Yum! Split pea soup is one of my favorites. Will have to try this recipe.

One of my favorite soups -- will have to try this recipe!

I wish I had some! Looks wonderful. It reminds me (other than the ham) of the vegetarian pea soup I used to make. It had a lot of dill, the carrots and onions, and butter. The butter--not much--made all the difference.

plllog, I never was a fan of split pea soup, but it's one of my husband's favorites. Years ago I decided to find a version he thought was as good as his mom's. This one accomplished that and more...and converted me, too.

What time's dinner? Looks perfect for a cold winter's night!

I love pea soup also, yours looks yummy, the recipe is one I will have to try. Thank's for sharing

Yum chloebud! Definitely my idea of cold weather comfort food : ) Aw heck, it works in the summer too! I don't have that Silver Palate recipe - yours has sherry and leeks in it - thank you for sharing! And also thanks for mentioning you left out the spinach... I will prob also do the same. Just wish I could reach into the screen with a spoon : )

2Many, the smoked shank really adds great flavor...obviously. I'm not a big tarragon fan so have actually never included it. I do love spinach but really didn't feel it added that much in this case. I've also made it without the sherry and it's still delish. As I said, this recipe made me a split pea lover. Gotta love those Silver Palate girls!

I should make split pea soup this evening - it is one of my favorite soups, and it's been cold here lately - yesterday it did not get above 60° and it rained all day. I will use Italian turkey sausage instead of ham because that's what I have, and Kevin will not eat ham or pork, although I like it. I might chop some ham to put in mine. I have a lot of chicken stock that I made recently that I would like to use. I'll skip the tarragon leaves also. I grew tarragon at one time thinking I would like it but I didn't. I have spinach in the freezer, and I have volunteer Italian parsley growing in back yard.

chloebud, I think you and I are the Silver Palate chefs' biggest fans! Even their simple things are just delicious! I do have to admit I agree with you and Lars, tarragon seems an odd flavor combo with peas. I do love fresh tarragon, though. Sleevendog (I think) was the first to tell me to try it with fresh tomatoes - she was so right.

I agree, smoked ham is just amazing in split pea soup as it adds that layer of flavor... but I think Italian turkey sausage out to make Kevin a happy pea soup eater : )

chloebud, if I'm not mistaken, aren't you the one who has all those Silver Palate cookbooks? If so, dang I'm still envious! LOL! Can't wait to finish our kitchen and buy some more cookbooks!

Ahhhhh, I can taste the yumminess....this bowl of soup is a lovely thing!

2Many, I do have a nice collection of Silver Palate books...The Silver Palate Cookbook, Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook and The New Basics Cookbook (a great one!). I also have some from just Sheila Lukins...Celebrate, USA Cookbook and Ten. Sadly, Sheila passed away much too soon. I used to have one Julie Rosso wrote on her own. Can't recall the name right now, but I gave mine to my sister. ETA - Julie's book was Great Good Food.

Lars, it will be a little different with the sausage but still good I bet. Let me know. I cook this much longer than the original recipe instructs. At least a good hour after adding the shank to the peas. Original recipe says 45 minutes. Once the carrots/onions/leeks go in, I often simmer low for an hour and a half. Again, original recipe gives 45 minutes. Like many soups, I make this a day or two ahead for maximum flavor. Good stuff.

Looks so good... Unfortunately, most of my family will not eat peas or other lentils. I love them, and my neighbor will occasionally make ham/pea soup and invite me over. Enjoy yours!

plllog, when you say jars, did you mean the ones of sauces, condiments, etc.?

Feathers, my husband won't go near lentils but loves split pea soup. Other than this soup, he also won't eat peas.

I'll let you know how it turns out, but I ran into another snag. I don't have enough split peas, and so I'm using half pigeon peas, which I have soaking right now. I figure that if they are peas, they should be okay to sub, but maybe they aren't really peas. I seem to be out of lentils as well, which is what I would have preferred to substitute.

Way too thick for our taste ...that is more a bean stew. Still delish but I need broth. I have a veg leek-top stock in the freezer and would add broth for a true soup since the flavor is so good....

Just another variation as we are all about grain and broth during the chilly months.

Is the silver palate recipe that thick?

sleevendog, I'm not sure what you mean by "that thick," but it is a thicker soup due to the starch in the peas (and ratio of peas to liquid). Easy to thin it out with more stock. Yes, the SP recipe is a thicker soup but not overly thick...definitely easily pourable. Depending on the soup, I prefer some thicker and some more brothy. The soup really thickens when chilled, but thins out quite a bit when reheated. I'm making a tasty veggie soup today...definitely brothy.

