Grey Peas with Bacon
A traditional Latvian dish of tender grey peas, crispy bacon, and sweetly caramelized fried onions.
Ingredients
- dried grey peas300 g
- water1500 ml
- speck or fatty bacon200 g
- onion1 pcs
- salt1 to taste
- ground black pepper1 to taste
Instructions
Sort through 300 g of grey peas, rinse them, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 12 hours.
Drain the water, rinse the peas once more, cover with 1500 ml of fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 40–60 minutes, until the peas are soft but not falling apart.
Season the peas with salt 3–5 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let the peas sit in the cooking liquid, covered, for 10 minutes to absorb moisture.
Cut 200 g of bacon into small cubes, place in a dry skillet and fry over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until the fat renders and the pieces turn golden brown.
Add the onion, sliced into half-rings, to the bacon and fry for another 6–8 minutes until golden. Season with black pepper to taste.
Drain the peas in a colander, transfer to a bowl, top with the hot bacon and onion, and drizzle with the rendered fat. Serve immediately.
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