Classic pea soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g split peas
• 300 g smoked bacon, streaky
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 300 g potatoes, floury
• 3 bay leaves
• 5 allspice berries
• 2 tsp marjoram, dried
• 2 liters of unsalted chicken or vegetable broth
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or other aromatic vinegar
• 6 Vienna sausages or Mettenden or other sausages
• 1 large onion(s)
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

It is recommended to prepare the soup the evening before or the day before the planned meal, but you can also prepare it on the same day. Clean the vegetables and finely grate them. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. Set them aside in cold water. Place the peas in a sieve, rinse them thoroughly, and let them drain. Cut the bacon into 1 cm cubes and fry them in a large pot over medium-high heat without any additional fat until crispy. Add the vegetables and crushed allspice and fry them, using a spatula to loosen any roasted aromas from the bottom of the pot. Once the vegetables are sautéed, add the peas, bay leaves, and unsalted broth or water. Add the salted broth, powder, or cubes later. Do not add any salt at this point so the peas cook down thoroughly. Simmer the stew over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Now you can add the salted broth, stock powder, or stock cubes if you didn’t add unsalted broth beforehand. Season with salt and pepper and add the potatoes. Simmer for another half hour. Season with vinegar. Allow about 2 tablespoons. Season again with salt and pepper, if desired. Chop half of the parsley leaves and stir into the soup. The soup should now have a creamy consistency, with only the potatoes and bacon still chunky. If this is not the case, add 15 minutes to the cooking time. If you are cooking the soup for the next day, refrigerate the soup. Heat the soup over low heat the next day. To serve, dice the onion and fry it in a pan over medium heat. Heat the sausages in a bowl or container of boiling water from the kettle for about 7-10 minutes. Chop the remaining parsley. Pour soup into soup bowls, add sausages, and sprinkle with roasted onion and parsley.