Grey Peas and Bacon
Grey peas and bacon is a regional speciality from the West Midlands. Made from carlin peas, bacon, onion and pearl barley this dish is different, filling, easy to make and popular around Bonfire Night.
Servings: 8
Calories: 192kcal
Ingredients
- 250 g Carlin peas dried
- ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda baking soda
- 250 g Smoked bacon
- 60 g Pearl barley
- 1 Onion
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 600 ml Stock or water
Instructions
- Put the dried carlin peas into a large pan. Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over them and then cover with plenty of water. Set aside to soak for at least 12 hours.
- After the peas have soaked drain them and rinse them in several changes of water.
- Roughly chop the bacon and onion.
- Put the bacon into a large saucepan and cook until it begins to brown. If the bacon is not very fatty add in ½ tablespoon of oil to stop it from sticking to the pan.
- Add the onion and fry gently until it begins to soften.
- Add the peas, pearl barley, pepper and half of the stock/ water to the pan. Put the lid on and allow the ingredients to simmer gently for around 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid as required to prevent the dish from drying out.
- After 3 hours taste your grey peys to see if they are soft and tender. At this stage, they will still have some colour. If they are to your liking they can be served, but you can cook them for longer. The longer you cook them the sfoter, mushier and greyer the dish will become, hence the name.
- Serve with ascattering of fresh parsley if desired, either as a side dish or as a main with a chunk of crusty bread alongside.
Notes
- The dried peas should be soaked in water for at least 12 hours before proceeding with the recipe. This helps to reduce cooking time and remove starch.
- If you forget to soak them, then put your carlin peas into a saucepan (with the bicarbonate of soda) and pour boiling water over them. Cover with a lid and leave for 1 hour. Drain & rinse your peas and then proceed with the recipe. It is likely that your grey peas will take longer to cook and require more water if you use this soaking method.
- Add more water or stock for a more soupy version of this recipe.
- To freeze grey peas let them cool completely, then put them into a freezer proof pot or bag, label, date and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat (instructions follow).
- To reheat them, add a splash of water to loosen the consistency then warm them up on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
