Yellow Split Pea Puree

(www.yummly.co.uk)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (180 grams) yellow split peas
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, I prefer olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 4-5 cups hot water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Mushroom Topping
    • ½ pound (250 grams) mushrooms, sliced
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon thyme
    • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Caramelised Onion Topping
    • 2 large onions
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnish
    • Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Rinse the yellow split peas very well and drain.
  • In a deep pot, add the oil, onion and carrot and cook in medium high heat for 4-5minutes until soft. Add the yellow split peas and cook for another two minutes.
  • Add 4 cups hot water and when it starts to boil reduce heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until peas are very soft and “mushy”. During cooking, you may need to add some more water.
  • In the meantime, heat a skillet on high heat, add the oil, mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme, and cook for 8-10 minutes until browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  • In the same skillet, on low heat, cook the onions with olive oil, salt and pepper for 20-30 minutes, until very soft, brown and caramelized. (during cooking the onions, if you notice they’re going to burn without having been caramelized, you can add a splash of water to help them cook more evenly).Add the syrup and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • When the yellow split peas are cooked through and are very soft, puree them with an immersion blender (or in a food processor taking extra care, since they’ll be hot).
  • Serve on plates, topping with mushrooms, caramelized onions and chopped parsley.Eat.