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.
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.
ReplyDeletePS I think Mr. Nabors is in Hawaii, I think I read years ago he has a Macadamia nut farm there.
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!
ReplyDeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteHi, 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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