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Sunday, November 6, 2022

Jim's Hearty Split Pea Soup



By Jim Hingst

Low in fat, split peas are an excellent source of protein, complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. While they may look like lentils, split peas are actually field peas, which have been dried and their skins removed. Available in both yellow and green varieties, for split pea soup the green ones are usually selected because they are a little sweeter.

 

Before using the dried split peas, spread them out on a cookie sheet and sort through them for any pebbles. Then rinse them before cooking. Soak them in the chicken stock in a stock pot to rehydrate the peas. The peas will double in size when fully hydrated.

 

Before you start cooking assemble and prepare all the ingredients that you will need. The French refer to this preparatory process as “mis en place” which means “put in place.” Following this step will safeguard that you don’t forget a vital ingredient. It also ensures that the cooking process will go smoothly, without a hitch. Cooking is like chemistry. The recipe is your formula. If you follow the formula and control your production process you will consistently produce a favorable outcome.

 

 Ingredients

2 bags (4 cups) of dried split peas

Olive oil & bacon grease for sauteing

128 oz. (16 cups) chicken stock

8 small red potatoes, cubed (no need to peel these)

2 large onions, chopped

6 medium carrots, diced

4 ribs celery, diced finely (you can also chop the leaves of the celery in the heart of the bunch)

NOTE: In making your mirepoix you generally want equal proportions of onions, carrots and celery, diced to proportionally-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.

2  jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 meaty hambone or 2 ham hocks

1 ½ cups of ham cubed

½ cups frozen peas

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon rubbed sage

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

½ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste at the end of the cooking process

 

Directions


Sauté the raw vegetables in olive oil or bacon fat or a combination of the two until the onions are translucent and the vegetables develop some color. Sauté the chopped garlic and spices until fragrant, which should take less than a minute. (See the photo below.)




You can also brown the chopped ham and the cubed potatoes to give it some color and added taste. Deglaze your pan with some of the stock which will release some of the flavorful bits on the bottom of the skillet.  

 

Add the vegetables, except for the frozen peas, and spices and remaining ingredients to the stock pot. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer for 90 minutes uncovered until it starts to thicken. Remove the meat from the hambone or ham hocks and return the pieces of ham to the stock pot along with the frozen peas and simmer covered for an additional 30 to 40 minutes until the split peas are tender.

 


When first making split pea soup, do not add any salt to the dish. There is plenty of salt in the ham. At the end of cooking, taste the soup. Only then add any salt, if it is needed.

 Bon appetite!

 

 



About Jim Hingst: Sign business authority on vehicle wraps, vinyl graphics, screen printing, marketing, sales, gold leaf, woodcarving and painting. 

After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.

Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer.  Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.

Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 190 articles for  publications, such as  Signs Canada, SignCraft,  Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and  Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 500 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.  Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon. 


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