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Valerie's Split Pea Soup

Bacon, plentiful aromatics and a bit of cumin create a hearty split pea soup you’ll make again and again.
Course Soup
Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup or so chopped onion (one medium onion)
  • 1 cup or so peeled, diced carrot
  • 2/3 cup or so peeled, diced parsnip (one medium parsnip)
  • 2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced—depending on how much you like garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 1 pound dried green split peas (no need to pre-soak)
  • 1 pound or so potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 6 or more cups of liquid (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • black pepper
  • salt, if needed

Instructions

  • Chop the bacon into small pieces. Sauté it in a Dutch oven or large, lidded stock pot until it is lightly brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl and pour off most of the fat—leave one or two tablespoons. Add the olive oil to the pan, then pour in the onions, carrots and parsnips and sauté until the onions are wilted and clear.
  • Add the garlic and cumin—stir, then add the split peas, 6 cups of liquid and the potatoes. Finally, sprinkle in a little of the cooked bacon to flavor the soup as it cooks. Add the bay leaves. Grate black pepper over the whole thing, stir one more time, then bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover (leaving a little gap for some steam to escape).
  • Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, and check to ensure there is enough liquid—if the soup is getting too stiff and dry before it is soft and done, add more stock or water. It will be done in about 45 minutes.
  • Locate and discard the bay leaves. When the soup has cooled a bit, put half of it in the blender and purée it. (NOTE: YOU MAY NOT NEED TO DO THIS IF THE SPLIT PEAS ARE BREAKING DOWN AND THICKENING THE SOUP. WE ALMOST NEVER NEED THIS STEP.) Return the purée to the pot, mix everything together, and add in the reserved bacon. Cook for another few minutes and you are ready to serve.
  • Taste before salting; bacon and broth will add some salt. You can also pass the salt shaker at the table and let dinner guests season to taste.

Kitchen Notes

Can I leave out the cumin? Don't worry, the final soup doesn’t taste of cumin. But please don’t omit it—it really does make a subtle difference.
Chicken stock? Water? What? I used 2 cups of stock and 4 cups of water. Honestly, you can just use water and that will be fine.
Can I make it vegan? Yes, you can leave out the bacon and and use only water, with no stock, to make this meat free.
What goes with this? This split pea soup is a meal on its own, but if you wish, you can serve it with a sandwich. If my sister were here, she would say: salami. A grilled cheese sandwich or just some cheddar on crackers works too. We had this with toast slathered with Dorothy's Comeback Cow Soft Ripened Cheese, a "cheese with real character" from Dorothy’s Cheese in Lena, Illinois. The whole thing was out of this world.