split pea + white bean chili
I am so excited to be back in this space, giving it some love after a little break to work on a super fun project that I will be sharing all the details on next week.
Because my workload has been full-force, I’ve being hygee-ing hard these past couple of deep winter weeks ….. if you’re not yet hip on hygee, it’s a Danish word that is used to describe all things cozy and comforting. A couple of months ago, when Michael and I went to Copenhagen, we decided to take a day trip to a quaint, lovely Danish city, Arhaus, a little over two hours from Copenhagen to visit my dear food friend, Sif. When we were there, Sif was so kind to give Michael and I a book that she loved and said was a great representation of Danish culture, and how they get through the very dark and cold winters, with a cheerful dispositions and big smiles on their faces. On the train ride back to Copenhagen, Michael and I thumbed through our gift, The Little Book of Hygee, and being the big-time homebodies that we are, we loved how this Danish word perfectly summed up living your best homebound winter life. It’s all about embracing those little comforts of home, the fireplace, the cozy blankets, the big mugs of warm tea, and the comfy stretchy pants.
Of course, for us especially, a big part about winter hygee is making food at home. Big bowls of simple, warming, delicious, comfort food. We also like to do this while taking minimal trips to the grocery store, which means keeping the pantry well-stocked with nutritious pulses such as lentils and beans. Recently I picked up some split peas to add to the pantry, and I was so excited to use them and make something beyond the typical split pea soup with ham. Split peas actually have a really wonderful texture similar to lentils when cooked, so I wanted to make something that emphasized that, instead of puréeing them like so many recipes do.
I have made chili with lentils before, I have also made it with white beans, but spilt peas I knew were going to be a refreshing way to make an easy, comforting bowl of this spicy goodness. Plus, why do darker beans get to have all the fun when it comes to chili? One of my favorite things about this chili is the contrast in texture between the spilt pea and the white bean, and with a little bit of spice and kick, it is the best kind of food to make when you are in full-on hygee mode.
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SPLIT PEA + WHITE BEAN CHILI
SERVES
4
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons of ghee or olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 poblanos, de-seeded and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
14.5oz can of organic canned cannellini beans, drained
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
½ teaspoon of chili powder
¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of dried green split peas
4 cups of vegetable, chicken, or bone broth
sea salt
for the cilantro yogurt (optional):
1 cup of plain greek yogurt (cashew or almond milk yogurt if you prefer)
2 green onions, white parts minced (green parts reserved as a garnish for the soup)
¼ teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of lime juice (or lemon)
a handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped
additional toppings: sliced avocado and the reserved green scallions
METHOD
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat and add the onions, and poblanos. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the poblanos are soft. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add the cannellini beans, coriander, cumin, and cook while stirring for about 1 minute. Then add the spilt peas, vegetable broth. Give it a good stir, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook partially covered for about 30-40 minutes. The chili should start to reduce and thicken, and the spilt peas will become tender. Taste and add salt if needed (this will depend on how salty your broth is, and it might not be necessary).
While the chili is cooking, make the cilantro yogurt by stirring together all the ingredients for the yogurt in a small bowl.
Divide the chili amongst bowls and add a spoonful of the cilantro yogurt and any other toppings you like.