When the weather turns cool, my thoughts turn to soup! I grew up in a household where soup was always on the stove…and I mean always. And, pea soup was a hearty, inexpensive staple.
My dad was the master soup-maker. He literally spent an entire day just making one pot of soup. I think for him, it was something that was slow and easy, just like him! I remember Saturdays or Sundays, when Dad was still working, were devoted to soup. He’d start the pot early in the morning so that we’d have a bowl full of delicious by lunch. I also remember our dog sitting patiently at his feet while he picked chicken or beef from bones to go back into the soup. It’s a wonder he never fell right over her, she was so close! Once he retired, any given day was soup day and the freezer was always stocked.
Soup Anytime
There are some camps who believe soup is meant only for cold weather (my husband). I, on the other hand, have inherited my dad’s love of soup anytime. Like my dad, my weekends are often busy making some sort of soup. Pea or bean with ham happen to be my favorites, only behind chili. We had pea or bean soup often, I think not only because it’s so easy to make but it’s cheap. I mean, it’s really cheap! A bag of dried peas or beans run right around $1.00, sometimes less. The remaining ingredients are things many people keep in their fridge or pantry – onions, carrots, celery, herbs. As for the ham, in a pinch I use smoked ham deli meat, sometimes I can buy a ham bone from my grocery butcher or I freeze a ham bone when I’ve made a whole ham. If you’r really in a pinch, a VERY SMALL dash of liquid smoke can work but be careful. That stuff’s potent! Start with a half of a cap for this recipe, then taste it. Add in tiny amounts to reach your preferred smoky flavor.
So, here’s my dad’s pea soup recipe. The only thing I’ve changed from his original is to add a few sprigs of fresh thyme. I love thyme and it just rounds out the flavor so well.
Easy Peasy Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 3 stalks celery diced small
- 3 large carrots diced small
- 1 medium onion diced small
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 C dried split peas rinsed and picked clean
- 5-6 C water
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1.5 C ham diced bite-sized
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and saute' until they begin to soften. Add all remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low simmer. Stir occasionally, and continue cooking until peas begin to break down. Add water as needed to keep soup from turning to paste!
To Finish
- You have two options to finish soup. If you like a chunkier soup, do nothing but serve and enjoy. If you like a smoother soup, remove half of the soup from the pot and carefully blend in a blender, then return to the pot. OR, gently use an immersion blender to blend a bit of the soup.
