Pea Soup with Diced Bacon
Ingredients
Preparation steps
Rinse peas in a colander with cold water, transfer to a bowl and cover with 2 liters (approximately 2 quarts) water. Let soak at least 2 hours. Drain peas and reserve soaking water.
Remove rind from bacon. In a pot, combine bacon with 1 1/2 liters (approximately 1 1/2 quarts) water. Add bay leaves and allspice, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat, about 45 minutes.
Peel and slice carrots. Rinse, trim and halve leek lengthwise, then cut crosswise into strips. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 cm (approximately 1/2 inch) cubes. In a pan, cook vegetables in butter. Remove bacon from broth and transfer to a cutting board. Add peas and about 250 ml (approximately 1 cup) soaking water to the broth. Add vegetables, cover and cook over low heat, about 45 minutes. Add additional soaking water if needed. Dice bacon and add to soup. Season with salt and pepper. Rinse and finely chop marjoram and parsley leaves. Stir herbs into soup and serve with dark, hearty bread.
