Erwtensoep (Dutch pea soup)

Erwtensoep recipe (Dutch pea soup)

Ingredients

71/2 cups water

11/2 cups dried green split peas

31/2 ounces Dutch speklapjes (fresh sliced 

  pork belly), or thick-cut bacon

1 pork chop

1 stock cube (vegetable, pork or chicken)

2 celery sticks

2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

1 small onion, chopped

1 small leek, sliced

1/4 celeriac, cubed

Chopped rookworst smoked sausage or

  smoked soft metwurst or frankfurter/

  wiener sausages

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large soup pot, bring water, split peas, pork belly or bacon, pork chop, and stock cube to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam that rises to the top.

Remove the pork chop, debone and thinly slice the meat. Set aside.

Add the celery, carrots, potato, onion, leek and celeriac to the soup. Return to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, adding a little extra water if the ingredients start to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add the smoked sausage for the last 15 minutes of cooking time. When the vegetables are tender, remove the bacon and smoked sausage, slice thinly and set aside.

If you prefer a smooth consistency, purée the soup with a stick blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the meat back to the soup, setting some slices of rookworst aside.

Serve in heated bowls or soup plates, garnished with slices of rookworst and chopped celery leaf.