Ingredients
Peas
- 400 gLatvian grey peas (pelēkie zirņi / maple peas), dried
- 1.5 litrescold water, for soaking
- 1 tspsalt
Fry
- 250 gfatty smoked pork belly bacon (speķis), cut into 1 cm dice
- 2large onions, finely diced
- ½ tspcoarsely ground black pepper
To serve
- 500 mlkefir or rūgušpiens (soured milk), cold
- 1 handfuldill, chopped
Directions
- Pick over the peas for stones, rinse, then cover with 1.5 litres cold water and soak 12 hours or overnight. They will roughly double in size and the grey marbled skins will loosen slightly.
- Drain, cover with fresh unsalted water by 4 cm and bring to the boil. Skim off the grey foam that rises in the first 5 minutes.
- Lower to a bare simmer, part-cover and cook 60–90 minutes. Add the salt only in the last 15 minutes; salted early, the skins toughen and never soften.
- The peas are ready when one crushes easily on the roof of your mouth but the pea still holds its shape. They should not collapse into mush.
- While they cook, put the diced bacon into a cold heavy frying pan and set over medium-low heat. Render it slowly for 10–12 minutes until the fat runs clear and the dice are golden and crisp at the edges.
- Add the onions to the hot fat and fry 10–12 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until deep gold and sweet. Do not rush this; pale onions leave the dish flat.
- Drain the peas, reserving a ladle of their liquor, and tip them into the pan with the bacon and onions. Fold everything together over low heat for 2–3 minutes, loosening with a splash of the cooking liquor so the fat coats every pea.
- Season heavily with black pepper, check the salt, and serve hot in deep bowls with a glass of cold kefir poured alongside or straight over the top, and dill scattered on.
Technique
- Pelēkie zirņi are maple peas, a distinct marbled brown-grey variety with a thick skin and a chestnut flavour. Green or yellow split peas cook to soup and give a completely different dish.
- Latvian tradition says every pea on the plate must be eaten or you will cry for the rest of the year. This is a Christmas Eve dish above all.
- The cold soured milk is not optional in Latvia: the acidity cuts the rendered pork fat, and locals often pour it straight into the bowl.
- Never boil the peas hard. A rolling boil bursts the skins and separates them from the pea.
Substitutions
- Outside Latvia, whole dried maple peas are sold as pigeon peas’ cousin in game-bird feed shops or Baltic delis; brown chickpeas cooked the same way are the closest honest substitute.
- Kefir stands in perfectly for rūgušpiens; thin plain yogurt with a little milk also works.
Variations
- Sautēti pelēkie zirņi, with the peas and bacon fried harder together until crisp at the edges.
- A Kurzeme version that finishes the pan with a spoon of sour cream and a shower of dill.
History
Latvia’s national dish, eaten at Christmas, when custom holds that every pea must be finished or the year will bring tears.
Frequently asked questions
What is Grey peas with bacon?
Grey peas with bacon is a main from Latvia: marbled grey peas stewed with smoked bacon and onion; national dish. Latvia’s national dish, eaten at Christmas, when custom holds that every pea must be finished or the year will bring tears.
How long does Grey peas with bacon take to make?
Grey peas with bacon takes 15 min plus overnight soak of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Grey peas with bacon?
Yes, within limits. Outside Latvia, whole dried maple peas are sold as pigeon peas’ cousin in game-bird feed shops or Baltic delis; brown chickpeas cooked the same way are the closest honest substitute. Kefir stands in perfectly for rūgušpiens; thin plain yogurt with a little milk also works.
What is the most important thing to get right in Grey peas with bacon?
Lower to a bare simmer, part-cover and cook 60–90 minutes. Add the salt only in the last 15 minutes; salted early, the skins toughen and never soften.
