Pea Soup - A Meal fit for a Queen (as Shown to a Newfoundland Girl)

Continuing on the meals that I grew up on in Newfoundland, here is one of my (now) favourites, Pea Soup.  Now many people make it with Doughboys, but I have a tendency to cook it when I am baking bread - thus the fresh bread or buns are my accompaniment to this soup. If you are wondering about the buns - here is the recipe. The recipe was tested this past weekend by two friends and both reported unqualified success!

Now on with the Pea Soup SHOW!!

I use both ham and salt meat (aka cured naval beef) but it is not necessary to have the salt meat. I have made it with ham bones and boneless ham.

If you use salt meat, take it out a couple of hours (or overnight) and put it in water. Why? It is wonderfully salty but too much salt can bring a turn a great soup... not so great. Once you soak it, then toss off the water, cover it with water again and leave it until you are ready for the soup. It is much easier to add salt after than to over-salt in the beginning.

Salt meat soaking

Salt meat chopped small (same size as ham)

Thus endeth the Salt Meat lesson....

Things You'll Need (Otherwise Known as Ingredients and Supplies)

1 bag (2 cups) of Yellow Split Peas	2 Carrots, coined (optional)
1 small piece of Salt Meat (optional)	1 large Onion, diced
½ lb Ham, cubed	½ small Turnip, diced (optional)
6 cups Cold Water (X2)	1 large Potato, diced
2 Bay Leaves (optional)	Salt and Pepper to taste

Large Soup Pot
Bowl(s)

Things You'll Do (Otherwise known as Directions)

*The night before - put split peas in a bowl and cover with 6 cups of cold water. The next morning strain the peas and pick out any duds.

Anything that isn't yellow (like green or brown peas) I remove

In a soup pot, add your diced onion, ham and salt meat (if desired)

Add 6 cups of cold water to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes. Add your bay leaves if you are using them.

Add drained split peas, bring back up to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye on the soup and if you feel it needs a little water, add 1/4 cup at a time.

Chop your carrot and turnip and add to pot at the 90 minute mark.

I chose coloured carrots which leeched into the soup. It didn't make for red soup.

Diced potato and add to soup approximately 20 minutes after the carrot and turnip were added.

After about 10 minutes after adding the potato, try the soup broth for saltiness. If not enough, add a dash at a time until happy. I wait 2-3 minutes after each addition before I add more.

Add pepper to the soup to taste.

Cook until potato, carrot and turnip are tender. Soup should be nice and thick.

Serve with crackers, bread, etc...

And... there you have it.  Pea Soup.

From my home to yours,
Lori