Ingredients
- 3 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced and diced (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup small diced leeks, white and light green parts only, (about 2)
- 1 pound sunchokes, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup seeded and diced roasted pasilla pepper
- 1/2 cup peeled and small diced yellow onion (about 1/2 onion)
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrots, (about 2 large)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound smoked ham hocks
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 pound dried split peas
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Goat Cheese Croutons, recipe follows
Directions
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, saute the pancetta until just starting to brown. Remove from the pot, and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the leeks, sunchokes, pasilla pepper, onion and carrots. Let cook for 5 to 6 minutes, then add in the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Make a well in the middle of the veggies, add the olive oil, and cook for 1 minute, then add the ham hocks. Cook the ham hocks, turning every 2 minutes, until all sides are warm and starting to lightly brown. Add the chicken stock and the peas. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in freshly cracked pepper, to taste, and remove the ham hocks from the pot to a cutting board. Let them cool for a few minutes and with a fork, shred the meat and add to the soup. Stir in the heavy cream and the vinegar. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve with the goat cheese croutons. Sprinkle with rendered pancetta and a crack of black pepper and serve.
Goat Cheese Croutons:
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Combine all the ingredients, except the panko, in a small bowl.
Form into a log shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm. While in freezer, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove the cheese from the freezer and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Flatten each slice with your palm or hand, and press into the panko crumbs. Arrange on a silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, then turn over and continue to bake for 6 to 8 minutes more. Cool and store in airtight container in the refrigerator.
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By jeb3130
on February 13, 2013
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i modified a bit with 2 things -
1. i used alex guaranchelli's method of roasting the sunchokes with skins on for 40 minutes, coated with olive oil and salt, and then added those to the soup before blending.
2. i made a vegetarian version - no pork, just the veggies. i did use the milk and only about 1 tbsp of cider vinegar.
it turned out Delicious. i think roasting the sunchokes (which my farmers market potato vendor has been pushing on me, added a very smoky earthy flavor in place of the meat, and this is by far the best split pea soup creation i've ever made or had!!
By crishta1_11760728
Rancho Cucamong...
on January 06, 2013
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Absolutely phenomenal! I too, could not find sunchokes. I suggest celery root over parsnips. It made sense, considering most split pea soups call for celery stalks. I doubled the recipe for a larger family. The pasilla peppers - fire roasted until charred, sweat and peeled. I used 15 cups stock, using 16 cups would have thinned the soup too much... I removed 1/4 of the soup to keep the whole veggie and chunky texture, and used an emersion blender to make balance of the soup velvet smooth. Returned ham, remainder reserved soup and combined. I changed as I taste tested two bowls after it was complete is; I did not use the heavy cream or the vinegar. the creaminess after blending the soup didn't need the extra fat or flavor AT ALL. The vinegar was a too noticeable acid, even in very small dose, and the soup was better without. I also made the croutons. They're awesome! But don't over cook, Otherwise they get too hard and its hard to taste the goat cheese.
By karen052059_7546538
Glenview, IL
on November 01, 2012
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I think the reason this recipe only has 2 ratings is that nobody can find sunchokes. I've wanted to make this recipe for awhile and went to 3 stores yesterday looking for sunchokes with no success. So, instead of the sunchokes I diced and added a large parsnip and the soup was absolutely delicious. After doing a little research, I learned that sunchokes are in season from late October until the end of March so I will definitely make again with the sunchokes. The pasilla peppers are what really sets this recipe apart and adds wonderful depth of flavor. The goat cheese croutons were phenomenal and really kicked the soup up a few notches. I will never make ordinary split pea soup again as this will be now my standard "go to" split pea recipe!
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