Best Caraway Split Pea Soup Recipes

KIELBASA SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a small skillet, toast the caraway seeds over medium heat, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Finely grind the seeds in a spice grinder. Set aside. Cut the Ukrainian sausage, kielbasa, and Krakowska into 4-inch pieces; remove and discard the casing of the Krakowska. In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt the butter. Add the sausage and cook over medium heat until browned all over, 10-15 minutes. While the sausages are browning, thinly slice the celery. Trim escarole, then thinly slice into ribbons. Cut off fennel fronds and reserve for garnish; remove outer layer of the fennel, then thinly slice the inner bulb. Peel and trim onion, then roughly chop into small chunks. Trim carrots, cut in half lengthwise, then slice into ⅛-inch half-moon shapes.
• Remove browned sausages from pot and transfer to a plate to cool slightly, reserving the drippings. (Note: Refrigerate sausages if not using within 1 hour.) Meanwhile, over medium heat, sauté onions and fennel with a pinch of salt in the sausage drippings. Add ground caraway seeds and another pinch of salt while the onion/fennel mixture browns, 3-4 minutes. Bundle thyme sprigs with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni, and add it to the pot. Add carrots and celery; stir, then sweat, 60-90 seconds. Add ham hock, escarole, yellow and green split peas. Stir to combine, then add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until peas are tender, about 60-80 minutes.
• Remove ham hock and set aside. Thinly slice the sausages; add them to the soup and simmer until the sausages are heated through, 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, pull the meat off the ham hock, slice, add to the soup and simmer, 4-5 more minutes.
• Remove bouquet garni and discard. Season the stew with salt, vinegar, and hot sauce. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and freshly ground white peppercorns, and serve with baguette slices.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in pot; heat to boiling.
• Lower heat to simmer; simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
• Pour into blender in batches or use hand blender to purée all. return to stove to heat through.
• Stir in barley, if using. May be garnished w/bacon, croutons, sour cream, etc., but good on its own.

SPLIT PEA SOUP, MY WAY TOO

Steps:

• Place first 10 ingredients in heavy pot. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 3 hours until peas are soft. Remove from heat.
• Remove ham from the bone, dice and set aside, discarding skin and bone.
• Remove bay leaf.
• Using immersion blender, puree soup to desired consistency. (Alternately, remove 2-3 cups of soup and place in a blender to puree.).
• Return ham to kettle and add cream, milk and Sherry.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring.
• Serve, adding a splash more sherry on top of each portion, if desired.

OLD-FASHIONED SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM BONE

Steps:

• Sort peas and rinse with cold water. Place peas in a Dutch oven; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 4 hours or until peas are softened. Drain and rinse peas, discarding liquid., Return peas to Dutch oven. Add 2-1/2 qts. water, ham bone, onion, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally., Remove the ham bone; when cool enough to handle, remove meat from bone. Discard bone; dice meat and return to soup. Add carrot and celery. Simmer, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes or until soup reaches desired thickness and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight. If you need a faster method, simmer the peas gently for 2 minutes, and then soak for l hour.
• Once peas are soaked, add ham bone, onion, salt, pepper and marjoram. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Remove bone; cut off meat, dice and return meat to soup. Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.