Grey Peas and Bacon

Latvian Grey Peas and Bacon (Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi)

A humble, earthy Latvian classic of slow-cooked grey peas finished with crisp bacon and sweet fried onions — a staple of the Christmas table and a true taste of the Baltics.

Prep

15 min

Cook

180 min

Total

195 min

Serves

4-6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) dried grey peas, true Latvian pelēkie zirņi if obtainable; substitute with whole dried green or brown peas, not split
• •2 L (8½ cups) cold water, for soaking
• •1.5 L (6½ cups) fresh water, for cooking
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •200 g (7 oz) smoked bacon, preferably fatty slab-style Latvian speķis; substitute with thick-cut smoked bacon
• •1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• •0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the dried grey peas under cold running water, then place in a large bowl and cover with about 2 L of cold water. Soak overnight (8-12 hours); this step is essential for true grey peas, which are very hard and will not soften properly without long soaking.
2. 2 Drain and rinse the soaked peas, then transfer to a heavy pot. Add 1.5 L of fresh cold water and bring slowly to a gentle boil over medium heat.
3. 3 Skim any foam that rises, reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas are very soft and beginning to break apart. Add hot water as needed to keep the peas submerged. Season lightly with salt near the end of cooking.
4. 4 While the peas finish, dice the bacon into roughly 1 cm pieces. Place in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, rendering the fat until the bacon is deeply golden and crisp, about 6-8 minutes. The bacon should be cooked to an internal color throughout — no pink remaining — and reach a safe rendering temperature; drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat.
5. 5 Add the diced onion to the bacon fat in the skillet and fry over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft, translucent, and lightly caramelized at the edges.
6. 6 Mash about one-third of the cooked peas with a spoon or potato masher directly in the pot to thicken the mixture, then stir in the crisp bacon, the fried onion (along with any remaining fat), and the freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust salt.
7. 7 Serve hot in shallow bowls, traditionally alongside dark rye bread, and for the Latvian Christmas table with sauerkraut (skābie kāposti), pickled cucumbers, and a glass of Riga Black Balsam or beer.