Split Pea Soup with Prosciutto

Daria Souvorova

1 hour 30 minutes
serves: 6-9

Last week, I was basking in the 60 degree temperatures of Barcelona, and now we are home in Baltimore…and it is 10 degrees…Fahrenheit…it is time for soup!

When I was in Philadelphia last month, I bought a bit under a pound of prosciutto chunks…you know, just in case! I decided today was the day to use them. I was craving peas, and wanted to make a split pea soup. I did not have any smoked ham-hocks left, and have never liked the flavor of chunks of regular ham, so in went the prosciutto! Smoked meats give this soup a really lovely complex flavor.

I like to use chicken stock concentrate and an addition of a bit of mushroom stock in this soup, but chicken stock alone will do. I cook quite a bit with dried Porcini mushrooms. I hoard the water I use to re-hydrate them and use them to flavor soups and stocks.

Enjoy this soup with a big hunk of Baguette or stay tuned tomorrow morning for our Pain de Campagne recipe!

Ingredients:

• • • olive oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
    • 12 ounces prosciutto pieces
    • 3 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate
    • 2 bay leaves
    • salt and pepper
    • 10-14 cups of water
    • mushroom stock if you have it

1. 1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large Dutch Oven. Sauté garlic and onions until translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes on medium heat.
   2. Stir in the prosciutto and cook another 3 minutes or so.
   3. Add the chicken stock concentrate and the peas and mix until evenly covered and a bit glossy.
   4. Add the mushroom stock and about 8 cups of the water. Add bay leaves.
   5. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about an hour and a half until split peas are soft. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed.
   6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, remember the prosciutto and the stock will have some salt already.