Pea Soup

[PA Baker]

Need a Pea Soup Recipe

I have a large ham bone left from Christmas Eve dinner and I promised my mom that I'd make her split pea soup. She's the only one in the family that likes it so I want to treat her! Does anyone have any good recipies to share?

 

[wasabi woman]

there was a thread on this awhile ago...

http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=3471


hope you find one you like!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I use a modified version of the recipe found on most packages of dried split peas. To that recipe, I add shredded carrot, minced onion, and a bit of mesquite flavored liquid smoke. Then, when the soup is done, I bind it with a roux. I just heat about 3 tbs. of AP-Flour with the same amount of butter, or sunflower oil in a pan, and then use the broth from the soup to thicken into a creamy sauce. Add the sauce to the soup and stir. This binding technique holds the pea particles in suspension. They don't settle to the bottom. It also makes the soup creamier. Of course, you will need to remove the bone before doing this. But make sure to get every shred of meat from that bone and return it to the soup. Yum!

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Lifter]

Trust GoodWeed to come out with the best suggestions!

Be sure to add any chopped ham scraps, and the addition of green garden peas or green beanns at the last minute can add as well....but for sure the chopped onion and shredded carrot...

 

[marmalady]

How about a recipe for that wonderful yellow pea soup from Canada from one of our Canadian friends?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I love Habitant brand French-Canadien Pea Soup, made with teh yellow peas. I hvae a package of the yellow dried peas at home. I am going to have to try to come up with a good recipe for something similar. I'll post it after Iknow whether my ideas for this soup are a success or not.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[marmalady]

TY - we'll be waiting, Goodweed!

 

[Lifter]

(Trying to "scoop" GoodWeed on this recipe!)

"Habitant" soup usually comes in a can...

The Hambone into a pot, cover with water and "stew" for 2030 minutes to reduce the components to a "liquor"...remove the bone, cut away all the bits of meat, add the reserved "drippings " from the original "carving" of the ham, plus any little "bits", including fats...in a "push" use bacon bits (the "real ones" you get by actually frying them!) c/w "grease"...

Mix with "Habitant" "Pea Soup" canned mixture...(16 oz?)

Add:

1-2 carrots, topped, peeled and minced

1 onion, diced or minced

2-3 tbspn minced garlic

1 cup finely sliced green beans

"Stew" slowly, for at least an hour...

Then add about a cup of frozen peas...

Continue cooking for another 30 minutes...

Serve...

Preserves WONDERFULLY for several more day's enjoyment....

 

[marmalady]

Hmmm, Lifter - is this the soup made with the dried yellow split peas?

 

[norgeskog]

PA sorry I am late with this, but I have been off line since early Tuesday visiting with my cousin from out of town. HERE it is, from Julia Child, The Way To Cook. I will digest it, as we are all cooks and do not need the long version. If anyone is confused, PM me and I will explain further. This is the best split pea soup I have ever eaten.

FIRST you make ham stock:
2 qts or so of bones, scraps
3 Qts water, or combination of leftover ham braising juices or chic stock
1 cup each peeled and chopped carrots and onions
1 large rib of celery with leaves, washed and chopped
Herb boquet of 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp thyme, 5 whole cloves or allspice tied in cheesecloth NOTE I use a tea diffuser for this and hook over pop.

Cut up bones adn cover over bones and vegetables by 2 inches. Add herb
mix. Simmer 3-4 hours with the ocver askew to allow for air circulation. Taste after 1 hour or so and add salt and pepper if needed, skim if needed. Cool, strain and degrease. This may be prepared ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze. (I use half and freeze other half)

SOUP

3 TBS butter
2/3 cup each diced celert and onions
1/2 cup each diced carrots and turnips or rutabaga (I use latter)
3 TBS flour
2 QTS ham stock h eated in sauce pan
1-1/2 Cups green or yellow split peas (I use equal amounts of both)
Garnish: 1-1/2 cups toasted croutons or 1/2 C ham sauted in butter.

Saute vegetables in butter ofer moderate heat stirring frequently for 5 min. Blend in flour ( to make liaison so the eventual pea puree will not stick to the bottom of the soup). cook stirring for 3 min. Remove from heat and let cool briefly, blend in the hot ham stock, and the split peas. Bring to the simmer, stiring. Cover loosely and simmer 45 minutes or until peas are tender, s/p if needed.

Julia suggests masing the peas and vegetables into the liquid with a masher or spoom but I find it was not necessary as it thickened beautifully, and I like the lumps. Be careful with salting as some hams are extremely salty.

EDIT NOTE: She does not add more ham to the soup, I did add some diced ham in the final 10 minutes of cooking, just to warm it. Garnished with dollop (sorry) of sour cream and the croutons and more shredded ham.

 

[PA Baker]

Thanks, Norgeskog! I will play around with all of these suggestions and come up with something this weekend!

 

[norgeskog]

Thanks, Norgeskog! I will play around with all of these suggestions and come up with something this weekend!

YOu are welcome, PA, let me know what you do with the soup. I always love to get other ideas from my fellow chefwannabees.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Hmmm, Lifter - is this the soup made with the dried yellow split peas?

