Hodmedod's Kabuki Peas are Back on the Menu
Earlier this year Hodmedod introduced us to the humble but versatile Fava bean - and we thoroughly enjoyed our baking experience, making some Moroccan Bessara, a spicy little dip that also doubled as a soup.
Well now we are back with Hodmedod's Kabuki beans and by following the recipes supplied in one of the handy little books that come with every packet, we made their Wasabi & Pea dip and Pea & Ham soup.
Kabuki peas are among the best varieties of dried green marrowfat peas, most often used for classic mushy peas but great for much more besides.
They pair particularly well with Japanese wasbi or British horseradish.
For the Wasabi and Pea dip we couldn't have asked for a simpler recipe. Using 100g of Kabuki peas (only a fifth of a pack) we made a lot of dip!
Although the soaking and cooking process is a little time consuming, it is definitely worth the effort and once the peas were cooked the dip is incredibly easy to make. Just blend together with the other ingredients.
Ingredients
- 100g dried Kabuki beans
- 150ml sour cream
- 1tsp wasabi paste (adjust to taste) or use horseradish - sauce or grated
- 1tsp lemon juice
After soaking and following the instructions on the pea pack, blend the peas with the cream, lemon juice and wasabi, then season with salt & pepper. Refrigerate and serve chilled.
The texture is a lot like humus but the consistency can be changed by blending time. Go for a little longer if you like a smoother dip, or leave it short for a rougher texture. We added a squirt more wasabi paste than indicated by the recipe because we trialled this on a group of wasabi lovers.
If you are unsure err on the side of caution unless you know you love the wasabi kick!
Serve the dip with crispy carrots or smother on some crunchy bread. Ideal for Melba toast, bread sticks and crudités.
The dip kept well, in a covered bowl in the fridge, for a couple of day and tasted divine!
We ventured on to make the Pea and Ham Soup which showed how well the peas can be used to thicken up or bulk out a basic soup recipe.
Using 200g of Habuki peas we again had more than we needed (they really do go a long way), we simply soaked them according to packet instruction, then rinsed and cooked as the recipe suggested.
Ingredients
- 200g dried Kabuki peas
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 rashers of bacon (we used smoked bacon for extra flavour)
- 1.2 litres stock (we used chicken stock)
- 125-200g cooked diced ham
Heating the oil in a large pan we added the onion and gently fried it with the garlic and bacon for about 10 minutes on a low heat, until the onion was soft and the bacon had browned.
Adding the stock we brought it up to a boil and then simmered for another 10 minutes before adding in the peas and ham.
Using an electric hand blender we blended the mixture until smooth, adding salt and pepper seasoning, to taste. For those that like it a little sweeter there is the option to add a little sugar. Pop in a bit of fresh mint to garnish, if desired.
If you don't like the smokey bacon simply use unsmoked. We loved the taste and think this would be a good base for many other recipe variations.
Hodmedod sources produce from British farms to supply the best ingredients.
They are particularly interested in searching out less well-known foods, like the fava bean, which we still grow and export but haven't eaten in Britain for centuries.
Hodmedod Ltd is a new business, founded by Nick Saltmarsh, Josiah Meldrum and William Hudson in 2012 and based on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.
They believe in good, sustainable and local food.
For more information visit www.hodmedods.co.uk Find on Facebook Follow on Twitter