Yellow Pea Purée with Buttered Onions and Caper Sauce
This is a different and delicious appetizer or side dish that's worth the time it takes to stew. Adapted from chef Yoram Ottolenghi's recipe book, Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, this version accommodates the option of using whole peas as well as split peas. The whole peas require more time to soften, but the results are the same. Serve on a slice of baguette, artisan bread, toasts or a cracker, with as much of the onions and caper sauce you want.
Serves: 8-10 as an appetizer, or 4 as a side
Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes using split peas, 2 - 2 1/2 hours with whole peas
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red or yellow onions, finely chopped
1 cup/180g yellow split peas or whole yellow peas, rinsed well and drained
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided in half (3/4 + 3/4)
Ingredients for the Caper Sauce
2 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup/5 grams parsley, finely chopped
2 thin lemon slices, seeds discarded and the slices finely chopped (flesh, rind, and all)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Put the butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the onions, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid that you will use later. On medium heat, cook the onions, uncovered, for 15–18 minutes, stirring often, until soft and deeply golden. Transfer half the onions, along with most of the oil and melted butter, to a small bowl and set aside to serve.
Add the peas, turmeric, 5 cups/1.2 litres of water, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the pan with the remaining onions and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, uncovered. Cover with the lid and cook for another 40–45 minutes on medium-low if using split peas, 75 - to 90 minutes if using whole peas, or until the peas are very soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the caper sauce together in a small bowl.
While the peas are still warm, put them, together with some remaining cooking water - add as needed to get the right consistency - and the last 1 tablespoon of oil, into a food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Alternatively, use an upright blender or a stick blender with the peas in a deep bowl.
Spoon the puree into a shallow dish, creating a dip in the middle. Mix the buttered onions with the caper sauce, then spoon on to the dip. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
This is a different and delicious appetizer or side dish that's worth the time it takes to stew. Adapted from chef Yoram Ottolenghi's recipe book, Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, this version accommodates the option of using whole peas as well as split peas. The whole peas require more time to soften, but the results are the same. Serve on a slice of baguette, artisan bread, toasts or a cracker, with as much of the onions and caper sauce you want.
Serves: 8-10 as an appetizer, or 4 as a side
Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes using split peas, 2 - 2 1/2 hours with whole peas
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red or yellow onions, finely chopped
1 cup/180g yellow split peas or whole yellow peas, rinsed well and drained
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided in half (3/4 + 3/4)
Ingredients for the Caper Sauce
2 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup/5 grams parsley, finely chopped
2 thin lemon slices, seeds discarded and the slices finely chopped (flesh, rind, and all)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Put the butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the onions, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid that you will use later. On medium heat, cook the onions, uncovered, for 15–18 minutes, stirring often, until soft and deeply golden. Transfer half the onions, along with most of the oil and melted butter, to a small bowl and set aside to serve.
Add the peas, turmeric, 5 cups/1.2 litres of water, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the pan with the remaining onions and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, uncovered. Cover with the lid and cook for another 40–45 minutes on medium-low if using split peas, 75 - to 90 minutes if using whole peas, or until the peas are very soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the caper sauce together in a small bowl.
While the peas are still warm, put them, together with some remaining cooking water - add as needed to get the right consistency - and the last 1 tablespoon of oil, into a food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Alternatively, use an upright blender or a stick blender with the peas in a deep bowl.
Spoon the puree into a shallow dish, creating a dip in the middle. Mix the buttered onions with the caper sauce, then spoon on to the dip. Serve warm, or at room temperature.