Split Pea Soup

[porcupine]

Does anyone out there have a particularly good recipe to share? Thanks. I'm having a real craving.

[Mark Slater]

Does anyone out there have a particularly good recipe to share?  Thanks.  I'm having a real craving.

English Pea and Lobster Bisque at the bar at Citronelle. Come give it a try.

[Mrs. B]

Green or Yellow. I can share green and I need yellow.

[Jonathan]

i made one last week with yellow split peas, preserved lemons and lots of parsley.

[Barbara]

My question is: Do you want a generic recipe or something truly unusual? I started to describe my sorta generic recipe and then decided that you were looking for something really out there. Which is it?

[Chris W]

I look at split pea soup as a reason to buy ham hocks. The soup itself is just a vehicle to eat smoked swine. At least in my oppinion it is.

[porcupine]

Barbara and Mrs. B: green, and something unusual.

I found a very old recipe in my card file, and don't know where it came from, but it looks a little generic. It involves cooking split peas in water and chicken stock with parsley, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, and peppercorns, and pureeing with cooked carrot, celery, and leek, then finishing with heavy cream and sherry.

Seems like a perfectly servicable recipe, but I wouldn't mind updating it.

Chris W: wish I still had ham hock from Easter, because I would put it in the pot, but all I have is leftover ham that I was going to chop and add to the soup.

[mhberk]

No split pea soup is complete without a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche on top of each serving

[Anna Blume]

I found a very old recipe in my card file, and don't know where it came from, but it looks a little generic.  It involves cooking split peas in water and chicken stock with parsley, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, and peppercorns, and pureeing with cooked carrot, celery, and leek, then finishing with heavy cream and sherry.

...I have...leftover ham that I was going to chop and add to the soup.

Personally, I wouldn't waste the chicken stock since you have the ham for flavor. James Beard recommends sticking 2 cloves into an onion while you're cooking the dried peas in plain water. I like to add lots of extra, if orthodox vegetables, sauting onions, carrots and celery in butter with some of the ham (or bacon, or pancetta). Throw in some peppercorns and a bouquet garni if you have the fresh herbs. Then, towards the end, add lots of diced carrots and potato (try sweet for a change, I suppose) along with reserved ham. Don't puree it all. Texture is good, with lots of freshly grated pepper and a pat of butter (herbal?) plopped in to melt and swirl.

BTW, the Dutch do amazing things with split pea soups and lots and lots of meat, look for snert here. The "Before" shot might inspire other vegetable choices, such as celery root & parsnips. Maybe some fava beans.

[Mrs. B]

I really like making buttery fried mini croutons out of pepperidge farms or arnold white bread. Rye croutons are also a favorite of mine. This works better in my estimation on a more creamy soup. Michel Richard suggested tossing in some sunflower seeds at a class that Waitman & I took last year.

[Camille-Beau]

Cordon Bleu recipe: Split_Pea_Soup.pdf

[Sthitch]

I look at split pea soup as a reason to buy ham hocks.  The soup itself is just a vehicle to eat smoked swine.  At least in my oppinion it is.

I completely agree. I like to make a ham stock out of the hock. I then sweat a diced mirepoix (2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, and 1 part celeriac - instead of regular celery), add the dried peas and then enough stock to cover them by about an inch. About midway through I add chopped ham.

[Barbara]

I completely agree.  I like to make a ham stock out of the hock.  I then sweat a diced mirepoix (2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, and 1 part celeriac - instead of regular celery), add the dried peas and then enough stock to cover them by about an inch.  About midway through I add chopped ham.

I do something similar in making the stock first and then de-greasing it before adding the peas. I've never thought to add celeriac. What a neat idea!

[zoramargolis]

I think of split pea soup as fall or winter food. Why not make some spring-inspired fresh pea soup? English peas are a pain and a half and way expensive and labor intensive. I use sugar snaps and puree the whole pods after cooking them in chicken stock with leeks and a little white wine and bouquet garni. Add cream or creme fraiche. Easy peasy.