I love trying out new pulses and grains but don't often have much a plan for what to do with them. You can't go wrong with a soup or a stew though and this Split Pea and Bacon Soup was a resounding success, as well as being a great way of clearing out the veg box in the fridge !
Split Pea and Bacon Soup
ingredients :
300g split peas
1 large onion
250g bacon lardons
3 carrots
3 medium potatoes
1 leek
1 ham stock cube (chicken or veg would be fine too)
salt, pepper, garlic granules, mild curry powder (optional)
Peel and chop the veggies. Fry the bacon in a large pan and when it's released some fat, add the onions to cook. You don't want to brown them, just soften them.
Add the carrots and potatoes chopped into bite-sized chunks and cook for ten minutes, stirring every now and then to stop them sticking or burning.
Add the split peas and leeks, along with the stock cube, added to enough boiling water to cover all the ingredients. Unlike some dried beans and pulses, split peas don't need soaking, which is good news if you haven't planned ahead. They need about 40 minutes to cook but after half an hour, they were tooth tender and just the way I like them.
Simmer for about half an hour, adding a little extra water as needed. You can blitz it with a hand blender if you want a smooth soup, or leave it chunky like we did. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve with a chunk of crusty bread. Perfect comfort food on a chilly evening with the wind howling outside !
With this lovely recipe you have transported me back to my childhood when we used to come in from the cold and Mum would have a big pot of this hearty casserole waiting for us at the table ... Simply delicious. Thank you for this x x
ReplyDeleteIt is really tasty and it's cheap to make too - win-win ! :)
DeleteThis is the perfect recipe for the cold weather right now - hearty and warming. I'm definitely going to try & make this soup.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real throw-in-whatever-you've-got recipe so it's great when you've forgotten to defrost something for dinner !
DeleteWonderful soup, hearty and tasty. Perfect for the cold season.
ReplyDeleteJust looking at the picture now, after a cold, rainy school run, I could eat some right now :)
DeleteThat does look fabulous! It's a shame my wife doesn't like "liquid food" so every soup I have is out of a tin!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could try simmering it until the liquid reduces away to next to nothing and adding in larger chunks of veggies and bacon so it's more of a stew?
DeleteLove this.If you make enough it will be even better on the second day !
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that too - I wonder why things are better reheated !
DeleteI love the versatility of this, and what a cosy seasonal dish it is.
ReplyDeleteAutumn comfort food at its best ! :)
DeleteOh my goodness this looks lush and what a great way to get some veggies into the children without moaning! Wouls be fantastic with some homemade crusty bread! :) Please keep the recipes coming :)
ReplyDeleteThe crusty bread is perfect for mopping up every last drop :)
DeleteThank you I have saved this to bookmarks so I can try this next week, definitely going to get some nice bread too!
ReplyDeleteLet me know how you get on - hope you like it ! :)
Deletelooks lovely
ReplyDeleteI slightly adapted this recipe and made it today. I only added some chicken , from yesterday's roast, so it really was your recipe. I must say it was gorgeous . Dried pulses have always slightly scared me and I did not know about the lask of soaking for split peas . So that really is a great tip , because that starchy element really helped thicken the broth.
ReplyDeleteOoh I love your idea of using up the leftovers from the Sunday roast - I'll definitely have to try that next week :)
DeleteThis looks like a great recipe to try :)
ReplyDelete