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Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Pork |© UrbanCottageLife.com

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Pork

I've been making this soup since I found it in the March 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine, and have adapted it along the way. My most recent change has been to add a second smoked pork chop for more heartiness.

Author © Marlene Cornelis/Urban Cottage Life.com 2016

Ingredients

  • 1 750 g bag yellow split peas (1.65 lbs)
  • 3 quarts water
  • 2 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
  • 2 celery ribs, cut into 1 cm dice
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1 cm dice
  • 1 onion,  diced
  • 1 red chili pepper, minced
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme leaves (triple if using chopped fresh thyme)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper or to taste (for me, that means lots)
  • 1 (or 2) smoked pork loin chop (a second chop makes a heartier soup)

How To Make This Recipe

  1. I like to pick over the peas to ensure there aren’t any bad ones or debris, and rinse them before using. Add the peas to a large pot along with the water, and bring to a boil. The impurities will form a scum (charming!) and foam to the top. I like to skim that off with a large spoon. Once the foam starts rising, keep an eye on it because it can spill over before you know it. Simmer the peas for a few minutes, then turn off the heat, cover the pot and let it stand for an hour.

  2. In a skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the vegetables, herbs (except the bay leaf), salt and pepper. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are softened (about 8 to 10 minutes).

  3. Add the vegetable mixture to the pot of water and peas, along with the smoked pork chop and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The peas will start to break down and thicken the soup. About 10 or 15 minute before it’s ready, check for seasoning and add more pepper to your taste, and some salt if you feel it’s needed. Remove the bay leaf and the pork chop from the pot. Trim the fat from the chop and remove the bone. Using a fork, shred the meat, then return it to the pot.

  4. Cool and keep in the refrigerator for up to three days or so. The soup will thicken as it chills and the flavour will continue to develop. Once it's cooled, you can transfer it to freezer containers and keep it for a few months. I like to freeze mine in single portions for easy lunches and dinners.