Split Pea Soup, My Way

Name: Split Pea Soup, My Way
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 2 medium onions, finely chopped; 3 medium carrots, finely chopped; 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced; 1 medium potato, diced (1/2 pound); 1 meaty ham bone or 1 smoked ham hock, about 3/4 pound; 1 (12 ounce) package split peas, rinsed & drained; 1 (12 ounce) bottle beer (or 1-1/2 cups chicken broth); 6 cups water; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon dried marjoram; 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, crushed; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (or allspice); 1/8 teaspoon cayenne; 1/2 lb beef frankfurters (optional) or 1/2 lb cooked mild sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick (optional); 2 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1/4 cup chopped parsley; 1/4 cup sliced green onion; 1 cup finely chopped ham, from the soup; 1 egg; 3 tablespoons flour; 1 pinch baking powder; 1 pinch baking soda; 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts; chopped parsley

Submitted by San Marcos Sunshine

"There's a California restaurant famous for pea soup. Unfortunately, it’s a sorry excuse for what I consider GOOD pea soup, so here's the recipe I'll use in my "Never- to- be- Restaurant". How hard can it be? I serve this with Ham Dumplings, recipe to follow."

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Ready In:: 3hrs 30mins
Ingredients:: 25
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 medium potato, diced (1/2 pound)
1 meaty ham bone or 1 smoked ham hock, about 3/4 pound
1 (12 ounce) package split peas, rinsed & drained
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer (or 1-1/2 cups chicken broth)
6 cups water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 teaspoons mustard seeds, crushed
¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground cloves (or allspice)
¹⁄₈ teaspoon cayenne
¹⁄₂ lb beef frankfurters (optional) or 1/2 lb cooked mild sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick (optional)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
¹⁄₄ cup chopped parsley
¹⁄₄ cup sliced green onion
Ham Dumplings
1 cup finely chopped ham, from the soup
1 egg
3 tablespoons flour
1 pinch baking powder
1 pinch baking soda
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
chopped parsley

directions

In a 5-1/2 quart kettle over medium heat, melt butter . Add onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft but not browned.
Add potato, ham bone or hock, split peas, beer, water, and spices.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until ham and peas are very tender, 2 or 2-1/2 hours.
Remove ham bone and when cool, pull off meat discarding fat, skin and bones. Reserve 1 cup of ham for dumplings, and return the remainder to the soup.
Add the optional franks or sausage and reheat. Blend in vinegar. Taste and add salt if desired.
Stir in parsley and green onions.
Serve very hot in warmed bowls.
When reheating leftovers, add water or more beer to thin if desired.
Directions for Ham Dumplings:
Put about 1 cup of finely chopped ham in a small bowl. Stir in egg, flour, baking powder & soda. Divide into 8 mounds and shape into meat balls. Make a hollow in each with your finger and fill with a rounded ½ t. of chopped peanuts. Reshape into a ball and roll in chopped parsley.
Reheat soup and simmer dumplings on top of soup for 10-12 minutes. Place a dumpling in each bowl and ladle soup over the top.

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Reviews

I plan to frequent your "Never-to-Be Restaurant", San Marcos Sunshine, if the split pea soup is any indicator of the quality of food offered there. I can't think of a thing this soup is missing and the ham dumplings are positively inspired. I'll double them next time as they were most popular. I used the ham hock, chicken broth, and sausage options and wouldn't change a thing.

sugarpea