Pea and Ham Soup

Warm the family up in winter with our delicious, nourishing soup. It’s so full of flavour and will keep the healthiest appetite happy. Serve hot for lunch or supper with crusty chunks of freshly baked brown bread. The whole family will love it. This is one of our favourite soup recipes that we made at least once a week when we lived in England.

Now we live in Spain, we only make it on a cold, frosty day in February when we need a little comfort warming food to set us up for the rest of the day. There are a number of variations for this soup, but we stick to the traditional recipe which our mothers and grandmothers have been making in the North East of England for generations.

Many supermarkets and butchers sell the knuckle-end of a hock of bacon. This is a very economical cut of meat. If using one, wash well, place the whole knuckle in the pan with the lentils and stock and cook until tender. When the bacon knuckle is cooked and the lentils soft, remove knuckle, strip off the skin and rind, discard.

Chop bacon into small pieces, return to the soup. Heat through thoroughly. Don’t forget to soak your knuckle if it’s a smoked one. Soak overnight, then discard liquid. Check salt content before adding any more.

For a tasty alternative, try Leek and Split Pea Soup. Cover 3 oz/75 g yellow split peas with boiling water, leave for 2 hrs, drain. Peel and chop 1 large onion, fry gently in 1 tbsp oil. Add split peas, 2 pints/1.2 litres vegetable stock with seasoning. Bring to boil, cover, then simmer for 1 hr. Trim, wash, then slice 1 1/2 Ib/675 g leeks, add to pan, continue to cook for I5-20 mins or until leeks are tender. Adjust seasoning, then serve.

Recipe for traditional Pea and Ham soup

6 oz/I 75 g dried green lentils
few sprigs parsley
few sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
8 oz/225 g piece unsmoked bacon, such as collar
1 large onion
1 garlic clove
2 large carrots
8 oz/225 g Ieeks
2 oz/50 g butter or margarine
3 pints /1.7 litres vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pick the lentils over discarding any stones or grit. Wash thoroughly under cold running water. Place in a large bowl then cover with water. Leave lentils to soak, preferably overnight.

Drain and put to one side. Place the herbs in a small square of muslin. Tie up to form a bouquet garni.

Trim bacon, discarding any fat, rind or gristle. Cut into small cubes, approx. ½ in/1.25 cm. Peel and chop the onion. Peel and crush garlic. Peel carrots, trim, then cut into small dice. Trim Ieeks, wash well under cold running water. Slice thinly.

Pleat fat in a large pan, add the bacon and vegetables. Fry gently, stirring occasionally for 5-8 mins or until vegetables have softened but are still transparent. Add the drained soaked lentils and mix well together. Place the prepared bouquet garni in the pan then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 1-1 ½ hrs or until lentils are soft and mushy and the soup is a thick consistency. Discard bouquet garni and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve piping hot with fresh brown bread.

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