Split Pea Soup with Smoked Pork
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10
- Category: Soups
Description
There are few things more satisfying on a cold night than a bowl of split pea soup.
Ingredients
60 g butter
3 medium onions, chopped
1 bunch leeks, washed and sliced including some of the green leaves
4 medium carrots, chopped
1 bunch soup celery, washed and chopped
1 small bunch parsley, washed and chopped
1 ½ packets (750 g) dried split peas, rinsed or soaked (check packet instructions)
about 750 g smoked eisbein or smoked pork ribs
2 C (500 ml) chicken stock
nutmeg, to taste
4 bay leaves
freshly milled black pepper
white pepper, to taste
zest and juice of half a lemon
To Serve
crispy croutons
1 packet smoked pork rashers (optional)
fresh country bread
Instructions
Sweat the onions in the butter in a very large, covered saucepan over a gentle heat until very lightly coloured. Add the leeks and allow to sweat until softened. Add the carrots and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Add the celery, parsley, dried peas and smoked pork.
Cover the contents of the saucepan with chicken stock, adding more water if necessary. Add nutmeg, bay leaves, lemon rind and black and white pepper.
Allow to simmer, covered for about 4 hours, stirring from time to time and adding more water if necessary. Cooking time will depend on how long it takes for the meat to fall off the bone.
When the meat is tender, remove the bone, skin and fatty layer from the eisbein and discard. If using smoked pork ribs, remove the bones and any excess fat and discard. Return the meat in chunks to the soup and continue cooking over a gentle heat until the chunks have broken down slightly. Add lemon juice and season to taste.
To Serve
A hearty soup like this is always great served with rustic country bread. To add the texture you can add optional crunchy croutons and fried pork rashers.
If serving rashers, cook in a frying pan over medium heat until golden and caramelised (for extra yum factor add a squeeze of honey to the frying pan during the cooking process). Slice and serve as a garnish.