\
This is indeed the soup made with the yellow-split peas. I'm going to try and make it from scratch. It can't be too hard. But the Habitant brand is very good.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Claire]

Mine isn't much different from anyone else's. I use smoked ham hocks (I can get the best ones here from a butcher in Cuba City, WI), which I simmer with onions, garlic, thyme, a bay leaf, and maybe some sage for an hour or two in about half the amount of water your bag of peas calls for. Then toss in the peas and some chopped onion, grated carrot, diced potato (the carrot and potato are optional, actually). This is something I learned to make at my mom's knee, so .... well, am trying to get together amounts. I agree that sauteeing the onion probably makes it better, especially if you've reserved some bacon fat to saute it in!!! I use half the amount of water called for because I like a thick soup. As I go along, I keep a pitcher/kettle of water on hand, and every time it gets too thick, I add water until it is just right. For a different touch, sometimes I add a bag of frozen baby peas (my family was astonished, but everyone liked the touch) about a half hour before serving.

For the vegetarians out there, put some coal in what we used to call a barbecue pitt (lord, have we gotten fussy in old age), and grab at least a couple of onions (the more the better and using more than one type will give you depth of flavor), a summer squash or two, a head of garlic, an eggplant. Halve all and brush with olive oil and season. Then grill over coals until browned. Chop small (the goal is that they will almost disolve by the time the soup is done) and pop into a pot of the appropriate amount of water along with the peas, the grated carrot, and diced potatoes. You'll get some really nice pea soup, and many of your carnivore friends will be shocked, I mean, really shocked, that you haven't any smoked meat in there.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm going with the yellow-pea soup, but with a twist. I've put a quart of homemade turkey broth into a pan with one whole, finely minced onion, 1/2 of a carrot, diced, and a half-cup of dried yellow peas. It's still simmering, but I tasted the broth. It's very good. This one's a keeper. Add a bit of coursely ground black pepper, correct the seasoning after the peas are tender, and there you have it. It's simple, and yummy.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[lyndalou]

I love pea soup but haven't had any in a very long time. I used to have the Habitant brand frequently when I was growing up. Think I'll try Lifter's recipe this week. Thanks, for reminding me what a good soup this is.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I broke the rules and had to pay the price. While my yellow peas soup was cooking, I checked it and added more water as the liquid was beginning to run low from evaoration and absoprtion from the peas. I then came into my study, went on line and checked in to see what's what in this forum. I posted my post and began to smell something familiar and unwanted. I ran into the kitchen and found most of the water gone, and my pea soup scorched. And taste testing had shown me that this batch had held such promise.

Well, I'm just going to have to start over again. But the turkey broth definitely made a great base for yellow pea soup. I won't scorch it a second time :!:

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Aha! I got it. I watched the soup carefully with the second batch. I used the turkey broth, lightly salted (5 1/2 cups), 1 cup whole dried yellow peas, 1/4 cup orange lentils, 2 tbs. finely minced onion. I cooked it until the peas were tender, about three hours. It is yummy. It's best if you soak the peas overnight. They cook much more quickly.

I had to do it though. I had to make the yellow pea soup. I said I would, and now that I have suceeded, I can taylor it and change it as I like. But when I'm in the mood for regular yellow pea soup, I'll open a can of Habitant. It's much easier and tastes very similar.

Of course the dried peas will make better food strage than will cans of soup, and be lighter as well, you know, in case of evergency, or whatever.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[PA Baker]

I finally have a chance to post my "creation!" I used bits of lots of your ideas and recipies, and was very pleased with the results! I'm not a pea soup fan at all, but I sat down and had a bowl after it was finished! I do think that's in part because things always taste better if you make them yourself. But it was good!

Norges, I didn't use the allspice or cloves as my hock was from a ham that had been basted with a brown-sugar type glaze. Goodweed, I did as you suggested and follow the recipe on the bag of peas as guidance. With many tweaks, this is what I came up with.

1 (10 oa) bag green split peas
about 10 cups liquid (I used about 6 c chicken broth and 4 c water)
bacon grease
1 c celery, finely chopped
1/2 c onion, finely chopped
1/2 c carrot, finely chopped
1 meaty ham bone
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour

Rinse and sort peas. Add peas and liquid to stock pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover and let sit for 1-2 hours.

Meanwhile, saute vegetables in about 1-2 Tbsp bacon grease. Set aside.

After peas soak, add ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 2-3 hours, or until peas are tender/falling apart. (Goodweed, your comment about letting peas soak for longer making the soup cook faster cleared up my question as to how my soup cooked so fast! I soaked for a good 2 hours due to distractions!)

Remove ham bone and bay leaf. Puree soup (I used my immersion blender. Gave it a nice "rough-puree".).

In a skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter and stir in 2 Tbsp flour. Whisk in some soup, stirring constantly to make a thick roux (sp?).

Bring soup to slow boil and add in roux, stirring until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I did not cut the meat from the bone and add it back in to the soup. I know this is blasphemy to some, but Mom requested a smooth soup.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Congrats to you PA. Your soup sounds absolutely fantastic. You have all the sweet flavor of the peas, together with the salty and sweet ham, celery, carrot, and onion. Your soup must have had great body (thick, but not pasty) . I would pay money for a soup like that. I would seek out a restaurant for a soup like that.

Sadly, at the restaurants around here, the pea solids always settle to the bottom of the pot and tend to scorch a little over time. That's why home cookin' is so much better.

Again, well done.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North