Well, I used 3/4 cup split peas (all I had) plus 3/4 cup pigeon peas and a very large jar of stock - I think it was 36 oz - and I added three sausages, which may have been too many, as it came out like a sausage soup/stew. Kevin liked it a lot. The pigeon peas never became mushy like the split peas, however, and so the texture was different. I used red wine instead of sherry because that's what I had. Anyway, it came out very good and I have a fair amount left over.

Sounds good, Lars! Good to know Kevin liked it. I'm always interested in hearing how other people tweak recipes. :-)

I add pearl barley to mine. Dh likes the soup thick; I prefer it a little thinner.

I like pea soup to be more the texture of whipped cream than broth. There was a Frenchy restaurant when I was young that made wonderful pea soup that was put through the mill and perfectly smooth. I usually go lumpier and a bit thinner, but it's so rib-sticking good when it's thick!

I have pea soup ingredients in line for making. Gonna have to try adding some dry sherry, might kick my recipe up a notch (which is basically the same although no tarragon, thyme instead). For whatever reason, I am not a fan of tarragon. I love the smell and the plant/herb, but the taste not so much.

I agree with catticus, I always add a bit of pearl barley to mine, I like the little texture difference to the smooth soup. I thought that was my own invention! I start with a ham bone and add carrot, celery, onion and potato. Of course, dried peas. When they’re all mush, I purée and add the barley and ham and cook until the barley is cooked. Sometimes I add ham bouillon base. The only spice, other than pepper I add is a bit of thyme.

We just came back from Mexico and one of the appetizers we had was pea soup. I didn’t have high hopes as sometimes I’ve been served pea soup made with fresh peas, which I would think would be better than dried. But I don’t like it, I find it too sweet. But although this had the bright green colour of fresh (or frozen) peas), both hubs and I raved about it. It was velvety smooth, not too thick but very flavourful. I’m not very good about picking out spices in food, except for the ones I don’t like, so I couldn’t tell how it was seasoned. But man, was it tasty.

I have one recipe that mixes fresh and dried peas. Best of both worlds. Particularly if you're going for a more spring/vegetarian taste in the soup.

I would say the Silver Palate recipe I posted is more of a chilly/cold weather hearty soup.

Lpink, any chance you can share your hybrid recipe?

I agree chloebud, perfect for cold weather... but sometimes I'll cook cold weather foods in summer because I miss the weather, and vice versa : ) Gratefully, DH will eat chili and other cold weather meals anytime of the year!

plllog, same here, for me, pea soup is best when it's of a thicker nature. If I make it in the summer, I'll thin it a bit.

2Many, same with my DH...cold weather meals year round! Also, here in SoCal we have to stretch those cold weather comfort meals a little further.

I make a fresh pea salad that has tarragon as an ingredient. It's great flavor combination. But sometimes I substitute dill for the tarragon just for a change.

Pllog, here is my "lighter" pea soup recipe. I got it from "epicurious.com" but the attribution says "Bon Appetit, Dec. 2006."

Split Pea and Green Pea Soup With Fresh Dill

3 TBLSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped (about 1.5 cups) LR note: I would probably often have to sub other types of onions as I can't usually afford or find leeks. Occasionally they do become available in the market at reasonable prices though.
1 bay leaf
1 cup green split peas, rinsed
5 3/4 cup (5.75 for you decimal folks!) vegetable broth, divided. Could use chicken if you don't have veggie broth I guess.
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
5 TBLSP chopped fresh dill, divided. LR note: I rarely have fresh dill and often have to make do with dried so I would do that to taste, starting with 1 TBLSP.

Heat oil in heavy large pot of med. high heat. Add leek and bay leaf. Saute until leek wilts, about 3 min. Add split peas and stir to coat. Add 5.25 (5 1/4 for you fraction folks) cups of broth. Reduce heat to simmer until split peas are just tender, about 35 min. or longer with more water depending on how old the dried peas are . . . (LR's note) Remove from heat and cool somewhat. Transfer 1 cup of soup solids and remaining 1/2 cup of broth to a blender. Add peas and 4 TBLSP of fresh dill. Puree until smooth. Return puree to pot with rest of peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve sprinkled with remaining fresh dill. LR notes: I would not do that, I would mush up just the frozen peas with a hand blender and then add them and mash the rest a bit with a masher to combine, or else just add the frozen peas to the pot and use the hand blender to blend mostly just the area with the frozen peas. But who am I kidding, I probably would just add the frozen peas and give the whole thing a zip with the hand blender, trying to keep pea soup out of my hair and the stove area . . .

This would be great with buttered herb croutons if you are so inclined . . . I've also made it with spinach and chopped pea pods added, and maybe some fines herbes . . .