Recipes

Refried Peas with Salsa Macha

By: Hannah Lee Leidy
Photo by Jonathan Boncek

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yields

Serves 4 to 6

    Ingredients

  • For the salsa macha:

  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • ½ ounce pequin chiles
  • ½ ounce guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 3 allspice berries
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

  • For the fried onions:

  • 1 quart canola oil
  • ½ Vidalia onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Cornstarch

  • For the peas:

  • 4 cups english peas
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • Vegetable stock as needed
steps

1. Make the salsa macha: In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Add chiles and spices and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Allow to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes, then process in a blender until smooth.

2. Make the fried onions: In a 5-quart pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, heat oil to 300 degrees. Season onions with salt and then toss with just enough cornstarch to coat. If onions start to clump together, add more cornstarch and toss to coat again. Add onions to oil and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove onions from oil, drain on paper towels, and season with salt.

3. Make the peas: Prepare large bowl of ice water. Blanch peas in boiling water for about 10 to 12 minutes, then drain and shock in ice water. Once cool, strain peas and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook shallot and garlic in olive oil until shallots are translucent. Add peas, lemon juice, and zest, and cook until warmed through. Transfer contents of skillet to a food processor and process until smooth. Adjust consistency with vegetable stock, as needed, until peas have a smooth texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with salsa macha and fried onions.

 

From Carter’s Catch.

  • From Brandon Carter, FARM, Bluffton, South Carolina

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