15–30 minutes; judge by tenderness, not the clock alone.
Toward the end of cooking the peas, cut the bacon into cubes about 1 cm across and finely chop the onion. Put the bacon in a cold skillet and heat over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until it renders its fat and is well browned. Add the onion and fry for another 10–12 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the pepper near the end. Do not add oil, and do not pour away the fat; everything in the skillet will be served with the peas. Make sure the onion and bacon do not burn black.
Drain the tender peas in a sieve, discarding all the cooking liquid. Return the peas to the warm pot, cover and leave for 5 minutes. Do not mash them, and do not blend them: they should remain whole, soft in the center and well drained. If the toppings are not yet ready, keep the peas covered so they do not dry out.
AI-generated Divide the hot peas into four portions. Top each with bacon and onion, dividing all the rendered fat among the portions too. Taste with the toppings and use only as much of the remaining 1 g salt as needed, allowing for the saltiness of the bacon. Serve immediately.
Estimated nutrition
Rate this recipe
0 ratings
Comments