Homemade Split Pea Soup

This French style homemade split pea soup, or potage puree de pois casses, is the most delicious homemade split pea soup ... ever.

For more authentic french soups, visit our dinner party recipes page, where you'll find a list of soups: class French onion soup, carrot soup and more.

Home made Split Pea Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried green split peas
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon of thyme
• Ham hock (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 pound bacon, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound baked ham, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1 large leek, or 1 additional onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh green snow peas, (may substitute frozen)
• Salt and pepper

Bouquet Garni:

• To make Bouquet, tie together: 2 parsley sprigs, 2 celery tops, 1 bay leaf

Wash the dried peas thoroughly. In a heavy 5 quart saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil and add peas. Add the bouquet garni, thyme and ham hock. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.

While the peas are cooking, brown bacon in a separate skillet. Once the fat is rendered, add carrots, onions, leek and spinach and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. (If there is insufficient fat to cook the vegetables add two tablespoons of butter to cook).

Once peas are tender, add all the vegetables except the fresh snow peas to the soup and simmer another 30 minutes. Then remove the bouquet garni and ham hock and discard them. Puree the soup in a food processor. Then pour through a sieve back into the large saucepan.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Add baked ham and fresh snowpeas, and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Ladle your homemade soup into bowls and serve hot.

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