Curried Split Pea Soup with Pancetta

I love peas, even in their demonic split incarnation. This one-pot dish is easy to make and delicious as a main course, particularly in the winter. While your standard-issue split pea soup is good, this approach adds complexity and heft to the meal: puréed, creamed, curried, and with pancetta.

Curried Split Pea Soup with Pancetta

Makes four servings.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon grape seed oil
1/4 pound pancetta, batoned into lardons
5 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
16 ounces dried green split peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons acetic hot sauce
grey salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Pancetta Arrotolata

Sauteing the Pancetta

Heat a heavy stock pot or dutch oven or medium-high heat. Add the grape seed oil. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until it is brown and rendered, about six minutes.

Pancetta reserved to a paper towel-lined plate

Using a slotted spoon, reserve the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate. Lower heat to medium. Remove all but two tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the shallot and saute, stirring, until soft and translucent but not brown, about four minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the split peas and curry powder. Stirring, lightly toast the split peas for 90 seconds.

Bringing to a boil

Add the cayenne pepper, stirring to incorporate. Add the chicken stock. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer, cover, and cook until the peas are no longer holding their shape, approximately 45 minutes. Occasionally uncover and stir.

Use an immersion blender to purée the soup …

… until thick and smooth

Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup.

Stirring in the heavy cream, hot sauce, and reserved pancetta

Add the heavy cream, hot sauce, and reserved pancetta. Stir. Return to a low heat to bring to temperature, but do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning. If too thick, add light cream, a tablespoon at a time, until the consistency of a dense purée, not a paste.

Plated, garnished, and ready to serve

Serve in warm soup bowls with homemade croutons, garnished with more hot sauce. Pairs well with a Southern Rhône red blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape.