Split Pea Soup

Pease porridge hot

Pease porridge cold

          Pease porridge in the pot

Nine days old

Do you remember that children’s rhyme? It doesn’t make pea soup sound very appetizing, does it? As the rhyme suggests, split pea soup has humble origins, which I was amazed to learn go as far back as 400-500 BC, when the Greeks and Romans cultivated peas and vendors sold hot pea soup on the streets of Athens. Louis the XIV’s chefs updated this simple soup, making it with fresh peas and broth (fit for a king) and called it Potage Saint-Germain. In slightly different variations, split pea soup made with both green and yellow dried peas is still a popular dish in many parts of the world, including a St Patrick’s Day dinner in the northeast.

 There are many good reasons that this soup is still popular today. It takes about 90 minutes to make from start to finish, there is no stock involved, just water. You can add a ham bone if you’d like but it is just as flavorful if you don’t, and it can be vegetarian, or vegan.

 Note: I like some texture to my split pea soup, so I finely dice most of the carrots in the food processor but leave approximately ½ cup aside to hand dice into slightly larger chunks.

Photo by: Claudia Alexander

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onion

• 1 cup celery (add celery leaves if you have them)

• 2 cups carrot * (see Note)

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed, or canola oil

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 lb. green split peas (rinsed)

• 1 meaty ham bone or 1/2 cup of diced ham (if using)

• ¼ cup of chopped flat leaf parsley

• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, or 2 sprigs of fresh

• 3/4 cup dry red wine (optional)

• 7 cups water

Directions:

 Finely dice onions, celery, and carrots* in a food processor. Warm oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add vegetables, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon of salt, stir, cover, and lower the heat. Steam until carrot starts to soften—about 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, and parsley, cook another 2 minutes. Now add the rinsed peas, ham bone if using, and water. Adjust heat up to medium low and bring to a slow simmer. Stir and incorporate the peas evenly and cover. Cook until the peas are soft, about 45 minutes. Check occasionally and stir if the soup is sticking to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat. Take out the bone, chop large pieces of meat and add pack to the pot with the red wine and the last 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. I like to serve this soup with1 cup finely diced onion

Photo by: Claudia Alexander