Swedish Pea Soup Artsoppa Food

ÄRTSOPPA: SWEDISH YELLOW PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse and pick through the peas. If using whole peas, allow to sit in the water you'll use for your soup overnight. This is unnecessary if you're using split peas as long as you simmer the soup for 2-3 hours.
• Fill a large pot with 8 cups water (or 6 if you like a thicker soup, then add water to taste). Add the peas, chopped onions, whole onion with cloves, carrot, and ham bone to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 90 minutes.
• If using whole peas, skim off any pea skins that have risen to the surface.
• Remove 2-3 cups of the soup, purée it, then return the purée to the pot. Continue to simmer at least another 30 minutes.
• 30 minutes before serving, remove the studded onion and the meat. Chop the meat (should be about 1 cup) and return to the pot.
• Season with thyme, ginger, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 more minutes.
• Serve with mustard on the side so it may be added to taste.

SWEDISH PEA SOUP (ARTSOPPA)

Steps:

• Soak the peas in 2 quarts of water overnight.
• Bring the peas to a boil in the water they soaked in.
• Add onion, meat and spices except mustard.
• Simmer until the meat is done and the peas have softened (about 1 hour).
• Take up the meat and cut into pieces.
• Put them back in the soup.
• Add more spices, if necessary.
• Serve hot with mustard.

SWEDISH YELLOW PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the peas in a colander under cool running water. Put them in a large, nonreactive bowl and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak uncovered in a cool place overnight.
• Put the peas and soaking water into a heavy 6-to-8-quart pot. Add water to cover again by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and let boil two minutes. Skim off and discard any foam and skins that rise to the top.
• Stir in the chopped onion. Cut the piece of bacon crosswise into two pieces, and add to the pot with 3 tablespoons fresh marjoram or thyme leaves, stripped of stems and chopped.
• Let the soup boil gently for 40 to 90 minutes until it becomes very thick and buttery yellow. Whole peas will take longer and will be soft but still whole when cooked. Split peas will take a shorter time to cook and will almost disintegrate. If the soup becomes too thick, add more water.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the two pieces of bacon, and cut off and discard the rind. Cut the bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Reserve.
• Stir the soup well, and season with 2 to 4 tablespoons mustard. Add salt, if necessary, and black pepper. Add more fresh thyme or marjoram if desired.
• Serve with soup in shallow bowls with slices of bacon on the side. Pass additional mustard to stir into the soup. In Sweden, this soup, called artsoppa, is served with crisp rye bread covered with grated vasterbottem, a sharp, hard cheese. Aged cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano are good substitutes.