Parisian Split Pea Soup With Bacon And Croutons Recipes

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or 5-quart heavy pot with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make croutons: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bread and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Remove and discard bone from soup. Working in batches, puree only 1/2 the soup in a blender (don't overfill); return to pot. Add ham cubes, and simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve topped with croutons.

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BACON AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Sauté bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Add onion, leek, carrot and garlic and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add broth, peas, bay leaves and rosemary and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until peas are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

HEARTY SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Dice bacon into 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a heavy 6-quart pot over medium-low heat. Cook until fat is rendered and translucent. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook until onion and garlic are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add split peas, stir to coat with fat, and add bay leaves and 2 quarts stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so soup simmers. Skim foam that rises to the surface for about 10 minutes, until no more appears. Add thyme leaves. Simmer uncovered about 1 hour or longer, until peas are soft and starting to fall apart. Add more stock, as needed.
• Remove soup from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Purée soup in a food processor in several batches, short of perfect smoothness; you should be able to spoon up some texture. Reheat soup, skimming off any foam. Stir from the bottom to mix well, then ladle into bowls and serve.

PARISIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BACON AND CROUTONS

Steps:

• Croutons-can be made up to 2 days ahead; preheat oven to 350°; spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet; drizzle with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Remove and let cool completely; use immediately or store in plastic bag at room temperature.
• Soup-rinse the split peas and drain them in a colander.
• Discard any shriveled peas.
• In a large skillet, cook the bacon, turning, until crisp on both sides.
• Remove the bacon, but leave the fat in the pan.
• Drain the bacon on paper towels; crumble the bacon and set it aside to garnish the soup.
• Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the skillet with the bacon fat and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Scrape the vegetables into a large slow cooker.
• Add in the split peas, herbs, broth, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the peas are tender.
• Cool slightly.
• Discard the bay leaf.
• Transfer to a blender, puree until smooth, and reheat if necessary.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust.
• Serve hot, sprinkled with the bacon and croutons.