Split Pea Soup with French Bread Croutons (Grandma Sofie's)
Submitted by Kaos12880
Grandma’s split pea soup with bacon and homemade butter-fried French bread croutons. Simmered until creamy with bits of pea still visible, served with crisp sourdough croutons floated on top.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
45 minThis split pea soup follows a grandmother’s approach: simple, not fussy, and built on bacon flavor from the start. Half a pound of bacon gets browned with onion, and the drippings go right into the pot with a pound of split peas and 3 quarts of water. An hour of simmering and the peas break down into a velvety soup with just enough texture to be interesting.
The consistency matters. You’re aiming for light cream thickness with little bits of pea still visible. Too thick and it turns into porridge. Thin it with water as needed and stir often toward the end to keep the solids from scorching on the bottom.
The butter-fried sourdough croutons are what make this version special. Cut with the crust on, fried in butter over medium heat until dark golden on all sides, they’re crisp and light enough to float on the soup. Pass them at the table so each person adds their own.
Kitchen Tips
- Stir the soup regularly once the peas start softening; the thick base settles and sticks fast
- Keep the butter at medium heat for the croutons; too hot and the butter burns and tastes bitter
- Fry croutons in a single layer and in batches for even browning on all sides
- A clove of garlic sauteed in the butter before adding the bread adds a nice touch but it’s optional
Variations
- Use a smoked ham hock instead of bacon for a deeper, smokier pork flavor
- Add diced carrots with the celery for color and sweetness
- Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and cracked pepper at the table
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse peas in cold water and bring to a boil in 3 quarts of water.
Cut bacon small and brown with onion.
Add with drippings to peas.
Cook until peas are soft and just starting to disintegrate, about one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the solids from settling out and sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Chop celery small and add with parsley to the soup and cook until the celery is soft, about 15 minutes more.
Thin with water if necessary to the proper consistency; it should be like light cream with little bits of pea still visible.
If too thick, it is more like pea porridge and not as appetizing.
Meanwhile, make the croutons.
Cut the bread (leave crust on) into ¾ inch cubes.
Melt the butter in a frying pan, and when the foam is just through dying down but before the butter begins to brown, add the bread cubes in batches sized according to the size of your pan.
The croutons should never be more than one layer deep.
Can sauté a little bit of garlic in the butter before adding the bread and sometimes not -- the croutons are good both ways.
Fry the bread cubes over MEDIUM heat until dark golden, stirring and tossing frequently to brown on all sides.
Take your time about this, as if you get the butter too hot it will burn and taste bitter.
If the croutons are done correctly, they will be crisp and fairly dry and light enough to float on top of the soup.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and pass the croutons in a basket for each person to add at the table.
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