Most people's idea of pea soup is that it is extremely salty and porky. It always has ham, bacon, or some other pig item in it, adding not just saltiness but also smokiness. As a vegetarian, obviously my pea soup doesn't end up that way. I'd like to think mine is a little more refined - since I am not hitting you over the head with cured pork flavor, the flavors of the seasonings and veggies can really shine. I also like to make pea soup that is a little thinner than traditional pea soup.
I use specialty salts to mimic some of the expected flavors of salted pork. In particular, smoked salt really adds a nice smoky flavor. I have a Hickory smoked salt which is very strong, and is perfect in this type of application. I also like to add some very mineral-y sea salt which helps to add more flavor. I have a black Hawaiian lava sea salt which is nice to use for this. I also keep it around to sprinkle on the top of the soup when serving, which is really beautiful.
The soup itself is pretty simple. Dried split peas can take an hour or more to cook, but once they are soft, it's just a matter of blending the soup, and then seasoning it. The soup can be served hot, of course, but it also is fine chilled. Dollop the chilled soup with a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle it with your decroative sea salt, and it's quite a charmer. As a garnish for the hot soup (don't use sour cream on the hot soup), I like crispy fried chickpeas and a drizzle of the seasoned chickpea oil. Delicious!!
Pea Soup With Crispy Chickpeas
1/2 lb dried split peas
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
6 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock (or water and boullion)
2 bay leaves
2 peppercorns
1 tsp smoked salt
1 tsp flavorful sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp lemongrass curry powder (or other mild curry powder)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Crispy Chickpeas:
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
1/4 c veg oil
1/8 tsp each: black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic, dried chile flakes, cumin, cinnamon, dried parsley, dried dill, salt
Pick through and rinse the peas. In a medium soup pot, melt butter over high heat and add carrot and onions. Cook a few minutes, until caramelized on the edges. Add garlic clove and cook until just golden brown on the edges. Add water and veggie stock and bring to a boil. Add peas, bay leaves, and two peppercorns, reduce heat, and simmer until peas are very soft, one to one and a half hours.
In the meantime, cook the chickpeas. Heat veg oil in a small nonstick pan, and add the seasonings. Be sure the chickpeas are very dry by patting them with paper towels. Add the chickpeas to the oil and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Carefully scoop out the chickpeas and drain on paper towels. Reserve the seasoned oil to use as a garnish.
When peas are soft, scoop out bay leaves and discard. Scoop out about a half cup of cooked peas and set aside. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Pour reserved peas back into the soup. If needed, add more water or stock to make a thinner soup, or thicken soup by either reducing it or adding a little corn starch slurry. Season soup with salts and seasonings. Taste and adjust salt or seasonings as necessary.
Ladle hot soup into bowls and drizzle with seasoned oil. Sprinkle with a few chickpeas and extra chickpeas on the side. To serve the soup chilled, top instead with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of black sea salt.
Happy eating!
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