Delia Smith Pea Ham Soup Food

FRESH SHELLED PEA SOUP

Steps:

• First of all, in a large saucepan melt the butter and gently saute the chopped spring onions, lettuce, bacon and spinach for about 5 minutes, then add the peas and some salt and stir everything together. Then pour in 1¼ pints (725 ml) boiling water from the kettle. Next, add the sugar, put on a lid and let the peas simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until they are soft. Now allow the soup to cool a little, then whiz it to a purée in batches in a blender until smooth. You'll find it helpful to have a bowl handy to put the first batch in. Taste and season with more salt (if it needs it) and freshly milled black pepper, then gently reheat. Stir the mint into the soup and serve in hot bowls, garnishing each one with a teaspoon of crème fraîche and a little freshly grated nutmeg just before serving.

SPLIT PEA AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• First, in a large cooking pot, melt the fat, then cook the bacon and onion in it for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the vegetables - give them a good stir round in the butter and let them colour a little at the edges over a fairly low heat. Then pour in the stock and add the washed split peas. Bring everything back up to simmering point, skim the surface if there's any scum, then put a lid on and continue to simmer very gently for about 11/2 hours, or until the peas are absolutely soft. Now liquidise the soup just a little (or else sieve it) - but it shouldn't be too uniformly smooth. Taste, season, re-heat and serve the soup garnished with some croutons crisp fried in bacon fat. Note: There's no need to soak the split peas, but the length of cooking time may vary 30 minutes or so either way.

SPLIT PEA & GREEN PEA SMOKED HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Put the gammon in a very large pan with 2 litres water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and drain off the water - this helps to get rid of some of the saltiness. Recover with 2 litres cold water and bring to the boil again. Put everything but the frozen peas into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½-2½ hrs, topping up the water as and when you need to, to a similar level it started at. As the ham cooks and softens, you can halve it if you want, so it is all submerged under the liquid. When the ham is tender enough to pull into shreds, it is ready.
• Lift out the ham, peel off and discard the skin. While it is still hot (wear a clean pair of rubber gloves), shred the meat. Remove bay from the soup and stir in the frozen peas. Simmer for 1 min, then blend until smooth. Add a splash of water if too thick, and return to the pan to heat through if it has cooled, or if you are making ahead.
• When you are ready to serve, mix the hot soup with most of the ham - gently reheat if made ahead. Serve in bowls with the remaining ham scattered on top, and eat with crusty bread and butter.

HAM AND SPLIT PEA SOUP RECIPE - A GREAT SOUP

Steps:

• Place the butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Stir in onion, celery, and sliced garlic. Cook slowly until the onions are translucent but not brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Mix in ham, bay leaf, and split peas. Pour in chicken stock and water. Stir to combine, and simmer slowly until the peas are tender and the soup is thick, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper to serve.

PEA & HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a knob of butter in a saucepan and when lightly foaming gently cook 1 chopped onion until softened, but not coloured.
• Tip in 1 peeled and diced medium potato and stir to coat in butter, then pour over 1l ham or pork stock. Simmer until softened.
• Tip in 500g frozen petit pois and bring back to the boil. Cook for a couple of mins.
• Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Stir in 300g diced ham and serve.