Sunday Supper: Smoked Sausage With Split Pea Puree and Caraway Butter

Serves 4.

Note: It's amazing what you can do with a package of split peas. If you prefer nonsmoked sausage, go for it; the same flexibility goes for the cooking technique. Here it's poached, but if you want to fry it, that's good, too. For a side dish, consider warm potatoes tossed with chopped dill pickles. Or try some sliced cucumber mixed with sour cream. From "Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavors," by Diana Henry.

• 1 1/4 c. uncooked yellow split peas

• 1 onion, minced

• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped

• 1 leek, white part only, chopped and rinsed

• 1 tsp. dried marjoram

• 5 c. mixed stock and water, or just water

• 1 large smoked sausage (see Note)

• Generous grating of fresh nutmeg

• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

Put the split peas into a saucepan with the onion, carrot, leek, marjoram, seasoning and stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour, or until completely soft and a thick purée. When the split peas still are cooking, put the sausage into a separate pan of boiling water. Reduce the heat and poach it until heated through.

Return to the purée: Add more seasoning (it needs plenty) plus the nutmeg and vinegar, and place the purée into a warm bowl.

Heat butter in a skillet and add the caraway. Cook over medium heat until you can smell the caraway, but don't let the butter burn, then pour it over the purée.