Dutch-Style Split Pea Soup Warms on a Winter Evening

Nothing beats a hot and hearty bowl of soup on a chilly winter evening. In the Netherlands, a favorite winter dish is split pea soup, known in Dutch as erwtensoep or snert. It's similar to its American counterpart, but differs a bit in that it uses a variety of vegetables as well as smoked pork like bacon and ham. The Dutch also prefer to use yellow split peas over the green ones we usually associate with the dish.

We like to make this if we have a hambone left over from a holiday dinner. If you don't have a hambone use a smoked hamhock instead. In the Netherlands they often add slices of rookworst, a smoked sausage, so feel free to add some to the pot; kielbasa or smoked bratwurst are good substitutes.

Among the veggies that go into the pot is celery root, also known as celeriac. It's that ugly knobby thing that you may have run across in the produce section, and if you're not familiar with it it can look a little scary. It's delicious, though, and adds a distinctive flavor to the soup, so don't leave it out! It's probably easiest to peel with a sharp paring knife rather than a vegetable peeler.

This recipe makes enough for two meals, if not more. It thickens up quite a bit when it cools, so you can add a bit of water to it when reheating. Also, make sure you reheat the soup slowly as can burn easily.

Ingredients

• 1 hambone or meaty smoked hamhock
• 1 16-ounce bag yellow or green split peas
• 2–3 slices smoked bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 leeks (white part only), chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 whole cloves
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 8 cups water
• Kosher salt to taste

Directions

Heat a Dutch over or large heavy pot over medium high heat. Rinse split peas thoroughly, drain, and check to make sure there aren't any stones or other foreign objects among them.

Add the bacon to pot and cook over medium heat to render out some of the fat. When almost crispy, add onions, leeks, celery, carrots, and celery root. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add ham bone or ham hock, split peas, and potatoes. Stir to combine and pour in water.

Make a bouquet garni by placing peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves in a square of cheesecloth and tying with cotton kitchen twine and add to the soup. I often tie the string to the handle of the pot to make it easier to retrieve later on.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for one hour or until split peas are soft and soup is thick. The Dutch like to say that it isn't thick enough until a spoon stands up straight in it, but we like it a little thinner than that. Serve with slices of crusty rye or sourdough bread.