Wintertime French Style Split Pea Soup Recipes

TRADITIONAL FRENCH-CANADIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a very large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat, sweat the onions and carrots in butter for 5-7 minute, or until onions are soft and translucent.
• Stir in water, split peas, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme and savoury. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the peas are soft and begin to fall apart into a puree.
• Remove the ham hock. Pull the meat away from the bone, and shred or chop into small dice. Set ham aside, and discard the bone. Remove bay leaves and discard these as well.
• Taste soup, and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. For a very smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree completely, or leave as-is for a chunkier texture. Stir chopped ham back into the soup, and serve immediately.

QUEBEC-STYLE YELLOW SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Trim off and discard skin from ham hocks.
• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in dried split peas, bay leaf ,savory and thyme. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
• Stir in chicken broth and water. Add the ham hock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas are very soft and soup is thickened, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. *NOTE: You may need to add additional water or stock if soup gets too thick.
• PICK OUT AND DISCARD BAY LEAF and remove the ham hock to a plate. *Note: I prefer a thicker soup, so I blend just a bit of the soup with an immersion blender or blender. Just do a quick blend (or blend just a cup of the soup. You don't want a completely pureed soup. You want it to retain most of it's texture, but the bit of pureed soup will incorporate with the broth for a thicker soup.)
• Let ham hock cool slightly, then remove any meat on the hock and add it back to soup. Discard the fat and bone from the hock.
• Stir to combine meat with soup. Taste and generously season with salt and pepper, to taste.

HAM BONE AND GREEN SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, and salt. Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas and garlic. Nestle ham bone into the pot; add stock and diced ham. Fill pot with water to about 1 1/2 inches from the top. Mix and bring soup to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot and stirring every 30 minutes, until peas are mostly disintegrated, about 2 1/2 hours. Turn ham bone and skim surface for fat once every hour. Take bone out, remove any meat, and return meat to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight. If you need a faster method, simmer the peas gently for 2 minutes, and then soak for l hour.
• Once peas are soaked, add ham bone, onion, salt, pepper and marjoram. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Remove bone; cut off meat, dice and return meat to soup. Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.