Split Pea Soup With Bacon And Crispy White Cheddar Grilled Cheese Recipes

LOADED BACON SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool, then crumble.
• Add onion, carrot, and garlic to bacon fat and cook until tender and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Add broth and split peas and let simmer, covered, until split peas are tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Serve garnished with parsley and bacon.

HEARTY SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Dice bacon into 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a heavy 6-quart pot over medium-low heat. Cook until fat is rendered and translucent. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook until onion and garlic are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add split peas, stir to coat with fat, and add bay leaves and 2 quarts stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so soup simmers. Skim foam that rises to the surface for about 10 minutes, until no more appears. Add thyme leaves. Simmer uncovered about 1 hour or longer, until peas are soft and starting to fall apart. Add more stock, as needed.
• Remove soup from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Purée soup in a food processor in several batches, short of perfect smoothness; you should be able to spoon up some texture. Reheat soup, skimming off any foam. Stir from the bottom to mix well, then ladle into bowls and serve.

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BACON AND CRISPY WHITE CHEDDAR GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Make the soup: If you have not yet, soak your split peas in water for 2 hours or overnight. This will improve the cook time of your soup. If the peas are not soaked, you will just need to cook them longer, about 30 to 40 extra minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until crispy and brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and rest it on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of the drippings from the pot.
• Place the pot back over medium heat and add the onions, garlic and marjoram leaves. Cook until they turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Add the split peas, stock and milk and simmer until the peas start to fall apart, about 20 minutes.
• Once cooked, transfer half of the peas and cooking liquid to a blender with half of the spinach. Puree until smooth, adding more liquid if needed to thin out the soup. Repeat this step for the remaining half of the peas and cooking liquid.
• Combine all of the soup together and season with salt and lemon juice. Serve garnished with the bacon bits, sour cream and some fresh marjoram.
• Make the grilled cheese: Using the flat side of a knife or the back of a spoon or fork, crush the cloves of garlic and place into a small microwave-safe bowl. Add the butter and microwave on high for about 30 seconds or until the butter is boiling hot and fully melted.
• Brush the garlic butter over the back of the top and bottom pieces of bread for each sandwich. Flip the bread over and spread mayonnaise on each side and place 2 pieces of sharp white cheddar cheese in the middle of half of the pieces of bread.
• In a saute pan or skillet over medium heat, toast the sandwich butter side down until an even brown color is achieved, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip the sandwich and repeat on the other side.
• Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, cut in half and serve hot with soup.