Weaning Recipe Spinach Sweet Potato Yellow Split Pea Purée

GREEK YELLOW SPLIT PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to six minutes. Add the split peas and enough water to cover by an inch, and bring to a boil. Skim foam off the top, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour until the beans fall apart and sink to the bottom of the pot. Stir often to prevent them from sticking. The water should cloud, and some of the split peas will be intact while others will disintegrate. Continue to simmer until they have mostly disintegrated.
• When the beans have fallen apart and are soft and fragrant, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Replace the lid and let sit for 20 minutes. If the mixture looks more like a soup than a purée, with most of the liquid on the top, place a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture into the strainer. Let sit for 10 minutes while the liquid runs through the strainer, then return the split peas to the pot. Taste and adjust salt. Moisten as desired with the broth. Add a generous amount of pepper, and whisk in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Whisking helps break down the split peas and contributes to a smooth texture. Transfer to a bowl or plate, top with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

WEANING RECIPE: SPINACH, SWEET POTATO & YELLOW SPLIT PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the potato on a baking tray and roast in the oven for around 45 mins or until a knife easily inserts into the flesh.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan, add the garam masala, if using, and cook for 1 min. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 mins until wilted. Remove from the saucepan. Add the split peas to the pan, then pour in enough water to cover.
• Bring to the boil, cook for 10 mins, then turn down the heat and simmer for another 20-30 mins until tender.
• Drain, then transfer to a food processor along with the spinach and yogurt. Once the potato is cooked. Cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Add to the food processor. Pulse to combine. Serve one portion and divide the rest between small containers and freeze.

SWEET POTATO SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In large pot over low heat, add oil, onion, celery, carrot, sweet potatoes, garlic, pepper, oregano, thyme, and paprika, stirring to combine. Cook 5-10 minutes till onions, and celery start to soften.
• Add split peas, stock, water, bouillon, bay leaves, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 60 minutes.
• At this point you can serve it as is for chunky soup or puree it in batches for a creamer soup.