I am blue,
stir-crazy against forbidding cold.
Dinner time approaches. No plan has been
made.
Humble split peas rattle, jarred.
Onion, carrot, celery, parsnip. Bacon.
Twenty minutes later bubbling, thickening.
Time passes, deep and grainy
Mellow, homey, unassuming
Collapsed, embracing pea-ness
Ivory parsnip buoys float on a thick sea, melt on my tongue
Their sweetness lingers
A hint, a kiss.
Bacon morsels a chewy counterpoint
Childlike comfort, from another’s childhood
Pea green flavor eases blues.
SPLIT PEA SOUP
Serves 6-8
2 T. olive oil
2 large onion, chopped
4 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium parsnip, peeled, tough center cut out, and chopped
4 slices buffalo bacon [regular bacon would work, too]
3 sprigs fresh marjoram, or 3 t. dried
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 3 t. dried
3 cups green split peas
16 cups water
2 bay leaf
Salt & pepper
Heat oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and parsnip. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add buffalo bacon and herbs; stir 1 minute. Add peas, then water and bay leaf, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot; simmer soup until vegetables are tender and peas are falling apart, stirring often, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Anonymous
11 Apr 2010Who uses bacon in split pea soup? That's not kosher! You should try flanken!
Allison
6 Nov 2012I am planning on making this using the recipe in your book and am wondering if it would work well in a slow cooker? I’d like to dump everything in then have it ready to eat 8 hours later. 🙂 I’m thinking it will, but would you change anything to accommodate?
Debbie Koenig
7 Nov 2012Hi Allison, sorry for the delayed response! It should work fine in a slow cooker–that long, slow heat is ideal for this kind of recipe. My only advice would be to be careful with the bacon. If you’re using regular porky stuff, it’ll be too fatty to just throw into the pot. Cook that separately and drain!