With episode 127, I have officially begun the 9th season of Good Eats. It’s crazy to think how much has transpired since I started this project and how many recipes/methods I have attempted. In case you have not heard, Alton is bringing Good Eats back to TV with new episodes starting in August, so that is definitely something to look forward to. By the way, I have read online (It must be true then, right?) that this episode was the only Good Eats episode that was actually filmed in Alton’s home kitchen, so there’s a random fact for you! With that, onto peas!
Curried Split Pea Soup
To first showcase the mighty pea, Alton begins this episode with a recipe for split pea soup. Requiring less than 10 ingredients, this soup is one that can easily be whipped up on a weeknight. To start, rinse 12 ounces of dry split peas under cool water and place a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
T Twelve ounces of dried split peas.
Add 2 T butter to the pan and, once the butter has begun to melt, add 1 C chopped onion and a pinch of Kosher salt. Let the onion cook for a couple minutes or until softened.
Onion and Kosher salt added to melting butter.
Next, add 1 T minced garlic and let the garlic cook for a minute or two.
Garlic added to the pan.
Add 1 T curry powder to the pan, increase the heat to high, and pour in 5 C chicken broth. At this time, also add the rinsed split peas.
Bring the liquid to a boil, decrease the heat to low, and cover the pot. Let the soup cook for 45 minutes, or until the peas are falling apart. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Soup after cooking for 45 minutes.
Finally, puree the soup with an immersion blender.
Pureed split pea soup.
Alton’s curried split pea soup.
I served this soup with goat cheese toast for a light dinner and we both thought it was pretty tasty. I opted for a Madras curry powder in my soup, which resulted in a medium level of spice. The curry flavor was definitely prominent, so you really won’t care for this if you do not care for curry. I found this dish to be comforting home fare, and it is certainly healthy. Split peas are packed with protein and fiber, and you could easily make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. This is just a good, simple, everyday soup recipe.
Split Pea Burgers
Speaking of vegetarian recipes, Alton’s split pea burgers are a protein-packed vegetarian entree. Veggie burgers are not something I make regularly, so it was funny that this recipe happened to pop up right after I had made some other veggie burgers the week prior. At least this was good for comparison’s sake! For Alton’s burgers, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, adding 1 T olive oil, 1/2 C chopped onion, 1/2 C chopped red or green bell pepper, and a big pinch of Kosher salt.
Onion, bell pepper, and Kosher salt added to olive oil.
Stir the vegetables until they have softened and add 2 t minced garlic and 4 ounces of sliced mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for four minutes.
Mushrooms and garlic added to softened veggies.
Next, add 1 C dry split peas, 1/2 C uncooked brown rice, 1 t ground coriander, 1 t cumin, and 3 C vegetable broth.
Increase the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Once boiling, decrease the heat to low, place a lid on the pan, and simmer the mixture for one hour.
Mixture after simmering for an hour.
After simmering, transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor and pulse the mixture 5-6 times or until combined; you do not want to puree the mixture, as you want to retain some texture.
Transfer the pea mixture to a bowl and add 3/4 C bread crumbs, and Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes. To cook the burgers, divide the pea mixture into five ounce portions, flattening them and lightly dredging them in bread crumbs. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes per side in a nonstick skillet over medium heat that has been lubed with olive oil.
Veggie patties cooking in oiled skillet.
Serve the burgers on buns with your desired accompaniments.
Alton’s split pea burgers.
These burgers weren’t the best veggie burgers I have ever had, but they were decent. I found their texture to be a little one-note, but they were pretty flavorful. We ate our burgers with some spinach, tomato, pickles, and mustard, and they were pretty good. If you happen to have a vegetarian in your family, these are probably worthy of a try. Otherwise, they are just kind of okay. You can freeze the portioned patties for later use, which does make them super convenient for a fast meal.
Green Peas with Cheese and Herbs
And now, for my favorite recipe of this episode: peas with cheese and herbs. For this recipe you will need a pound of shelled fresh or frozen peas; I chose to go with frozen peas, as it takes a lot more time to shell fresh peas. Regardless of whether you are using fresh or frozen peas, boil three quarts of salted water and add your peas.
A pound of peas added to salted boiling water.
If you are using fresh peas, cook them for three minutes, while you will only want to cook frozen peas for one minute. Dump your cooked peas into a colander and set the colander in ice water to cool the peas quickly; I actually just ran my peas under very cold tap water until they were cool.
Peas, running under cold water after cooking.
To make the dressing for the peas, mix 2 T red wine vinegar, 1 t Kosher salt, 1 T minced shallots, and 1/2 t pepper in a medium bowl.
Red wine vinegar, Kosher salt, shallot, and black pepper to make the dressing.
Once combined, drizzle in 3 T olive oil as you whisk the mixture to emulsify.
Olive oil, ready to whisk into dressing.
Add 2 t chopped mint and 2 t chopped parsley, along with four ounces of cubed Ricotta Salata, Fontina, or Swiss cheese. I had a shaved mixture of Parmesan and Fontina, so I used that. Last but not least, fold in the peas.
Cover the salad with plastic and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Alton’s peas with herbs and cheese.
This was a delightful salad to have as a side dish, though we both felt it could use more mint. I will make this salad again, but I will be sure to double the mint next time. The sweetness of the peas pairs fantastically with the salty richness of the cheese, and the vinaigrette adds a pop of acid and brightens the whole salad up. Add a touch more mint and this one is a keeper!
Allison Cooks Alton's Good Eats 