updated Feb 2022
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| Triple Duty Yellow Split Pea Soup: Vegan base: vegetarian with cream cheese; with ham; with beef 'Really comforting delicious high protein soup.' Taster |
Everyone is preparing to hunker down now as the cost of living shoots skyward. No doubt post Christmas stores in the freezer/cupboard have been whittled down; eating well on a strict budget is now the name of the game.
Thick rich soups are one way of cutting costs. Pulses combined with fresh veg, cooked long and slow, make a substantial satisfying meal with salad and chunky breads like easy-peasy Cheese & Walnut Soda Bread or Cornbread with Corn Niblets, Scallions & Chillis. Or just toast, or the ultra-frugal easy Breakfast Biscuits which also double as buns/rolls.
Thick soups with pulses ease stress - medically as well as financially; they calm and build up the body.
In Canada, long before lentils and beans were go-to soup ingredients, split peas - yellow and green - were a staple in poorer provinces along the Atlantic Coast. One recipe would be stretched over a few days and served in a variety of ways: chunky or cooked down to a puree, and studded with plant or animal protein.
In the UK split peas have not traditionally been used so often but are readily available in health food shops and some supermarkets at very good prices. (Budgens Belsize Park sells 100gm/3.5oz for 25pence!). Look carefully at the use-by date; 67 has been hard-pressed to find a use-by date longer than 2023 and most are 2022.
In Canada, long before lentils and beans were go-to soup ingredients, split peas - yellow and green - were a staple in poorer provinces along the Atlantic Coast. One recipe would be stretched over a few days and served in a variety of ways: chunky or cooked down to a puree, and studded with plant or animal protein.
In the UK split peas have not traditionally been used so often but are readily available in health food shops and some supermarkets at very good prices. (Budgens Belsize Park sells 100gm/3.5oz for 25pence!). Look carefully at the use-by date; 67 has been hard-pressed to find a use-by date longer than 2023 and most are 2022.
Split peas are well worth a try, especially for those sensitive to histamines* (usually the over 50's); split peas are low in histamines while lentils and pulses are high.
In this recipe, the base is vegan with carnivore additions.
Note: A suggested ratio for split peas to water is 2 litres of water/stock per each 500gm/18oz split yellow peas.
Cost: Not much, maybe a couple of ££ at most; more if using organic split peas
Feeds: 6 but recipe doubles easily
Ingreds:
Cost: Not much, maybe a couple of ££ at most; more if using organic split peas
Feeds: 6 but recipe doubles easily
Ingreds:
1 cup dried yellow split peas
med onion in med dice
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
two sticks celery, coarsely chopped
1 large potato or sweet potato in med dice (opt)
med onion in med dice
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
two sticks celery, coarsely chopped
1 large potato or sweet potato in med dice (opt)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1/3 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 litre vegetable stock
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1/3 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 litre vegetable stock
For Ham Split Yellow Pea Potage: ham bones and/or 110 gm/4 oz shredded ham hock, back bacon (fat removed) or sliced ham
After cooking is complete (opt):
juice & zest of half a lemon
pinch chilli flakes or a finely diced small chilli (opt)
couple of generous handfuls spinach or kale
1/3 cup button mushrooms, in large dice
Method:
After cooking is complete (opt):
juice & zest of half a lemon
pinch chilli flakes or a finely diced small chilli (opt)
couple of generous handfuls spinach or kale
1/3 cup button mushrooms, in large dice
Method:
- Soak peas overnight in plenty of water; remove bits floating on top and drain.
- Cover peas with an inch of fresh water, add a couple of unpeeled garlic cloves, bring to a boil; turn heat down to simmer; cook 20 mins; take off heat; remove garlic cloves; separate peas from liquid; set both aside
- Meanwhile put a large pot on high; when hot, add oil, onions, carrots, celery & potatoes; stir; reduce heat to low; stir in garlic
- Cover pan partially with lid; cook 20 mins, stirring occasionally
- Add herbs plus split peas with cooking liquid and enough stock to make a litre
- Bring to a boil; skim off any froth on the surface; bubble 5 mins. Add ham bones/ham if using. Then...
- Slow Cooker: cook on low 6-8 hours (longer cooking breaks down the peas) OR
- Stovetop: Simmer with lid slightly ajar 3-4 hours
- Check the level of the liquid occasionally; more stock may be needed. The split peas are ready when they are soft but basically holding their shape
- Take half of the mix; coarsely blend with a stick blender and return to pot OR process all to a rough puree
- Serve piping hot with garnishes
Vegan Vegetarian Garnish:
- Spinach or kale & mushrooms: stir in, leave a further 20 mins or until kale and mushrooms are no longer raw
- Lemon zest & juice plus chilli stir into soup
- Memorable Crunchy Croutons or Vegan 'Bacon Bits'
Carnivores/Pescatatarian Garnish:
- Shards of ham hock or sliced ham
- Mini beefballs cooked in water
- Flaked smoked fish.
Comments:
'It's a really comforting soup; I liked the added kale.' Semi-retired council administrator
'The vegan/vegetarian versions need something salty, crunchy or strongly flavoured to give it a kick; otherwise it gets boring quickly.' Retired writer
'The vegan/vegetarian versions need something salty, crunchy or strongly flavoured to give it a kick; otherwise it gets boring quickly.' Retired writer
Tips:
According to Kate Humble, the Swedes are masters of split yellow pea soup; she offers a simple recipe of 500g/1lb 2oz yellow split peas, 2ltr/3½pt ham stock from ham hock, 300g/10½oz ham (67 - or ham hock), 1 finely chopped onion, a few sprigs of fresh (or ½tsp dried) thyme plus a bay leaf. It's simmered together for 3 hours and feeds 4. While 67 loves the simplicity of the recipe, it doesn't recommend using ham stock which is extremely salty. However, for added flavour, one could throw a ham bone into the pot and replace 1/4 of the stock with ham stock.
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| This photo combines both recipes, using the vegetable base and adding ham; it cooks to a luxurious thickness - so thick you can stand and a spoon up in it - but if you want to make it go further or prefer something thinner, add stock. |
NOTES ON HISTAMINES: Histamines are chemicals in the body responsible for allergic responses. Histamines can't be avoided. Histamine intolerance doesn't mean the body is sensitive to it but does indicate there's too much of it in the body. Research into Histamine intolerance continues; it's poorly understood and not easy to diagnose. However limiting foods which produce high levels of histamines can help.
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This recipe has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.
