It’s Time For Split Pea Soup!

Autumn is upon us and I, for one, couldn’t be happier about it. With the first cool breeze, the slow, gentle, swirling descent of the first turned leaf, I’m thinking of brilliant foliage colors, chilly, frosty mornings, opening up the sweater drawer, extra, cozy blankets, and soul-satisfying soups.

Taking in a seasonal vacation in New England, I enjoyed my first soup of the fall onset, a split pea offering…and it stirred my thoughts as I dipped my spoon deeply into the smooth, smoky, rich, and hearty purée. Ah, I thought, I feel a blog post comin’ on!

Not long after I became a member of my husband’s family, I became intimately familiar with his Aunt Dorothy’s split pea soup. I adored Aunt Dorothy for many reasons, not the least of which were a few of her recipes, as well as her explanations of how she prepared them. Aunt Dorothy spoke with a thick Polish accent. When she talked about this recipe, I most distinctly remember her very guttural pronunciation of the ‘r’ when she emphasized the necessity of using smoked ribs. Though no longer of this earth, I can hear her talking about those ribs as if she were sitting right beside me today.

I pay homage to Aunt Dorothy every time I make her split pea soup, several times throughout the colder months of the year. Before becoming a dedicated vegetarian, my daughter would often acquiesce to a bowl, long after she’d stopped eating meat, because the soup was just so good. When David and I first came to see our new home in Colorado before making the move, I absolutely rejoiced when I learned there was a barbeque place only ten miles away where I could acquire the ribs for the soup. Priorities, folks.

My version of Aunt Dorothy’s split pea soup does not stray far from her own recipe. It’s thick, hearty, smoky, smooth, and rich, maybe with a little more garlic than the original, the flavors deepened with the addition of smoked sea salt. Unlike my mother’s recipe that had a whole lot of ingredients, this one has comparatively far fewer. The smoked ribs are joined with the split peas from the very beginning of the preparation for the ultimate smoked pork permeation. After a relatively short cooking time, the rib meat is removed from the bone, returned to the pot, and then emulsified to a thick, creamy, smoky finish.

Trust me when I tell you that I end up making my own guttural sounds as I enjoy every warm, yummy, comforting bowl…and know that Aunt Dorothy is smiling down upon me when I do, and calling me “Cookie.”