Split/Pea Soup

This soup can use (dried) split peas or fresh/frozen peas. The handling of the peas differs between the two.
Yield: 7 quarts

(Last modified: 20250615.1401: 20250614.1612: 20230923.1710: 20230401.1746: 20220528.1123: )

1. Heat 1T of olive oil in a large pressure cooker (10qt) and saute the following until soft:
   • 1 Large carrot, sliced thinly
   • 1 Celery stalk, sliced thinly
   • ½ Red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
   • 3 - 4 leeks, sliced coarsely
2. Add the following ingredients:
   • 2-¾lb Split peas (inspected for stones) or fresh/frozen peas
   • 1C White wine or Cognac
   • 5 Medium or large bay leaves
   • 1t Soy sauce or soy sauce alternate
   • 1t Freshly ground black pepper
   • 1t Hot sauce (we use Rex Foods™ Louisiana hot sauce because it has lots of flavor without being too hot)
   • ¾ quart chicken or turkey or pork stock reserved from a prior chicken/turkey or pork meal (we freeze excess stock for this purpose); don't use store-bought stock, it's too salty.
   • 5 Cloves garlic, crushed, or 2t garlic powder
   • 7oz fully cooked (steamed) and shredded pork, or ham, chopped into small pieces
   • 4oz salt pork or bacon, chopped finely
     If the ham or salt pork is frozen, it is convenient to toss them whole into the warming soup and after a while pick them out to slice before returning to the soup.
   • 1 Dried hot pepper
   • 1t chili powder
   • Juice of ½ lemon or lime
   • 1 Tomato, chopped
   • 1T Fresh dried oregano
   • 1t Fresh dried thyme
   • 3 Medium onions, chopped
   • 1T Butter

   Fill the cooker with water to about 2" from the top

   Cook the split peas:

   • Add 5T Olive oil to water before cooking, to reduce foaming.
   • Cook for approximately 5 minutes @ 15psi and quick release (to prevent burning/sticking). The peas should be substantially broken down, but not completely. There may be a thick sludge of partially decomposed peas at the bottom, but this will slowly disappear with further stirring and simmering.

   Cook the fresh/frozen peas:

   • Cook for approximately 10 minutes @ 15psi. If frozen, the peas don't have to be thawed first. The peas should have started to break down.
   • Some kind of blending needs to occur here, which I haven't worked out yet.

3. Stir the soup immediately, ensuring that you scrape the bottom of the pot. As the peas break down, the soup becomes smoother and the peas become more suspended in the soup, and there is less chance of burning, so the stirrings may become less frequent.

4. Add the following ingredients:
   • 2T Yeast flakes
   • Optional: 2 large bella mushrooms, chopped
5. Simmer for at 1 to 2 hours on low heat, stirring frequently (every ten minutes or so) at first to avoid burning. You may slowly reduce heat with each stirring to reduce chances of the thick pea sludge from sticking to the bottom of the pot.