Split pea soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. This creamy, smokey, earthy soup contrasts nicely with the crispy sausage. Adding a ham hock enhances that smokiness. This soup is super easy to make. You simply sauté vegetables, then add all other ingredients into the pot and simmer for a few hours letting all of the flavors blend while the split peas cook. Split pea soup also packs a nutritional punch. Dried peas are loaded with fiber, a great source of potassium, protein and are fat free.
Kielbasa Split Pea Soup
Serves 12
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound Polish kielbasa links or other Eastern European-style sausage
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup fennel, trimmed and sliced
- Sea salt
- Handful of fresh thyme leaves, wrapped in a bouquet garni
- 2 cups carrots, halved and sliced
- 2 cups celery, sliced
- 1 or 2 meaty ham hock
- 3 cups escarole, chopped (I used Tuscan Kale)
- 1 1/2 cups green split peas
- 1 1/2 cups yellow split peas
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- Freshly ground white pepper
- White vinegar, hot sauce and crusty bread, for serving
Toast the caraway seeds over medium heat, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Finely grind the seeds in a spice grinder or finely chop.
In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the sausage and cook over moderate heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and reserve.
Add the onion and fennel to the pot. Season with salt and cook for 4 minutes. Next, add the caraway, thyme, carrots and celery. Cook for another couple minutes then add the ham hock, escarole and split peas. Stir and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for about 1 hour.
Remove the ham bone and reserve to a plate. Thinly slice the sausage, add it to the soup and simmer until the sausage is heated through, about 10 minutes. Chop up some of the ham from reserved ham hock and add to the soup. Season the stew with salt, white pepper, a teaspoon of white vinegar and hot sauce. Serve with crusty bread.
Adapted from: Andrew Zimmern
