Flamingo Peas with Kale and Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

• 500g Flamingo Peas
• 2.5lt Stock
• 150g Cavolo Nero
• 60g Walnuts
• 30g Parmesan
• 60ml Olive Oil
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Fresh Red Chilli
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method

1. Soak the peas for a few hours, rinse, cover with the stock on cook until tender (40 mins or so). Or pressure cook (25 mins). You won’t need all the peas this time - but batch cooking save energy & time.
2. Meanwhile strip the kale from the stems (the stems should be saved - they’re delicious) - you don’t need to chop the leaves up. Cook for 5 or 10 mins in a little water in a covered pan. When cooked, shred & set aside the equivalent of a few leaves.
3. Put the nuts and kale in a blender, add the oil and pulse; add the oil & cheese. Pesto means ‘pound’ - it should really be made in a mortar with a pestle, so don’t blend it too smooth. If it seems thicker than you’d like & you don’t want to add more oil, use the cooking water. Season and, if you like, balance the flavours with a squeeze of lemon.
4. Take two or three ladles of the peas (around 250g) & in a separate bowl stir through the pesto and the shredded leaves you’d set aside. Serve with some chopped chilli (cavolo nero & walnuts are brilliant with chilli).
5. Serve on its own, on toast or as a side.