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4
Easy
By Anne Willan
Published 2007
This soup comes from the cold northern plains of Picardy, though you will find it all over France. A bit of bacon provides meaty backing to the hearty purée of peas. In the days when pea soup was the entire meal, the purée would be stiff, known in England as pease pudding. This version is pourable.
Rinse the peas well, then put in a bowl, add water to cover, and let soak for 1 hour. Drain the peas, put them in a soup pot, and add the water, bacon, thyme, and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer until the peas are very tender and falling apart, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Add salt halfway through cooking, with more water if the pan seems dry. When the peas are done,