Greek · Starter

Yellow Split Pea Fava with Smoked Eel

Name: Yellow Split Pea Fava with Smoked Eel
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 6 as a meze
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 45 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil, for softening the onion (3 tbsp); 140 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil, for whipping into the purée and drizzling; 120 to 160 ml; 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped; 400 g yellow split peas, preferably Greek, from Santorini or Feneos; rinsed (2 cups); 1 leaf bay leaf; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; hot water, as needed, about 1 litre in all; salt, to taste; 1 lemon, juiced and strained; use 1/2 to 1 lemon, to taste; 115 g butterflied or canned smoked eel, thinly sliced (4 oz); keep the can oil if using canned; 30 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil, 2 tbsp; 280 g pearl onions, peeled (about 2 cups); 1 pinch salt; 150 g teardrop or cherry tomatoes, any colour or a mix (about 1 cup); 2 tsp balsamic vinegar; 2 tsp grape molasses (petimezi)

Velvety Santorini-style split pea purée whipped with olive oil and lemon, topped with blistered cherry tomatoes and caramelised pearl onions and tucked with slivers of smoked eel for a salty, smoky contrast.

YieldServes 6 as a meze
Hands-on45 min
Total1 h 20 min
Difficulty

Ingredients

Fava

45 mlextra-virgin Greek olive oil, for softening the onion (3 tbsp)
140 mlextra-virgin Greek olive oil, for whipping into the purée and drizzling; 120 to 160 ml
1small red onion, coarsely chopped
400 gyellow split peas, preferably Greek, from Santorini or Feneos; rinsed (2 cups)
1 leafbay leaf
4 sprigsfresh thyme
to tastehot water, as needed, about 1 litre in all
to tastesalt
1lemon, juiced and strained; use 1/2 to 1 lemon, to taste
115 gbutterflied or canned smoked eel, thinly sliced (4 oz); keep the can oil if using canned

Onion-tomato topping

30 mlextra-virgin Greek olive oil, 2 tbsp
280 gpearl onions, peeled (about 2 cups)
1 pinchsalt
150 gteardrop or cherry tomatoes, any colour or a mix (about 1 cup)
2 tspbalsamic vinegar
2 tspgrape molasses (petimezi)

Diet

Pescatarian
Mediterranean

Contains

Fish
Sulfites
Eel
Legumes (any)
Peas
Olive
Grapes
Citrus fruits (any)
Lemon
Nightshades (any)
Tomato
Onion family (any)
Onion
Thyme
Bay leaf
Histamine (aged and fermented foods)

Taste

Sweet
Sour / bright
Salty
Umami / savory
Richness / fat
Smoke
Herbal / fresh

Texture

Creamy

Equipment

Stovetop
Food processor

Season

Any season

Occasion

Entertaining

Effort

20–45 min active
1–3 hours total
Difficulty 2
Make-ahead friendly
Leftovers-friendly

Nutrition

Calories: moderate
Protein: moderate
Carbs: high
Fat: high
Fiber: high
Sodium: low

Budget

Budget: moderate

What it costs to shop for

Members can download a cost breakdown for any recipe in Excel: what to buy after trimming, how many packages, and the cost per serving, scaled to however many you’re cooking for.

Method

The method is for members

The timed method (mise en place, a cook timeline with minutes per step, and cook mode with timers) is delivered to members in their packages, adapted to how they cook.

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Ingredients

Fava

Onion-tomato topping

What it costs to shop for

The method is for members

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