Pea soup with smoked meats
Peas have been popular for centuries in both the East and the West. Dishes made with them, in various variations, are found in many countries. Today, we suggest making pea soup with smoked meats. Every family probably has its own recipe for this simple and nutritious dish. We won't delve into traditions. We'll cook it the way we like to have it for lunch.
1. Ingredients:
- smoked pork ribs – 200 g
- smoked chicken leg – 200 g
- split peas – 1 cup
- potatoes - 2-3 pcs.
- carrots - 1 pcs.
- onions - 1 pcs.
- bay leaf, salt, ground black pepper – to taste
- any greens - for serving
- vegetable oil – 10 g
2. If you're using whole peas, not split peas, you'll need to soak them in water for a few hours. We're using split peas, so we won't soak them. Rinse them and cover them with cold water in a saucepan. Place the smoked meats on top. Turn on the stove. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms.
3. Then remove the chicken, let it cool, remove the skin, separate the meat from the bones, and cut into small pieces. Cook the peas and smoked spare ribs for another 15 minutes. Remove the spare ribs, let them cool, separate the meat from the bones, and cut into small pieces.
4. Add the diced potatoes to the soup. After a few minutes, add the vegetables sautéed in vegetable oil.
5. Add the meat pieces to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a bay leaf. Season the dish with salt towards the end of cooking, as smoked meats release their salt into the broth as they cook, making it easy to oversalt. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Then turn off the heat and let the dish rest for a few minutes.
6. In principle, spare ribs and chicken legs can be replaced with any smoked meats: sausages, hot dogs, or chicken breast. But in our opinion, the most intense flavor and aroma comes from bone-in meat.
7. You can serve pea soup with your favorite herbs and croutons made from white or rye bread.
Bon appetit!
