Classic Split Pea Soup Food

SPLIT PEA SOUP (((BEST PEA SOUP EVER)))

Steps:

• Place all ingredients into a large stew pot.
• Cover ingredients with water about 2 inches above the top of the ingredients.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 3 hours, or until peas are pureed and slightly thickened.
• Serve with a crusty bread if desired.

CLASSIC SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cover dried peas with 2 quarts of water.
• Bring the peas to a boil; boil gently for 2 minutes.
• Set aside to soak for 1 hour.
• Add ham bone to the peas, along with chopped onion, bay leaf, garlic powder, marjoram, thyme, and pepper, and bring the soup to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Remove meat from the ham bone. If desired, put a little finely chopped ham aside for garnish. Dice the meat and return to pea soup with chopped celery and carrot.
• Simmer the pea soup gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Taste and add salt, as needed. Remove the bay leaf.
• If desired, top servings with reserved finely chopped ham or crumbled cooked bacon.
• Gather the ingredients.
• When using this method, you can omit the soaking time. Instead, rinse the split peas and reduce the liquid (water or broth) to 1 quart.
• Combine the ingredients (except salt and garnish) in the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the peas are tender. Or cook on high for about 4 to 5 hours. If cooking on high, it might be necessary to add more liquid.
• Remove the meat from the ham bone and chop.
• Return the chopped meat to the soup. Taste and season with salt, as needed.
• Garnish servings with some reserved diced ham or cooked crumbled bacon.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• If using bacon: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Once cool, crumble and set aside for garnish. If using ham hock: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, then brown the ham hock until golden, about 6 minutes. If making the soup vegetarian: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
• Add the onion, leeks and garlic and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. (If the vegetables seem dry, add a little olive oil.) Stir in the carrots, paprika (if using), half the split peas, thyme and 8 cups stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes until peas are tender.
• Mash the soup coarsely with a potato masher or give it a few quick blitzes with an immersion blender (watch out for the thyme sprigs). If you'd prefer a smoother soup, blitz until nearly smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 pound split peas and simmer about 1 hour, or until the peas are soft. If at any point the soup looks too thick, add more stock or water; if it looks too thin, remove the lid during the second simmer until it thickens. If using ham hocks, remove any meat from the bone, cut it into small cubes and stir into the soup. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crumbled bacon, if using, and lemon wedges.