Split Pea Spread Recipes

INDIAN LENTIL AND SPLIT PEA SPREAD

Steps:

• Cook lentils and split peas in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 35 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 1/3 cup oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add turmeric and cumin and stir 1 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Add lentils and split peas, cilantro, lemon juice, chili powder and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to medium bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Serve with pita bread.

BEST EVER SPLIT PEA

Steps:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat olive oil. Cook onion, carrot, celery and garlic until onion is translucent. Stir in yellow and green split peas, broth, seasoning and salt. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2 1/2 hours, stirring frequently. Puree with a blender or food processor. Return to pot, heat through, and serve.

GREEK YELLOW SPLIT PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to six minutes. Add the split peas and enough water to cover by an inch, and bring to a boil. Skim foam off the top, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour until the beans fall apart and sink to the bottom of the pot. Stir often to prevent them from sticking. The water should cloud, and some of the split peas will be intact while others will disintegrate. Continue to simmer until they have mostly disintegrated.
• When the beans have fallen apart and are soft and fragrant, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Replace the lid and let sit for 20 minutes. If the mixture looks more like a soup than a purée, with most of the liquid on the top, place a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture into the strainer. Let sit for 10 minutes while the liquid runs through the strainer, then return the split peas to the pot. Taste and adjust salt. Moisten as desired with the broth. Add a generous amount of pepper, and whisk in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Whisking helps break down the split peas and contributes to a smooth texture. Transfer to a bowl or plate, top with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.