Split Pea Paté with Valdeón and Rosemary

Summer is nearly upon us in Baltimore. And as always, I have mixed feelings about this season. I definitely enjoy having lots of green trees around, and all of those amazing vegetables at the peak of their flavor, and how could I forget the fireworks! But the main thing I don't like is the weather. Baltimore gets so hot and humid that our trademark rowhouses turn into giant brick ovens roasting under the hot sun all day. All of these things bring me to one sad conclusion: it's too bloody hot to cook.

This summer I've decided to spend less time in front of a hot oven while spending my normal amount of time cooking. Some oven and stove work is unavoidable, but I'm going to try to keep it to a minimum. It just makes sense, doesn't it? So first out of the gate, we're whipping up this split pea paté. I realize this calls for roughly 30 minutes of boiling, but you can cook it earlier in the day before the sun rises too high as it needs a few hours in the fridge to get to the right consistency. Then, it's cool food all the way. Summer: 0. Me: 1.

1 cup green split peas
3 oz. Valdeón cheese
1 sprig of rosemary
1 shallot, diced
1/4 cup of walnuts
1 qt. water
1 tbsp butter (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the water to a boil, adding a little salt as well as 1 oz. of the Valdeón. When it is boiling, add the sprig of rosemary, the shallot, and the split peas. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the split peas are nice and tender. Drain off the peas and place them in a food processor, adding the remaining Valdeón, the walnuts, and the butter if desired. Process until nice and smooth. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a nice bowl and allow to cool. When at room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and move to the fridge for at least two hours to set up. Serve cool with some nice slices of toasted bread.



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