A hearty and satisfying soup - ideal for a chilly day. Split peas and lots of vegetables give the soup body, and the broth is richly flavoured with a smoked bacon knuckle and beer. Frankfurter slices, mustard, and chopped parsley add the finishing touch.
ingredients
serves 4 - 6
2 large onions
1/2 pound carrots
1/2 pound potatoes
1/2 pound rutabaga
2 celery sticks
1/2 pound dried yellow split peas
3 whole cloves
1 bouquet garni, made with 5 - 6 parsley stalks, 2 - 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf
1 smoked bacon knuckle, weighing about 1 pound
1 2/3 pints water, more if needed
2 cups light ale
salt and pepper
1/2 pound frankfurters
1 medium bunch of parsley
1 tsp mustard powder
method
1. Peel the onions and trim the tops, leaving a little of the roots. Chop into small dice.
2. Peel and trim the carrots. Cut each carrot across into 2 inch pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Stack the slices and cut into 4-6 strips. Gather the strips together and cut into dice.
3. Peel the potatoes. With the chef's knife, cut a thin slice from each potato so it sits flat. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Stack the slices and cut each stack into 1/4 inch strips. Gather the strips into a pile and cut crosswise into dice.
4. Peel the rutabaga. Cut it into 1/4 inch slices, then into strips and into dice, as for the potatoes.
5 Peel the strings from the celery with the vegetable peeler. Cut the sticks lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips, then crosswise into dice.
6. Put the split peas into the sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Pick over and discard any stones. Leave the split peas to drain.
To Make
1. Tuck the cloves into the string tied around the bouquet garni. Combine the diced vegetables and split peas in the casserole and add the bacon knuckle, water, bouquet garni, beer, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface, then cover, and simmer until the split peas are very tender, 2 - 2 1/4 hours. Stir the soup
2. Meanwhile, using the chef's knife, cut the frankfurters into 1/2 inch diagonal slices.
3. Strip the parsley leaves from the stalks and pile the leaves on the chopping board. With the chefs knife, finely chop them.
4. Put the mustard powder into the small bowl. Spoon in 1 - 2 tbsp of the hot soup liquid and stir well until the mustard powder has dissolved completely. Reserve.
5. Remove the bacon knuckle and bouquet garni from the casserole. Let cool slightly, then pull off any meat and chop coarsely, discarding any skin and fat. Return the meat to the soup.
6. Add the frankfurter slices and cook gently without boiling until they are heated through, 3 - 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the mustard mixture and most of the chopped parsley. Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Stir in chopped parsley just before serving so it stays green it.
TO SERVE
Ladle the soup into warmed soup plates and sprinkle a little of the remaining chopped parsley on each one. Serve immediately, with pumpernickel or dark rye bread, if you like.
more information
The soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and the flavour will mellow; keep it, covered, in the refrigerator. Just before serving, reheat the soup and add the frankfurters, mustard, and parsley.
