Peas and Love

As we move into autumn, my favourite time of year, the food I crave changes too, and cooking becomes more and more about hearty, warm dishes, with ingredients that reflect the season and tastes that resembles the multitude of earthy, autumnal colours outside. And there is nothing better than being outside, in any weather, with the fresh air of fall, and the smells of the world changing into storage and survival mode. There's just nothing like it! Coming back inside as well, to the smells of food ready to heat you up from the inside out, is unbeatable, and it speaks to me in a way that no fresh salad or chilled summer soup can do - wonderful as they might be, they're just not autumn food...

A lot of the seasonal food is also very traditional, reflecting age-old ways of making, storing, preparing and keeping food. This recent dish, for instance, is based on dry peas, a simple, cheap, nutritious and space-efficient vegetable that can be stored over long periods, and ensures a reasonable intake of vegetables and vitamins even mid-winter. It also has a bit of cured ham, and is boiled with the bone of the ham for extra taste. This is another traditional way of keeping meat over the winter months: salting and drying legs of lamb, which creates the most amazing taste. (As a side note, I am going to attempt a self-cured ham this year, and will report on the progress as I get started.)

It's a simple soup recipe, and I can recommend making loads, as it also goes well in a thermos/flask for lunch on a mountain trip - just remember to bring a cup and a spoon.

Autumn Pea Soup

200-300 g dried peas - traditionally yellow, but it tastes just as nice with green

1 onion, chopped

2-3 celery sticks, sliced

or 1 celeriac, cubed

Leftovers of a cured ham on the bone

Water or stock - 2 liters or so

Thyme

1 leek, sliced in rings

2-3 carrots, sliced

Pepper

Soak the peas in water overnight. Rinse and add to a large casserole with fresh water or stock (remember that the soup will get quite salty from the ham). Add the onion, celery/celeriac, ham and thyme, and bring to the boil. Let it simmer for 2-3 hours, until the peas are tender. When there is about 20 minutes left, add carrot and leek. Remove the meat on the bone, cut the meat off and put it back into the soup. (You can use boiled sausage, other dried meats or similar instead or as well.)

Season with pepper, and serve with flatbread and good butter. 

Pea soup with ham and carrots, served with flat bread