Pelēkie Zirņi ar Speķi

Ingredients

• 500 g dried Latvian grey peas (or dried marrowfat peas)
• 300 g smoked slab bacon, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 500 ml kefir, chilled, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the grey peas under cold running water until it runs clear.
• Cover the peas with plenty of cold water in a large bowl and leave them to soak overnight, or for at least 10 hours.
• Cut the bacon into 1 cm cubes and finely chop the onions.

Steps

1. Drain the soaked peas and tip them into a large pot.
2. Cover the peas with fresh cold water by about 5 cm and add the bay leaves.
3. Bring the pot to the boil, then skim off any grey foam that rises to the surface.
4. Lower the heat and simmer the peas gently for 55 minutes, until they are tender but still hold their round shape.
5. Stir 1 teaspoon of the salt into the peas and simmer for a final 5 minutes.
6. Put the bacon cubes into a large cold frying pan and set it over medium heat.
7. Fry the bacon for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered out and the cubes are crisp and deeply browned.
8. Add the chopped onions to the pan with the bacon and its fat.
9. Cook the onions for 12 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft, sweet and dark gold.
10. Drain the peas well, discarding the bay leaves, and tip them into the frying pan.
11. Fold everything together over low heat for 3 minutes so the peas take on the smoky fat.
12. Season with the black pepper and the remaining salt, then taste and adjust.
13. Scatter over the parsley and serve straight from the pan, with a glass of cold kefir alongside.