flipGule ærter — thick yellow pea soup
Gule ærter — thick yellow pea soup
Why this dish? A hearty winter dish in every Danish home, yellow pea soup simmered for hours on the stove — ideal for an absorbed man of science who could leave it on the fire while writing his lectures at the Polytechnic School he had founded.
A dense soup of yellow split peas simmered with bacon, root vegetables and thyme, eaten piping hot in cold weather. The Danish comfort of long winters.
When the wind from the Sound freezes the windows of Copenhagen, nothing beats a good pot of yellow peas left to simmer on the corner of the stove. I put in a piece of bacon, roots from our garden, and return to my registers; the soup works alone, just as nature obeys its laws without being rushed. When I come back, it is thick and steaming, and warms a man as study warms the soul.
- •Yellow split peas — a good measure (base)
- •Salt pork — one piece (fat and umami)
- •Turnips and carrots — a few (root vegetables)
- •Leek — 1 (aromatic)
- •Thyme and salt — to taste (seasoning)
Gule ærter — thick yellow pea soup
A dense soup of yellow split peas simmered with bacon, root vegetables and thyme, eaten piping hot in cold weather. The Danish comfort of long winters.
Why this dish? A hearty winter dish in every Danish home, yellow pea soup simmered for hours on the stove — ideal for an absorbed man of science who could leave it on the fire while writing his lectures at the Polytechnic School he had founded.
When the wind from the Sound freezes the windows of Copenhagen, nothing beats a good pot of yellow peas left to simmer on the corner of the stove. I put in a piece of bacon, roots from our garden, and return to my registers; the soup works alone, just as nature obeys its laws without being rushed. When I come back, it is thick and steaming, and warms a man as study warms the soul.
Ingredients (period version)
- Yellow split peas — a good measure (base)
- Salt pork — one piece (fat and umami)
- Turnips and carrots — a few (root vegetables)
- Leek — 1 (aromatic)
- Thyme and salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Yellow split peas — 400 g (base)
- Smoked bacon or salt pork belly — 250 g (fat and umami)
- Carrots — 3 (root vegetable)
- Turnips — 2 (root vegetable)
- Leek — 1 (aromatic)
- Thyme, salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Soak the split peas for a few hours, then rinse.
- Cover with water, add the bacon and bring to a simmer, skimming.
- After 45 minutes, add the root vegetables in chunks and the leek.
- Simmer until the peas break down into a thick purée (about 1½ hours).
- Remove the bacon, slice it and serve separately or in the bowl. Adjust salt and pepper.
How it was made : Dried peas kept all year in the cellar: they were a reliable protein source before refrigeration. Traditionally, the salted meat was served separately with mustard and rye bread.
The contemporary twist : Served with a spoonful of mild Danish mustard and crispy bacon bits on top.
Hans Christian Ørsted · Charactorium
