Dutch Erwtensoep: Thick Split Pea Soup with Smoked Sausage, Leeks and Celeriac

Put the split peas, water or stock and the ham hock or bacon in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the peas do not catch.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb (2 1/4 cups) dried green split peas, rinsed
• 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 smoked ham hock or 8 oz slab bacon, in one piece
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced and rinsed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 small celeriac (celery root), peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 12 oz rookworst or any smoked sausage (kielbasa works), sliced into coins
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Dark rye bread and sliced cured pork or butter, for serving

Instructions

1. Put the split peas, water or stock and the ham hock or bacon in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the peas do not catch.
2. Add the leeks, onion, carrots, celery, celeriac, potato, bay leaves and thyme. Stir well and keep simmering, partially covered, for another 45 minutes, until the peas have completely collapsed and the vegetables are soft.
3. Lift out the ham hock or bacon. Discard the skin and bone, shred or dice the meat and return it to the pot. Remove the bay leaves.
4. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to break the soup into a thick, rough puree; a Dutch cook would never blend it smooth.
5. Add the sliced smoked sausage and simmer for 10 minutes more so it warms through and flavors the soup. Season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Check the thickness: traditionally a spoon should stand up in the pot. If it is too loose, simmer uncovered a little longer; if too stiff, add a splash of hot water.
7. Let the soup rest off the heat for 15 minutes before serving. It is even better the next day once it has set in the fridge and been reheated gently with a little water.
8. Ladle into deep bowls and serve with dark rye bread topped with butter or thin slices of cured pork, the classic Dutch accompaniment.
9. Erwtensoep, nicknamed snert, is the national winter soup of the Netherlands, sold from stalls beside frozen canals during skating season and served at the finish of the Elfstedentocht ice-skating race. Dutch cooks judge it by whether a spoon stands upright in the pot, and insist that snert made today only becomes snert tomorrow. In late October, as the first cold snap arrives, it is the pot most Dutch families put on for Sunday lunch.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 27g
• Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• Fiber: 17g
• Sugar: 7g
• Sodium: 890mg