Yellow Pea Soup
Yellow Pea Soup © kvalifood.com
Yellow pea soup is one of the oldest Danish dishes — a thick, filling stew made from split peas and salted pork. The meat and vegetables are cooked in the broth and served alongside. Rye bread, mustard, and pickled beetroot are the classic accompaniments.
Ingredients
Yields 4-6 servings
- 1/2 kg split peas
- 1 l water, for the peas
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1/4 kg lightly salted (or fresh) pork, pork shoulder or neck
- 1 1/2 l water, for the meat
- 1 bouquet garni
- 2-3 carrots
- 1/4 celeriac
- 2 leeks
- 10-12 shallots
- salt, to taste
Accompaniments
- coarse rye bread
- mustard
- pickled beetroot
Directions
Peas
Put the peas in approx. 1 l of cold water with the thyme sprig and bring to the boil with the lid on. Cook over low heat for 30–60 minutes until very soft. Remove the thyme sprig. Stir regularly, as the peas tend to sink and catch on the bottom.
Meat
Place the pork in approx. 1 1/2 l of water with the bouquet garni and the cleaned carrots and celeriac. Bring slowly to the boil and skim. Add salt if needed. Cook over low heat until the meat is tender — about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the vegetables as they become tender.
Assembly
Remove the meat and keep it warm. Discard the bouquet garni. Slice the leeks and peel the shallots. Cook both in the cooking broth for the last 10–15 minutes. Coarsely purée the peas and loosen with cooking broth until the consistency is creamy and thick. Cut the carrots and celeriac into cubes and heat them in the pea soup along with the leeks and shallots. Season with salt.
Serve
Serve the pea soup with the sliced meat on the side, coarse rye bread, strong mustard, and pickled beetroot.
Notes
- The peas can be soaked in cold water for 2 hours before cooking — check the package instructions
- Stir the peas regularly; they sink quickly to the bottom and can burn
- Store vegetables and broth separately in the fridge
- Lightly salted pork gives more flavour than fresh; taste for seasoning before serving
- Freezing: 3 months