Swedish Pea Soup Recipes

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight. If you need a faster method, simmer the peas gently for 2 minutes, and then soak for l hour.
• Once peas are soaked, add ham bone, onion, salt, pepper and marjoram. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Remove bone; cut off meat, dice and return meat to soup. Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

SWEDISH PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Sort through peas to remove any stones or foreign matter. Wash and drain.
• Combine all the ingredients except mustard in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with spicy brown mustard.

SWEDISH SWEET SOUP

Steps:

• Place the tapioca in a bowl with enough water to cover, and soak 8 hours, or overnight.
• Fill a large saucepan with the 2 quarts water, and mix in the prunes, raisins, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, and stir in the soaked tapioca. Stirring often, cook 30 minutes, or until tapioca is clear and prunes are tender. Mix in the lemon juice and salt at the end of the cook time. Chill until completely cooled before serving.

SWEDISH YELLOW PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the peas in a colander under cool running water. Put them in a large, nonreactive bowl and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak uncovered in a cool place overnight.
• Put the peas and soaking water into a heavy 6-to-8-quart pot. Add water to cover again by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and let boil two minutes. Skim off and discard any foam and skins that rise to the top.
• Stir in the chopped onion. Cut the piece of bacon crosswise into two pieces, and add to the pot with 3 tablespoons fresh marjoram or thyme leaves, stripped of stems and chopped.
• Let the soup boil gently for 40 to 90 minutes until it becomes very thick and buttery yellow. Whole peas will take longer and will be soft but still whole when cooked. Split peas will take a shorter time to cook and will almost disintegrate. If the soup becomes too thick, add more water.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the two pieces of bacon, and cut off and discard the rind. Cut the bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Reserve.
• Stir the soup well, and season with 2 to 4 tablespoons mustard. Add salt, if necessary, and black pepper. Add more fresh thyme or marjoram if desired.
• Serve with soup in shallow bowls with slices of bacon on the side. Pass additional mustard to stir into the soup. In Sweden, this soup, called artsoppa, is served with crisp rye bread covered with grated vasterbottem, a sharp, hard cheese. Aged cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano are good substitutes.

SWEDISH PEA SOUP (ARTSOPPA)

Steps:

• Soak the peas in 2 quarts of water overnight.
• Bring the peas to a boil in the water they soaked in.
• Add onion, meat and spices except mustard.
• Simmer until the meat is done and the peas have softened (about 1 hour).
• Take up the meat and cut into pieces.
• Put them back in the soup.
• Add more spices, if necessary.
• Serve hot with mustard.