Saturday, September 18, 2010

Split Pea Soup--Alabama Style

I have been busy canning for a few days, with more days to come. In preparation for turning my kitchen into a cannery, I made a few dishes which could easily be reheated. When I saw Split Pea Soup posted on my friend, Melynda's blog, Mom's Sunday Cafe, I knew that would be one of the things I made. I love having a big batch of soup on hand and this one is great with grilled cheese sandwiches to make a very satisfying supper.

The recipe I use comes from an old and yellowed clipping from my Alabama hometown newspaper. It is the recipe of Jim Nabors who played Gomer Pyle, the dim-witted gas station attendant on The Andy Griffith Show (catch reruns on TV Land). I don't know where Jim Nabors is now, but I do know that he was born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama.

Split Pea Soup--Alabama Style
1 lb. package green split peas
1 ham bone or ham hock
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper

Place peas in Dutch oven with ham bone, potatoes, carrots, onion, bay leaf, 4 quarts water, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

From here, Mr. Nabors instructs removing the ham bone and bay leaf, then pureeing the soup, adjusting the seasoning, and reheating. I skip this step, as you can see from the photo, because I like my soup chunky.

Also, it is delicious to me with a drizzle of soy sauce, hot sauce, and/or extra virgin olive oil.

4 comments:

  1. Wow, this yummy soup is next! Thanks for the kind words, it is a double pleasure to be called your friend as well. I have been trying to make sure I cook a pot of "beans" a week for frugality and having something tucked away in the freezer for those busy days, like canning days. This sure fits that new habit.

    PS I think Mr. Nabors is in Hawaii, I think I read years ago he has a Macadamia nut farm there.

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  2. Sounds delicious and really is there anything more comforting than a good bowl of soup? This would be eaten in no time at our house and I will have to remember this recipe as soon as we don't sweat to 109 degrees F anymore!

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  3. I just took the smoked shanks out of the soup to cool and dice. I took a spoonful of the soup to check for seasonings, but nothing was needed! Rocquie, this is one delicious pot of soup, thanks for sharing this great recipe.

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  4. Hi, I'm dropping by from Scratch Made Food. Melynda just linked up a recipe at my blog link party and her post had a link to your post. I'm in Tuscaloosa, AL so I just had to see how this soup got its name.

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