lws@hou2d.UUCP (lwsamocha) (01/17/86)
* For the third time in several months, my spouse spent mucho time cooking split pea & ham soup. Each time she has made it, it came out very bland. She has used, I believe, JOY of COOKING, BETTY CROCKER, and maybe other books- and probably recipes from the backs of split pea containers. Even with adding extras to the crock pot, it lacks the tastebud punch. I think that even Progresso makes a better soup, but I won't tell her that. So I am asking if there is anyone with any suggestions. Thanx in advance. LWS lws!hou2d *
eac@drutx.UUCP (CveticEA) (01/17/86)
Tips on making split pea soup: Be sure to boil a ham bone or ham hocks with the peas. This will leave a much meatier tasting soup. (Add chunks of meat too). Seasonings: cook with a bay leaf. Before serving sprinkle with ground coriander seed and fresh ground black pepper. Betsy Cvetic ihnp4!drutx!eac
reid@glacier.ARPA (Brian Reid) (01/19/86)
I've been playing with pea and bean soups this weekend. I find that soaking
the peas too long before cooking them makes the soup bland, because the peas
take in too much of the plain soaking water and not enough of the flavored
cooking water.
If I started from the Joy of Cooking recipe, I would double the number of
onions and also I would make sure they were chopped very fine. I would add
all of the optional seasonings except the sugar. I know this sounds zany,
but instead of stirring in 2 tablespoons of flour like the recipe calls for,
I would stir in 1/4 cup of instant mashed potato flakes. At the end I would
add several shakes of chinese pepper oil and a tablespoon or two of cognac.
Also, don't use turkey or a ham bone, as the book suggests: use a meaty
fresh ham hock instead of a bone, and after the meat has cooked soft,
pull the bones, remove the meat from them, cut it up, and put the meat back
into the soup.
In a few minutes I'll post my recipe for split pea soup. I've really been in
overdrive making legume soups this weekend, and the recipe is fresh in my
mind.
--
Brian Reid decwrl!glacier!reid
Stanford reid@SU-Glacier.ARPAbellas@ttidcb.UUCP (Pete Bellas) (01/20/86)
We make split pea (and black eyed pea) soup and have very good results.
After soaking the beans overnight drain and refil with water, add one
or two smoked ham hocks and finely minced onions and garlic (very finely
minced), fresh ground black pepper (depending on our mood also, oregano,
fines herbs, and/or a bay leaf). We use a crock pot on low for most of
the day (we often start it before going to work). Good luck.
-Pete-guy@slu70.UUCP (Guy M. Smith) (01/20/86)
In article <856@hou2d.UUCP>, lws@hou2d.UUCP (lwsamocha) writes: > * > For the third time in several months, my > spouse spent mucho time cooking > split pea & ham soup. > > Each time she has made it, it came out very bland. > When I make it I usually add an onion and some fresh garlic (if I'm in the mood). For spices, in addition to salt and black pepper, I'll often add some cumin and a small amount of dried red chile, not enough to really taste but it adds a little zip. I usually just throw a whole pepper in and fish it out later (unless my wife has been a little sluggish lately :-)). Maybe a little basil or thyme. You might also try using stock instead of just water to cook the peas (I've never tried this though).
seb@mtgzz.UUCP (s.e.badian) (01/21/86)
I find that throwing kielbasa into the soup really helps the flavor. It has more flavor than ham and may add the extra taste you're looking for. Sharon Badian ihnp4!mtgzz!mtgzy!seb
trb@haddock.UUCP (01/21/86)
> We make split pea (and black eyed pea) soup and have very good results. > After soaking the beans overnight drain and refil with water, add one > or two smoked ham hocks and finely minced onions and garlic (very finely > minced), fresh ground black pepper (depending on our mood also, oregano, > fines herbs, and/or a bay leaf). We use a crock pot on low for most of > the day (we often start it before going to work). Good luck. If you are going to be cooking onions and garlic in a crock pot for most of the day, you don't have to mince them finely, just slice and dice the onion normally, and smash the garlic under a knife. An unsmashed half clove of garlic sitting in soup all day will lose all of its sting; try to nibble on one sometime. I post this because I envision legions of net.cooks crying needlessly in their kitchens. Andrew Tannenbaum Interactive Boston, MA 617-247-1155
bfoss@desteng.UUCP (Brad Foss) (01/22/86)
> * > For the third time in several months, my > spouse spent mucho time cooking > split pea & ham soup. > > Each time she has made it, it came out very bland. > > Even with adding extras to the crock pot, it lacks > the tastebud punch. > So I am asking if there is anyone with any suggestions. I like to add a little sherry :-) It gives it a very nice nutty flavor. Brad Foss
ttp@kestrel.ARPA (01/24/86)
I too thought split pea soup was bland until I made the recipe in Vegetarian Epicure (Vol II, I think). Some of the added nuances were minced carrots, sweet potatoes, and some green spice, maybe marjoram. I made many soups in this book, and they were all interesting; the lentil soup (indian style) was very good. -tom
echrzanowski@watmath.UUCP (Edward Chrzanowski) (01/24/86)
Nobody has mentioned using either Maggi or Worcheshire Sause as flavouring
to the soup. You can even add soy sause or even sesame seed oil. I would
recommend using magi. I use it to add a bit of flavouring to some of my
sauces also.
--
ED C
UUCP: ...!{ utzoo,decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!watmath!echrzanowski
ARPA: echrzanowski%watmath%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
CSNET: echrzanowski%watmath@waterloo.CSNETodell@dciem.UUCP (Patricia Odell) (01/24/86)
* * In article <856@hou2d.UUCP> lws@hou2d.UUCP (lwsamocha) writes: >* >For the third time in several months, my >spouse spent mucho time cooking >split pea & ham soup. > >Each time she has made it, it came out very bland....... > >* I make pea soup alot and I've always recieved compliment. Maybe you could try it my way! :-) I start by having a baked ham for sunday dinner. I use a cured ham with the bone in the center and glaze it with a mixture of brown sugar, keen's mustard (dry) and raspberry vinegar. When the ham is almost gone, I put the bone with some of the meat on it into my crock pot and fill it up with water. I use either yellow or green split peas - what ever I see in the store. I probably use about 1.5 cups or so. I also put chopped up pieces of ham into the pot (use as much as you want!). Add 1 or 2 diced onions, a couple of diced carrots, 1 or 2 Knor or Maggi chicken bouillion cubes and fresh ground pepper to taste. If I have some, I also put in a couple of table spoons of tomato paste. Put the lid on the pot turn it to high and cook! I take the lid off when it comes to a boil and stir it once in a while. When it gets as thick as you want, eat it! A good rule of thumb when making any soup is - The longer it cooks, the better it tastes. Cheers! Patti Odell