For myself, notes on making split pea soup, usually vegan, i.e. no ham.
MY RECIPE INGEDIENTS
- 3.5 cups split peas
- 12 cups water
- Garlic, 1 flower
- Onions, 2 medium or large, yellow
- Chopped carrots, equal amount as onions, OK if more
- Corn, 1 can, drained
- Ginger, about two teaspoons fresh root. OK to use ginger powder but best if fresh.
- Ham, 1.75 pounds low sodium (750 mg/3 ounces)
- Bay leaves, 5.
- dried spices
- Black pepper, 2 teaspoons
- Tarragon, 2 teaspoons
- Cayenne Pepper, 2 teaspoons. OK to substitute with crushed red pepper flakes
- Turmeric, 2 teaspoons
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STEP 1: In an 8-quart soup pot, add split peas and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
STEP 2: Prepare while step 1 is cooking.
- Chop up onions.
- Sauté onions on low heat with olive oil with dried spices.
- Microwave garlic for 45 seconds, while a shot glass with water is in microwave to soften. Peel garlic, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Toss into frying pan with onions midway through sautéing.
- Add chopped carrots into frying pan midway through sauté.
- Chop up fresh ginger.
- Dice up ham.
STEP 3: Toss in all ingredients from step 2. Simmer for another 30 minutes
NOTES: Variations and explanations
- Original recipe calls for 4 stalks celery, cubed. Wouldn't hurt to experiment with that.
- Corn is added for methionine so that peas and corn make up a complete protein, though not as important if ham is added, but I like it regardless.
- I prefer California bay leaves with sharp edges over Turkish bay leaves with round edges. Reason, Turkish is milder and sweeter whereas California is more flavorful.
- Seems to taste better on second day or later after all flavors have soaked into the soup.
- Experiment with when to add carrots. I've been adding midway during sautéing but could add them directly to the soup if crunchiness desired. Latest batch I microwaved them for a minute with shot glass of water on the side to soften them, but that may have been unnecessary.
- Thinking next time, I may double the tarragon to see if that brings out flavor more.
- Inspiration from PCC, but so many deviations might as well call it my own. Most importantly, I don't add salt for healthier meal. PCC Split Pea and Ham Soup recipe | PCC Community Markets (pccmarkets.com)
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