Soups
Habitant Pea Soup
Ingredients
- - 500g (2 1/2 cups) dried yellow split peas, rinsed
- - 200g (7 oz) salt pork or smoked ham hock
- - 2 litres (8 cups) water or light stock
- - 1 large onion, diced
- - 2 carrots, diced
- - 2 celery stalks, diced
- - 2 bay leaves
- - 2.5g (1/2 tsp) dried savory (or thyme)
- - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Place the split peas, salt pork or ham hock, water, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves and savory in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas have broken down into a thick, creamy consistency.
- Remove the ham hock or salt pork, shred any meat from the bone, and return the meat to the pot, discarding skin and bone.
- Remove the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste (go easy on salt if using salty pork), and stir well.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with crusty bread on the side.
Introduction: A hearty yellow split pea soup simmered with salt pork or ham, habitant pea soup dates back to New France and remains a Quebecois winter staple, historically fuelling loggers and farmers through cold months with its dense, warming richness.
Cultural Background: A hearty yellow split pea soup simmered with salt pork or ham, habitant pea soup dates back to New France and remains a Quebecois winter staple, historically fuelling loggers and farmers through cold months with its dense, warming richness.
Tips: Stir occasionally during the last 30 minutes of cooking, as the thickening soup can catch and scorch on the bottom of the pot. Soaking the peas overnight is not required but shortens the cooking time by about 30 minutes.
Variations: A vegetarian version omits the pork and uses vegetable stock with a splash of liquid smoke for depth. Some cooks add a diced potato for extra body. A vegetarian version can be made by omitting the pork and using vegetable stock; see Variations.
Storage: Keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months; it thickens considerably when chilled.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring in a splash of water or stock to loosen the consistency as needed.
Nutrition: Per serving: approx. 320 kcal, 20g protein, 42g carbohydrate, 8g fat, 14g fibre, 780mg sodium.
FAQs:
Q: Do I need to soak the split peas first?
A: No, yellow split peas cook down fully without pre-soaking, though soaking overnight can reduce the cooking time.
Q: What is savory and can I substitute it?
A: Savory is a peppery, thyme-like herb traditional to Quebec cooking; dried thyme is a fine substitute if unavailable.